Sr. Associate Strategic Initiatives (Finance and Administration)

Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore (MD); Hybrid; USD 102,000 - 179,000; Full time

Job summary

Johns Hopkins University seeks a Sr. Associate, Strategic Initiatives to serve as a senior advisor for USS leadership across a decentralized, multi-entity setting.

The role focuses on developing sophisticated financial models, long-range planning, and strategic initiatives to inform executive-level decisions. Expect high-impact engagements and collaboration with central offices and divisional leaders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree required.
• Seven years of related, progressively responsible experience in finance/strategy.
• Experience in higher education or complex institutional environments preferred.
• Advanced financial modeling and scenario analysis experience.
• Experience presenting to senior leadership.

Responsibilities

• Serve as trusted advisor on financial strategy and initiatives.
• Translate data into actionable recommendations for executives.
• Lead analyses of performance, costs, resources, and long-term sustainability.
• Provide leadership on financial trade-offs and risks.
• Represent Finance in high-level meetings with university leadership.
• Lead enterprise financial planning, forecasting, and multiple-year analyses.
• Develop driver-based financial models and decision support frameworks.
• Ensure integrity and consistency of financial data and analyses.
• Drive executive reporting, dashboards, and analytics.
• Advance data governance and reporting tools across the division.

Skills

Analytical skills

Executive communication

Strategic thinking

Financial modeling

Data analysis

Leadership

Multi-entity coordination

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Advanced degree (MBA/MPP or related)

Tools

Power BI

Power Automate

Oracle

Workday

SAP

Job description

Johns Hopkins, founded in 1876, is America's first researchuniversity and home to nine world-class academic divisions workingtogether as one university.

University Student Services (USS) is a division of Johns HopkinsUniversity supporting all ten academic divisions. The USS Financeteam serves as a strategic partner across the University, leadingfinance and enterprise reporting for a broad portfolio ofstudent-facing services.

USS manages a complex and highly visible operating and capitalportfolio, including major initiatives such as the Housing andDining Improvement Plan. The division supports a wide range offunctions including Student Affairs & Auxiliaries, Admissionsand Financial Aid, Student Health and Well-Being, and Enrollment& Registrar services.

We are seeking a Sr. Associate, StrategicInitiatives for a highly visible, high-impact role that servesas a senior advisor and strategic thought partner for USSleadership. This individual will play a critical role in shapingfinancial strategy and decision support by synthesizing complexfinancial data into actionable insights. The position requiresstrong executive presence, strategic thinking, and the ability to influence decisions across a decentralized, multi-entityorganization.

A primary focus of this role is developing sophisticatedfinancial models that support enterprise decision-making,long-range planning, capital investment evaluation, and strategicinitiatives across USS. The individual will serve as a key resourcefor scenario modeling, forecasting, and business case developmentto inform executive-level decisions.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted advisor to the Sr. Associate Vice Provost,Finance & Administration, and other USS leaders on financialstrategy and initiatives.
• Translate financial and operational data into clear, actionablerecommendations that influence executive decision-making.
• Lead financial analyses evaluating performance, coststructures, resource allocation, and long-term sustainabilityacross the USS portfolio.
• Provide independent thought leadership on financial trade-offs,opportunities, and emerging risks.
• Represent USS Finance in high-level meetings with DivisionalBusiness Officers, Central Budget Office, and Universityleadership.

Enterprise Financial Planning & Analysis

• Serve as USS’s lead financial modeling resource, developingcomplex scenario analyses and decision support frameworks thatevaluate strategic alternatives, financial sustainability, andlong-term impact.
• Oversee external consultants and third-party partnerssupporting financial modeling and analytical initiatives.
• Lead the development of integrated, driver-based financialmodels, multi-year forecasts, and sensitivity analyses to supportstrategic initiatives, capital investments, program expansionopportunities, operating model changes, and long-range financialplanning.
• Evaluate funding strategies, financial risk, return oninvestment, and long-term sustainability for strategic programs,initiatives, and capital projects.
• Ensure the integrity, accuracy, and consistency of financialdata, assumptions, and analyses used to inform strategicdecision-making.

