Manager for Business and Financial Operations

North Carolina State University; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

Flexible Spending Account

Retirement Programs

Disability Plans

Life Insurance

Paid Time Off

12 Holidays Each Year

Tuition and Academic Assistance

Job summary

NC State University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering seeks a strategic Manager for Business and Financial Operations to guide financial planning and governance. You will partner with the Department Head and leadership team to align budgets, forecasts, and long-range strategies with university policies.

You will oversee the department’s financial health, advise on funding allocations, and coordinate with HR Strategy Partner and RA Hub Managers to ensure sustainable financial

Qualifications

• Senior-level financial management, budgeting, and fiscal analysis experience within a complex university setting.
• Direct supervisory experience over fiscal, accounting, or administrative staff.
• Demonstrated ability to build complex, multi-year financial models (3–5 year horizons).
• Deep knowledge of compliance and blending rules for State, F&A, Trust, Endowment, Service Center, and Federal Grant funds within higher education.
• Strong consulting approach with ability to identify risks and propose viable alternatives.
• Experience with ERP financial systems (e.g., PeopleSoft, Workday, Oracle).
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain multi-year financial models for all departmental revenue streams.
• Conduct What-If financial analysis for hiring plans, startup packages, student funding mechanisms, and space expansion projects.
• Provide data-backed recommendations on spending, cost-savings, or revenue generation.
• Oversee budget construction and position management in alignment with college finance leadership.
• Deliver executive-level financial reports and quarterly variance analytics.

Skills

Senior-level financial management

Supervisory experience

3–5 year financial modeling

Budgeting & fiscal analysis

ERP systems (PeopleSoft, Workday, ORA)

Financial risk assessment

Verbal & written communication

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Business, Finance or related discipline with 12 accounting credits and 3 years accounting experience including supervisory, or equivalent

Tools

PeopleSoft Financials

Workday

Oracle

Tableau/Power BI

Job description

Posting Information

Posting Number: PG194903EP

Internal Recruitment: No

Working Title: Manager for Business and Financial Operations

Anticipated Hiring Range: Commensurate with education and experience

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8am-5pm

Job Location: Raleigh, NC

Department: Electrical and Computer Engineering

About the Department: The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) has as its mission the accumulation, generation, and dissemination of knowledge in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Central to the mission is a high quality research and educational program that benefits our students, the State of North Carolina, the nation and the world. The Department acts as a focal point for development, growth and entrepreneurship. The national and international reputation of the Department facilitates future growth in areas of fundamental economic importance to the State.

Wolfpack Perks and Benefits

As a Pack member, you belong here, and can enjoy exclusive perks designed to enhance your personal and professional well-being. As you consider this opportunity, we encourage you to review our Employee Value Proposition and learn more about what makes NC State the best place to learn and work for everyone.

What we offer:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision
• Flexible Spending Account
• Retirement Programs
• Disability Plans
• Life Insurance
• Accident Plan
• Paid Time Off and Other Leave Programs
• 12 Holidays Each Year
• Tuition and Academic Assistance
• And so much more!

Attain Work-life balance with our Childcare benefits, Wellness & Recreation Membership, and Wellness Programs that aim to build a thriving wolfpack community.

Disclaimer: Perks and Benefit eligibility is based on Part-Time or Full-Time Employment status. Eligibility and Employer Sponsored Plans can be found within each of the links offered.

Essential Job Duties

As the Manager for Business and Financial Operations, you will serve as the primary strategic fiscal advisor to the Department Head and departmental leadership team, co-piloting the unit's financial strategy, resource allocation, and long-range sustainability. With HR and Research Administration transitioned to specialized College Hubs, you will focus on leading the department's overall fiscal health, multi-year forecasting across all revenue streams, and high-level alignment among the Department Head, HR Strategy Partner (HRSP), and RA Hub Managers. In this role, you will maintain managerial oversight of the department's transactional team, serve as the final departmental fiscal approver, and provide the financial insight needed to support strategic decision-making and long-term sustainability.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Financial Planning & Analytics

• Comprehensive Multi-Year Forecasting: Build and maintain dynamic 3-5 year financial models encompassing all departmental revenue streams (State allocations, F&A returns, ETF, Service Centers/Recharge accounts, Foundation/Gifts, Tuition/Fees, and Discretionary streams).
• Scenario Modeling & Investment: Conduct "What-If" financial analysis for faculty hiring plans, startup package commitments, student funding mechanisms, and space expansion projects.
• Resource Optimization: Analyze spending trends and macro-level financial datasets to provide data-backed recommendations to the Department Head for strategic reinvestments, cost-savings, or revenue generation.
• Position & Budget Control: Oversee departmental position management and annual budget construction in close alignment with college financial leadership.
• Executive & College Reporting: Deliver executive-level financial reports, quarterly variance analytics, and closing metrics to the AD of Finance as requested.

