Executive Director of Operations, Finance

Department OPS Operations, Strategy, and Finance

About the Department

Our office plays a vital role in advancing the University of Chicago’s mission and supporting groundbreaking research by overseeing essential parts of campus life, including our buildings, technology, human resources, and safety and security. Our team works together to ensure the University’s daily operations run smoothly and help keep our campus community safe and thriving — 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year.

Job Summary

With oversight from the Associate Vice President of Operations, Strategy, and Finance, this position has primary responsibility for budget, finance, accounting, and billing process activities for all entities within the VP Operations umbrella. This role will develop VP Operations’ annual and long-range operating budget, monitor its financial performance, ensure compliance with established budget targets, develop and evolve its long range funding model, develop and maintain its chart of accounts, oversee compliance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), develop and monitor internal control guidelines, ensure compliance with internal billing best practices, serve as an external point of contact to the CFO’s Office, the Budget Office, and Financial Services, comply with requests for financial information, forecasts, and analysis both internally and externally, provide operational, managerial, and strategic recommendations to University decision making bodies, identify areas of financial or operational improvement, identify and standardize best practices across the various entities, and perform other financial analyses.

Responsibilities

• Leads the development, implementation, and monitoring of annual and long-range operating budgets for all VP Operations entities.
• Prepares financial forecasts, analyzes budget-to-actual variances, and ensures compliance with established financial targets.
• Oversees long-range funding models, identifies underperforming entities, and recommends financial and operational improvements.
• Stewards capital budgets for ITS (Information Technology Services) and DSS (Department of Safety and Security), including project lifecycle management.
• Establishes, documents, communicates, and implements financial, accounting, and recharge administration standards, policies, and internal controls.
• Ensures adherence to generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), including revenue recognition, accruals, and capital asset accounting.
• Oversees year-end financial close processes, reviews and approves accounting transactions, and responds to audit inquiries.
• Develops and maintains the organizational chart of accounts, including modifications and segment management.
• Oversees compliance with internal billing, chargeback best practices, and sponsored award recharge guidelines.
• Performs rate analysis, develops new service rates/pricing, and evaluates recharge-related assets.
• Conducts financial analysis and reporting, such as historical analysis, spend reports, incremental cost analysis, and personnel metrics.
• Supports the evaluation of new service offerings, initiates improvements, and standardizes best practices across all entities.
• Acts as a key liaison to the CFO’s Office, Budget Office, Financial Services, and internal/external customers; provides requested financial data and analysis.
• Oversees departmental administration and strategic planning, leads staff development and recruitment, and manages role-based system access.
• Solicits and implements feedback from customers to enhance financial services and operational efficiency.
• Identifies, standardizes and implements process and workflow improvements across the VP Operations portfolio.
• Completes other financial analyses and other duties as assigned by senior leadership.
• Manages financial staff, usually other managers.
• Establishes performance goals, allocates resources and assesses policies for the related departments managed.
• Oversees functional business plans and contributes to the development of financial goals, strategies, plans, and policies for the unit.
• Ensures the management of operating and capital budgets, information and accounting systems, revenue billing and collection, and the monitoring of expenditures on active accounts.
• Establishes budgets for all areas within scope of responsibility. May direct quarterly and year-end reporting for the operating budget.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 10+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Master’s degree or higher.

Experience:

• 15+ years work experience in a finance and accounting capacity.
• 10+ years direct management experience.
• Background in higher education in one or more of the following: human resources, information technology, law enforcement, or facilities management.
• Understanding of recharge administration and sponsored award compliance practices.

Certifications:

• One or more professional certifications, active and in good standing, including but not limited to, Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Certified Public Accountant (CPA), or Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).

Preferred Competencies

• Financial Analysis and Forecasting - develop budgets, conduct complex financial analysis, and interpret variances.
• Capital and Asset Management - understanding of capital budgeting, asset tracking, and depreciation.
• Recharge Administration - proficient in recharge rate analysis, sponsored award compliance, and internal billing best practices.
• Strategic Planning - align financial strategies with organization-wide goals and support decision-making.
• Staff Development - track record of recruiting, mentoring, and developing high-functioning teams.
• Change Management - implement new processes, policies, and system improvements.
• Accountability and Decision-Making - strong sense of ownership and willing to make evidence-based recommendations.
• Stakeholder Engagement - collaborate with senior leadership, cross-functional teams, and external partners.
• Written and Verbal Communication: - capable of clearly presenting financial information to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Project Management - capable of managing multiple projects, deadlines, and competing priorities, while implementing best practices and workflow improvements.

Working Conditions

• Sit for short or extended period of time.
• Extensively use computer.
• Make repetitive wrist, hand, or finger movements.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Financial Management

Role Impact

People Manager

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

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FLSA Status

Exempt

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Pay Range

$187,221.00 - $232,237.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in theBenefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call View phone number on aiapply.co or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.