What are the responsibilities and job description for the Financial Analyst position at Oberlin College?
Oberlin College welcomes applicants for the position of Financial Analyst – Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A). The Financial Analyst – FP&A is a full-time, continuing 12-month Administrative and Professional Staff (A&PS) that reports to the Director of Budget and Financial Planning.
The Financial Analyst – FP&A will play a key role at Oberlin College, working closely with the Director of Budget and Financial Planning and business stakeholders in ensuring the accuracy of financial planning data and the development and refinement of the financial planning processes at the Institution. This is an exciting time to join Oberlin as this role will be key in ensuring that the Institution has an effective and efficient FP&A process, and you will work closely and collaborate with business partners throughout the College.
Duties/essential functions may include, but not be limited to, the following:
• Manage, review, and analyze position budget controls. Assist leadership with the maintenance of employee positions and salary information in partnership with Human Resources. A key duty ismaintaining labor rosters.
• Manage employee access for key internal software: Jaggaer (eProcurement spend and invoice management), Ellucian Banner (ERP), and Chrome River (report and expense management).
• Manage and prepare surveys and other third-party reporting.
• Collaborate with divisional budget managers to ensure that the annual budget and multi-year budgets are completed on time and reflect the key strategic initiatives of the College and of the divisions.
• Extract financial data from various accounting and information systems and develop and distribute complex financial reports for monthly revenue and expense forecasting and statement analysis. Assist with the in-depth analyses on budget performance, what-if scenario analysis, and program evaluation as directed. Meet with divisional budget managers to investigate variances, develop justification, and communicate compiled results to leadership.
• Identify and evaluate critical cost pools and collaborate with divisional budget managers to identify possible cost-saving measures.
• Monitor budget and actual expenditures, budget flags, account deficits, and other related functions. Develop data-driven solutions and technical guidance to solve financial, operational, or strategic issues facing College’s divisions through a strong understanding of the core functionality of the Banner System, the College’s enterprise-wide budget and planning software. Provide technical guidance to the divisions to enhance their use of the software for budgeting, forecasting, and reporting needs.
• Assist in the development of financial models and proposals that support strategic planning efforts and executive decision-making. Perform analysis of key financial assumptions in the long-term financial plan and strategic initiatives as directed, including future commitment analysis, future revenue and expense forecasting, what-if scenario analysis, continued program evaluation, performance management, and other efforts that support administration decision-making.
• Recommend budget adjustments and other cost improvement measures to leadership.
• Understand the College’s financial policies and apply those policies to financial transactions, and/or provide guidance to those who seek to apply those policies.
• Work independently, under the broad supervision of leadership, to provide analytical support and manage divisional requests for information and ad hoc reporting.
• Assist with special projects as needed.
Required qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree, preferably in accounting, finance, or other relevant field.
- One to Three (1-3) years of experience in financial or budget analysis or strategic planning OR, any equivalent combination of experience and/or education from which comparable knowledge, skills and abilities have been achieved.
- Intermediate or expert level capability with Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Adobe
- Familiarity with higher education policies, practices, and financial trends.
This position will work 100% ‘onsite.’ It does not qualify as a remote position on campus. This position is not eligible for relocation assistance.
A completed application will consist of a cover letter, resume and list of references.
