Senior Finance Analyst

Senior Finance Analyst

Reporting to the Executive Director of Finance and Budget Operations and Financial Planning, the Senior Financial Analyst supports the quarterly and annual budgeting processes for Arts & Sciences departments, centers, and institutes, as well as the Office of the Executive Vice President. The incumbent provides analytical, reporting, and operational support to ensure budgets are prepared accurately, reviewed consistently, and aligned with University and Arts & Sciences policies, contributing to improved budget quality, timeliness, and transparency across A&S units.

Arts and Sciences is the intellectual heart of Columbia University. Home to more than 1,000 faculty, 60 research centers and institutes, and 28 academic departments, A&S provides a transformative educational experience to more than 16,000 undergraduate, graduate, and PhD students at Columbia – nearly half the student body. Our field-defining research – anchored in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences – engages fundamental questions about our society and our world and supports Columbia's broader mission to advance knowledge, learning, and impact at the highest levels.

*** This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement, with up to two remote workdays per week. ***

Responsibilities

• Under the direction of the Associate Vice President of Finance and HR and the Executive Director of Finance and Budget Operations, prepare and distribute standard reports, dashboards, and analytical tools that support budget development, monitoring, and forecasting across A&S units. Assist in identifying opportunities to improve data quality, consistency, and turnaround time.
• Support the annual budget submission process by providing Arts & Sciences departments, centers, and institutes with budget parameters, timelines, templates, and supporting documentation.
• Assist in the development of standard budget models, with assumptions and parameters as determined by central finance and senior A&S finance management.
• Reconcile and track Indirect Cost Revenue (ICR) for all Arts and Sciences departments, centers and Institutes on a quarterly basis from both Government and Private Grants. Prepare reports to distribute to departments about their allocations and transfer ICR revenues to units based on their specific funding formulas. Update and review and approve ICR allocations in the budget tool as required.
• Reconcile and track Masters Program tuition revenue sharing. Maintain the tracking spreadsheet and work closely with the GSAS financial office to keep tuition split data up to date. Input and process tuition split transfers to receiving departments, centers and institutes and insure transfers are properly budgeted.
• Respond to budget questions from units regarding assumptions, data entry, and system functionality, and track budget submissions to ensure completeness and timeliness.
• Assist in the development and delivery of training and reference materials for departmental users of the University reporting systems. Provide guidance to units on methods of basic forecasting of revenues and expenditures, interpretation of budget-to-actual results, and identification of emerging trends or risks, referring more complex analyses to senior leadership as appropriate.
• In coordination with the A&S Core Finance team, produce quarterly variance reports for departments, centers, and institutes, including budget-to-budget, budget-to-actuals, and actual-to-actual comparisons.
• Create and review variance analyses submitted by units, assess them for clarity and completeness, and summarize key findings in tabular and narrative form for review by senior A&S financial leadership and submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
• During peak submission times, assist in the review and approval of departmental, center, and institute budgets in the University budgeting system to ensure compliance with University and Arts & Sciences policies, approved parameters, and submission guidelines. Identify inconsistencies, errors, or variances and work directly with departmental administrators and directors to resolve issues and revise budget entries as needed. Escalate complex or policy-sensitive issues as appropriate.
• Create ad hoc analysis and forecasting for individual programs across A&S that can be used to make decisions regarding resource allocation and investment.
• Maintain organized records, documentation, and version control related to budget submissions, reports, and variance analyses to support auditability and institutional reporting requirements.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and a minimum of 1-3 years of related experience.
• Mastery of Excel spreadsheets.
• Excellent computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Visio) and Google Drive.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of statistical and presentation software.
• Knowledge of the university's budgeting process and software, or other ERP systems.

Other Requirements

• Experience in budget and financial reporting.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Attention to detail, critical thinking, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to exercise professionalism, diplomacy, discretion, firmness, and collaboration in dealing with individuals at all levels.
• Strong multitasking, prioritization, and organization skills. Ability to manage time and set priorities in a fast-paced, interactive team environment.
• Self-starter, a fast learner who can work independently under limited supervision.
• Excellent computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Visio) and Google Drive.
• Capacity to quickly acquire a detailed knowledge of university policies, procedures, and systems.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.