Manager for Business and Financial Operations
NC State University
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
NC State University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering seeks a Manager for Business and Financial Operations to lead the department’s financial strategy, forecasting, and multi-year planning. This role also acts as final departmental fiscal approver and builds data-driven insights for long-term sustainability.
You will supervise the transactional finance team and partner with HR and RA to ensure compliance, funds allocation, and strategic financial guidance for the Department
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Business, Finance or related field with 12 accounting credits and 3 years of professional accounting experience, including supervision.
- Senior-level financial management, budgeting, and forecasting experience in a complex university or corporate setting.
- Experience with ERP financial systems (PeopleSoft, Workday, Oracle) and strong communications skills.
Responsibilities
- Multi-year forecasting (3–5 years) across all departmental revenue streams.
- What-if analysis for hiring plans, startups, space expansion, and investments.
- Oversee budget construction and ensure alignment with college leadership.
- Deliver executive financial reporting and variance analytics.
- Provide strategic financial advice to faculty and department leadership.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
Working Title Manager for Business and Financial Operations
Anticipated Hiring Range Commensurate with education and experience
Work Schedule Monday - Friday, 8am-5pm
Department Electrical and Computer Engineering
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.
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.
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.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
N/A
Valid NC Driver's License required
Commercial Driver's License required
Position Number 00042922
Position Type EPS/SAAO
Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (1.0 = 40 hours/week) 1.0
Appointment 12 Month Recurring
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 (919) 515-2135 or workatncstate@ncsu.edu . 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.
Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
- * How did you learn of this opportunity?
- NCSU Website
- NCSU Executive Search Services
- Monster.com
- CareerBuilder.com
- InsideHigherEd.com
- Carolina Job Finder / Employment Guide
- Job / Career Fair
- The Chronicle of Higher Education
- HERC
- Professional Journal
- Print Advertisement (Newspaper / Periodical)
- Professional Organization
- Direct Contact from NCSU HR Representative / Recruiter
- NCSU Employee Referral
- Social Media (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Other)
- Other
- If you learned about this vacancy from "other source" or "other website", please provide the source.
(Open Ended Question)
- * Do you have a 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?
(Open Ended Question)
- * Describe your experience applying accounting principles and practices in a large, complex organization. What types of accounting functions have you been responsible for?
(Open Ended Question)
- Resume
- Cover Letter
- Contact Information for References
NC STATE UNIVERSITY
RALEIGH, NC 27695
PHONE: (919) 515-2011
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