Reporting, Analytics & Transformation

• Lead the design and evolution of executive-level financialreporting, dashboards, and analytics, enhancing the quality,accessibility, and strategic value of information provided tosenior stakeholders.
• Drive the adoption of automation and reporting enhancementsusing tools such as Power Automate and Power BI.
• Communicate complex financial and operational analysis into aclear, persuasive, and actionable manner for executive andnon-technical audiences.

Data Strategy & Financial Systems

• Leverage enterprise systems for budgeting, forecasting, andlong-range planning, for advanced financial reporting and dataextraction.
• Provide recommendations on data structures, systemenhancements, and reporting tools to support complex,multi-dimensional analysis.
• Ensure high standards of data governance, accuracy, andusability across financial outputs.
• Support the development of analytical methods and tools thatimprove planning and forecasting support across the division.

Leadership & Impact Profile

• Operates with a high degree of independence, managing aportfolio of complex, high-visibility projects.
• Influences decision-making at senior levels without directauthority.
• Builds strong, trusted relationships across finance,operations, and University leadership.
• Demonstrates executive-level communication skills and theability to distill complexity into clarity.
• Acts as a change agent, driving continuous improvement infinancial processes, tools, and insights.
• Brings a forward-looking, strategic mindset to identify risks,opportunities, and emerging trends.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Exceptional analytical skills.
• Expert-level Excel, data analysis, and the development ofscalable, auditable reporting solutions that support complexstrategic decision-making.
• Ability to independently manage complex, large-scale projectsfrom start to finish; proactively identifies solutions tochallenges and gaps in information.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, withexperience presenting to senior leadership.
• Advanced proficiency with data and reporting tools (e.g., PowerAutomate, Power BI) preferred.
• Strong attention to detail with a commitment to data integrityand accuracy.
• Advanced financial modeling expertise, including driver-basedplanning, scenario planning, sensitivity analysis, forecasting,investment analysis, and business case development.

Preferred Skills

• Demonstrated experience managing large datasets in amulti-entity environment.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic finance, financialanalysis, forecasting, financial modeling, and complex strategicfinance initiatives.
• Experience conducting scenario, trend, and predictive analysesto support strategic decision-making.
• Experience in higher education or similarly complexinstitutional environments.
• Strong familiarity with enterprise financial systems (Oracle,Workday, SAP).
• Experience with automation and data visualization tools (PowerBI, Power Automate).
• Experience presenting complex financial information to seniorleaders and diverse stakeholders.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree.

• Seven years of related progressively responsible experience infinancial analysis, project management, and/or consulting.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience,and additional related experience may substitute for requirededucation beyond a high school diploma/graduation equivalent, tothe extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree (MBA, MPP, or related field).
• Seven Plus years of experience with increasing scope andinfluence.

Classified Title: Sr. Associate Strategic Initiatives
Role/Level/Range: ATP/04/PG
Starting Salary Range: $102,295 - $179,375 Annually ($165,000targeted; Commensurate w/exp.)
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: Mon - Fri / 08:30am - 05:00pm
FLSA Status: Exempt
Location: Hybrid/Homewood Campus
Department name: Student Services Finance & Administratio
Personnel area: University Student Services

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to apre-employment background check.

The following additional provisions may apply depending on which campus you will work. Your recruiter will adviseaccordingly.

During the Influenza (“the flu”) season, as a condition ofemployment, The Johns Hopkins Institutions require all employeeswho provide ongoing services to patients or work in patient care orclinical care areas to have an annual influenza vaccination orpossess an approved medical or religious exception. Failure to meetthis requirement may result in termination of employment.

The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas,laboratories, working with research subjects, or involvingcommunity contact requires documentation of immune status againstRubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella(chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received theTdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may includedocumentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicellavaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratorytesting. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases areordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except forthose employees who provide results of blood tests or immunizationdocumentation from their own health care providers. Anyvaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no costin our Occupational Health office.

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