Financial Analyst

Cary Academy; Cary (NC); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Cary Academy is seeking a Finance/Budget Analyst to prepare, maintain, and analyze budgets and financial reports for school leadership. The role involves developing financial analyses and KPIs, designing dashboards, and building models to forecast long-term sustainability.

Responsible for leading the annual budget cycle and monitoring performance across departments. Qualifications include a Bachelor’s in Accounting/Finance or related field and 2–5 years of relevant experience, with strong Excel

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Economics, or related field is required.
• 2–5 years of directly related financial analysis, budgeting or accounting experience.
• Experience with accounting software and reporting systems; advanced Excel required; PowerBI preferred.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, maintain, and analyze budget and financial reports for school leadership and budget officers.
• Develop and monitor financial analyses and KPIs for timely leadership insights.
• Design and maintain dashboards leveraging data visualization for key analyses.
• Build dynamic financial models to assess short- and long-term sustainability.
• Lead annual operating budget process including templates, submissions, and communications.

Skills

Budgeting

Financial analysis

KPI tracking

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Economics, or related field

Tools

Excel

PowerBI

Job description

Job Category: Accounting/Finance/Human Resource

Requisition Number: FINAN001325

• Full-Time
• On-site

Locations

Showing 1 location

Cary, NC
Cary Academy
1500 N Harrison Ave
Cary, NC 27513, USA

Cary, NC
Cary Academy
1500 N Harrison Ave
Cary, NC 27513, USA

• Prepare,maintain, and analyze budget and financial reports for school leadership, division and department leaders, and other budget officers as needed or requested.
• Develop and monitor thoughtful financial analyses and KPIs that provide school leadership timely insights into trends, adherence to budget and key performance drivers.
• Design and maintain accurate dashboards that leverage data visualization to deliver key analyses.
• Build dynamic financial models underpinned by KPIs to assess short- and long-term sustainability with key assumptions.
• Develop assumptions-based 5- and 10-year financial plans that identify key inputs, drivers, trends, and potential impacts on long-term financial sustainability.
• Lead the annual operating budget process, including preparing budget templates, compiling budget submissions, reviewing account activity and trends, andassistingwith budget communications and follow-up.
• Monitor ongoing budget performance and financial activity,identifyingvariances, trends, opportunities, and areas requiringadditionalreview or action.
• Analyze enrollment, tuition, fee, and financial aid trends to support revenue planning, affordability discussions, and long-term financial forecasting.
• Prepare financial models, forecasts, cost analyses,dashboardsand scenario analyses to support decision-making for operating budgets, capital projects, auxiliary programs, tuition and fees, staffing, contracts, and other school initiatives.
• Provide information, education, and support to budget officers and other employeesregardingfinancial reports, budget status, account coding, purchasing processes, and financial procedures.
• Assistwith month-end and year-end financial reporting, audit preparation, regulatory reporting, and other financial reporting requirements as assigned.
• Compile, organize, reconcile, and analyze financial and operational data from accounting, payroll, student billing, enrollment, auxiliary program, and other school systems.
• Support the tracking, reporting, and analysis of restricted gifts, endowment spending, reserves, capital projects, and other designated funds in coordination with Development and Business Operations employees.
• Assistin developing, refining, documenting, and improving budgeting, financial analysis, internal control, and reporting processes.
• Monitor cash flow, liquidity, reserves, and investment-related activity to support effective treasury planning, capital planning, and financial decision-making.
• Support in the preparation of Board of Director reports, presentations and other ad hoc reporting for Finance Committee, Audit Committeeand Board of Directors.
• Enter,maintainand analyzeannualschool benchmark reporting including but not limited to INDEX, DASL, SAIS, NCAIS, NBOA and Commonfund to ensureaccuracy ofschoolreporting.
• Analyze peer benchmark data and make recommendations based on annual school benchmark results.
• Prepare ad hoc reports, presentations, schedules, and analyses for the Chief Financial Officer, Head of School, Finance Committee, Audit Committee, and other internal audiences as assigned.

As a Cary Academy employee, you will:

• Engage actively in the school’s diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism work in all aspects of your professional responsibilities and interactions in furtherance of Cary Academy’s commitment to equity and justice.
• Attend and activelyparticipatein all required School professional development activities in areas to include, but not limited to, safety and security; diversity, equity, and inclusion; student learning and support; technology; and school operations.
• Engage authentically in processes of self-reflection and improvement of practice, including full participation in the Professional Growth and Renewal Program.
• Complete all required administrative and operational tasks andcomply withall applicable regulatory requirements and School policies and procedures as articulated in handbooks, operating guides and other School policy and procedure communications and documentation in a responsive andtimelymanner.
• Use designated technology assets and platforms as directed by School policies and procedures to allow for secure, effective, and collaborative school operations. Work collaboratively with the Information Services team to research, implement and evaluate technology resources related to position responsibilities.
• Perform other projects and duties as assigned in support of both divisional and school operations and initiatives.

In this position, you will:

• Have strong analytical skills and the ability to interpret, organize, and communicate financial information clearly and accurately.
• Pay attention to detail and accuracy, and work effectively in a multiple-task, deadline-oriented work environment.
• Exercise sound judgment, discretion, and confidentiality when working with financial, employee, student, family, and school information.
• Work collaboratively with employees at varying levels of financial knowledge to support effective budget management and decision-making.

Education, Knowledge, and Professional Requirements

Education:Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Economics, ora relatedfield.

Experience:2 to 5 years ofdirectly relatedfinancial analysis, budgeting or accounting. Experience with accounting software, reporting systems, data analysis tools, and advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excelrequired, PowerBI experience preferred.

Certification and/or Credentials:CPA or other finance/accounting credential preferred but notrequired.

Equivalency:Directly relatedexperience or a combination ofdirectly relatededucation and experience may be considered in place of the above requirements.

• Knowledge of budgeting, financial reporting, financial analysis, andgenerally acceptedaccounting principles, preferably as they relate to non-profit institutions.
• Advance proficiency of Microsoft Excel and other technology tools used to compile, analyze, summarize, and present financial data.
• Ability to prepare clear,accurate, and useful financial reports, models, summaries, and presentations for a variety of audiences.
• Working knowledge of accounting systems, budget systems, reporting platforms, and Microsoft 365 tools in a Windows environment.
• Ability toidentifytrends, investigate variances, reconcile data, and recommend process improvements based on financial and operational analysis.
• Strong organizational, time management, and follow-up skills, with the ability to move multiple projects forward in a deadline-oriented environment.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.