Financial Analyst

Northeastern University; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits

Tuition assistance

Wellness program

Job summary

Northeastern University in Boston is seeking a financial data analyst to develop and maintain financial models, dashboards, and data pipelines across budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning. You will pull data from Workday, Snowflake, and other systems, ensure accuracy, and present actionable insights to leadership.

The role emphasizes building automated workflows, communicating insights clearly, and collaborating with university departments to align with institutional goals.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of financial analysis, budgeting, and forecasting principles, normally earned with a Bachelor's degree and 2-4 years of experience.
• Ability to use statistical analysis, simulations, predictive modeling, or other methods to analyze information to support the university's mission.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel, including complex formulas and financial modeling.
• Ability to write and execute SQL queries to extract and analyze data from relational databases.
• Ability to build and maintain dashboards in Tableau or similar BI tools.
• Ability to apply data visualization best practices to turn complex data into clear narratives.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with high attention to detail and data accuracy.
• Ability to communicate complex data clearly, in writing and verbally, to audiences with varying technical levels.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines, working independently and collaboratively.

Responsibilities

• Pull, clean, and consolidate financial, enrollment, headcount, and operational data from multiple university systems into unified data sets.
• Identify and resolve data inconsistencies, gaps, and anomalies at the source before reporting.
• Build and maintain automated data pipelines and queries (SQL, Python) to reduce manual data pulls and speed up reporting.
• Partner with system administrators and data owners to understand source system logic and ensure correct data mapping.
• Design and maintain Tableau dashboards that translate complex data into clear visuals for leadership.
• Distill analysis into concise, decision-ready summaries highlighting trends, risks, and opportunities.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to understand reporting needs and iterate on dashboard design.

Skills

Financial analysis

Budgeting & forecasting

Advanced Excel

SQL

Tableau / BI tools

Data visualization

Communication

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance/Accounting/Economics

Tools

Tableau

Power BI

Snowflake

Python

Workday

Job description

About the Opportunity

Job Summary

Develops and maintains financial models that support the university's budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning efforts. Pulls and analyzes data across multiple university systems, applying a sharp eye for accuracy and a problem-solving mindset to dig into discrepancies wherever they turn up. Builds and maintains Tableau dashboards that keep leadership informed on budget, headcount, and operating KPIs. Connects the data back to what's actually happening across the university's campuses - keeping dashboards and models grounded in real operations. Works across departments and functions to support university-wide financial priorities, and stays open to new tools and approaches - including AI-assisted tools like Claude - as reporting needs evolve.

Minimum Qualifications

• Knowledge of financial analysis, budgeting, and forecasting principles, as normally acquired through a Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field and 2-4 years of relevant experience
• Ability to use statistical analysis, simulations, predictive modeling, or other methods to analyze information and develop solutions that support the university's mission
• Advanced proficiency in Excel, including complex formulas and financial modeling
• Ability to write and execute SQL queries to extract and analyze data from relational databases
• Ability to build and maintain dashboards in Tableau or similar BI tools (e.g., Power BI)
• Ability to apply data visualization best practices to turn complex data into clear, compelling visual narratives for audiences with varying levels of technical expertise
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with high attention to detail and a demonstrated focus on data accuracy
• Ability to communicate complex data and analysis clearly, both in writing and verbally, to audiences with varying levels of technical expertise
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines, working both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment

Preferred

• Knowledge of ERP/financial systems (e.g., Workday, Adaptive Planning, Oracle, or similar)
• Working knowledge of Python or R for data automation and analysis
• Experience with cloud data platforms (e.g., Snowflake)
• Familiarity with AI-assisted tools (e.g., Claude) for data analysis, forecasting, or process automation
• Genuine interest in and commitment to Northeastern's mission

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

Data Aggregation & Analysis

• Pull, clean, and consolidate financial, enrollment, headcount, and operational data from multiple university systems (Workday, Snowflake, and others) into unified, reliable data sets
• Identify and resolve data inconsistencies, gaps, and anomalies at the source before they reach downstream reporting
• Build and maintain automated data pipelines and queries (SQL, Python) to reduce manual data pulls and improve turnaround time on recurring reporting needs
• Partner with system administrators and data owners to understand source system logic and ensure data is interpreted and mapped correctly

Reporting & Dashboard Development

• Design and maintain Tableau dashboards that translate complex financial and operational data into clear, actionable views for leadership
• Distill analysis into concise, decision-ready summaries - highlighting key trends, risks, and opportunities rather than raw data
• Partner with stakeholders to understand reporting needs and iterate on dashboard design as priorities shift

Financial Modeling & Forecasting

• Build and maintain financial models supporting budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning
• Conduct scenario and sensitivity analysis to inform planning assumptions and decision-making
• Support annual budget development and periodic forecast updates in partnership with departmental leadership

Cross-Functional Support & Process Improvement

• Collaborate with departments across the university to support financial planning needs tied to the broader institutional mission
• Evaluate and adopt AI-assisted tools (e.g., Claude) and other automation technologies to improve efficiency and accuracy of financial processes
• Document processes and methodologies to support consistency and knowledge transfer across the team

Position Type

Finance

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer.

Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Compensation Grade/Pay Type: 109S Expected H