Budget Director

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Job Summary

The California Institute of Technology, a private, not-for-profit Research University located in Pasadena, California, seeks a highly motivated, experienced Budget Director. This position will play a key role in the Institute's budgeting, forecasting, and analysis function.

Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer, the Budget Director is a senior administrator and oversees the planning, policy formulation, and implementation of all operational aspects of the Institute's operating and capital budgets. With the assistance of three direct reports, the Budget Director provides oversight of the Institute budget development process and expenditure control activities, tracks year-to-date actuals and provides quarterly updates of current fiscal year forecast to budget, providing high level variance analyses. The Budget Director collaborates with financial executives in determining operating and capital budget needs and analyzing spending trends and provides oversight of capital spending to applicable fund sources, including Bonds, Gifts and General Budget funds. In addition, the Budget Director provides guidance and training on budget management and financial procedures. This position must apply advanced budget techniques in analyzing and preparing financial documents and operating budget requests and clearly articulate and explain complex financial data to all constituents.

Essential Job Duties

• Directs the development and administration of the Institute's annual and long-range operating and capital budgets, including budget planning and policy development.
• Prepares the annual operating budget for General Budget, Gifts and Grants, Endowment, Sponsored Research and Auxiliary fund sources.
• Develops and updates complex revenue models, including endowment payout, tuition and fees, federal research and indirect costs recovery.
• Collaborates with Student Affairs and Sr. Leadership in assessing and determining student financial aid budgets and in setting the annual cost of attendance
• Oversees the budgeting and reporting of faculty and staff salary and benefits; Develops and maintains financial models to determine the cost of the annual salary increase program for general budget and designated funds.
• Oversees the budgeting and reporting of the annual capital budget including the allocation of spending to the appropriate funding sources (bonds, gifts and general budget). Collaborates with leadership in Provost Office and Facilities on capital spending plans and funding sources.
• Acts in an expert advisory capacity and provides strategic overview to senior and executive management on various financial planning initiatives.
• Develops complex financial models and ad hoc analyses on Institute issues as needed for strategic planning, such as union negotiations.
• Develops budget presentations for the Board of Trustees.
• Works closely with leaders of academic and administrative units of the Institute with development of annual and long-range budget and planning processes.
• Oversees the analyses and reporting of the Institute's budget including developing complex revenue models, analyzing budget requests, assessing the impact of major policy changes, and fiscal and operational issues.
• Oversees budget variance analysis and reporting. Regularly reconciles actual revenue and spending against Budget, investigates deviations and prepares financial reports for senior leadership each quarter.
• Conducts in-depth research and objective analysis of key issues of interest to the Institute; assembles relevant statistics to support diverse budgetary scenarios.
• Oversight and review of financial or statistical data survey submissions, including but not limited to WASC accreditation, IPEDS, US News and World Report, and National Science Foundation
• Provides leadership and/or guidance to other personnel (e.g. interviews, orients, trains, assigns and reviews work, counsels and advises, etc.)
• Other duties as assigned.

Basic Qualifications

• The successful candidate must have a Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Accounting or a related field.
• 10 years' experience in financial analysis, budgeting, and reporting.
• Three years' experience and knowledge of fund accounting is required
• A strong knowledge of business and accounting principles is required.
• Excellent organizational skills, oral and written communication and interpersonal skills, a high level of initiative, and the ability to work in a collaborative environment are also essential.
• The successful candidate must have the flexibility to work with both conceptual issues and with a high degree of detail and must be able to manage multiple deliverables and deadlines.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel and experience with database tools is essential for this position.
• Superior verbal and written skills and ability to explain complex financial data to all constituents.
• A background investigation will be required for this position.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Business, Finance, Accounting or related field.
• Budget experience in a not-for-profit organization with government funding.
• Experience working with Boards in explaining complicated budget concepts.

Required Documents

• Resume.
• Cover Letter.

Hiring Range

$199,000 - $235,000

The salary of the finalist(s) selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty and training.


As one of the largest employers in Pasadena, CA, Caltech is committed to providing comprehensive benefits to eligible employees and their eligible dependents. Our benefits package includes competitive compensation, health, dental, and vision insurance, retirement savings plans, generous paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick time, parental leave, bereavement, etc.), tuition reimbursement, and more. Non-benefit eligible employees will have access to some benefits such as onsite counseling and sick time. Learn more about our benefits and staff perks. EEO Statement

Caltech is an equal opportunity employer and, as a federal contractor, takes affirmative action to employ qualified individuals with disabilities and protected veterans. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Disability Accommodations

Caltech complies with the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We consider reasonable accommodation measures that may be necessary for eligible applicants and employees to perform the essential functions of a position.

If you would like to request an accommodation to complete this application, interview, or otherwise participate in the employee selection process, please contact Caltech Recruiting at View email address on click.appcast.io.

Additionally, if you do not meet the basic qualifications of a role but believe you can perform the essential functions of the job with reasonable accommodation, please reach out to Caltech Recruiting at View email address on click.appcast.io.