Strategic Research & Post-Award Oversight

• Portfolio Health & Burn Rates: Partner with the RA Post-Award Hub to monitor high-level research portfolio performance, identifying burn-rate anomalies, funding cliffs, and compliance risks (e.g., effort reporting).
• Proposal & Capability Alignment: Liaise with the RA Pre-Award Hub Manager to evaluate pending proposals against departmental cost-share capabilities, space availability, and long-term financial commitments.
• Faculty Transition Consulting: Consult with faculty on long-term funding sustainability, managing startup funds, and successfully transitioning early-career faculty to established, self-sustaining research portfolios.

Budget Governance, Compliance & Exception Management

• Fiscal Authority: Serve as the final departmental authority on complex fiscal interpretations, operating on an "exception management" basis rather than approving routine transactions.
• Audit & Guidelines Compliance: Ensure all departmental funds across State, Trust, Endowment, and Grant accounts strictly adhere to University, State, and Federal regulations.
• Supervision & Delegation: Directly supervise, mentor, and evaluate in-department transactional finance team members, establishing clear operational workflows and internal controls so the Manager for Business and Financial Operations remains focused on high-level strategy and triage.

Leadership & Strategic Partnering

• Executive Co-Pilot: Serve on the Department Head's leadership team, providing monthly "Fiscal Health" briefings to both the Department Head and the AD of Finance.
• Cross-Functional Synergy: Act as the primary financial liaison to the HR Strategy Partner (HRSP) and RA Hub Managers to ensure personnel, research, and financial strategies are fully funded and operationally aligned.
• Faculty Consulting: Provide strategic financial advice directly to individual faculty members regarding lab financial management, graduate student support, and long-term funding sustainability.

If you are a strategic financial leader who enjoys using data, sound judgment, and collaborative problem-solving to guide complex financial decisions, this is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the department's long-term financial strategy and sustainability. We welcome you to apply and bring your financial expertise and collaborative approach to this important leadership role.

Other Responsibilities

In addition to the core responsibilities of this role, there may be occasional opportunities to take on additional duties. This offers an opportunity to build on your skills, explore new areas, and gain a deeper understanding of the department's operations.

Qualifications

Minimum Education and Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Business, Finance or Other Discipline related to the area of assignment with 12 Credit Hours of accounting coursework and three years of professional accounting experience, of which at least one is supervisory; or equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

Other Required Qualifications

• Senior-level financial management, budgeting, and fiscal analysis experience within a complex university setting (preferably an R1 institution) or equivalent corporate business and/or research environment.
• Direct supervisory experience over fiscal, accounting, or administrative staff, including performance management, workload balancing, and professional development.
• Demonstrated ability to build complex, multi-year financial models (3-5 year horizons) incorporating soft-money volatility, state appropriations, and revenue-generating units using advanced spreadsheet or enterprise modeling tools.
• Deep knowledge of structural differences, compliance restrictions, and blending rules governing State, F&A, Trust, Endowment, Service Center, and Federal Grant funds within higher education.
• A collaborative and solutions-oriented consulting approach, with the judgment and confidence to identify compliance or financial risks, communicate concerns clearly, and recommend viable alternatives that support sound and sustainable financial decisions.
• Demonstrated fluency using Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) financial systems (e.g., PeopleSoft Financials, Workday, Oracle) and reporting tools.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills with the ability to translate complex fiscal constraints for non-financial stakeholders, alongside proven expertise at "triage"-identifying issues requiring immediate strategic intervention versus those delegated to transactional staff.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree (MBA, Master of Accounting - MAC, MPA) or professional certification (CPA, CRA, or Certified Financial Manager).
• Prior financial management experience within a College of Engineering or STEM environment, with specific familiarity handling high startup packages, equipment depreciation/maintenance, and lab space cost-share metrics.
• Proficiency with business intelligence tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) to present executive summaries visually.

Required License(s) or Certification(s)

N/A

Valid NC Driver's License required

No

Commercial Driver's License required

No

Position Details

Position Number: 00042922

Position Type: EPS/SAAO

Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (1.0 = 40 hours/week): 1.0

Appointment: 12 Month Recurring

Mandatory Designation - Adverse Weather: Non Mandatory - Adverse Weather

Mandatory Designation - Emergency Events: Non Mandatory - Emergency Event

Department ID: 140401 - Electrical & Computer Engineering

EEO: NC State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal opportunities for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. The University encourages all qualified applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, to apply. Individuals with disabilities requiring disability-related accommodations in the application and interview process are welcome to contact 919-513-0574 to speak with a representative of the Office of Equal Opportunity.

If you have general questions about the application process, you may contact Human Resources at [phone] or [e-mail].

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. Degree(s) must be obtained prior to start date in order to meet qualifications and receive credit.

NC State University participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.