Under the general guidance of the Director and in collaboration with other University Budget Office staff, this position supports the university’s planning, budgeting and financial analysis functions. The analyst will provide training, generate financial and operational reports, and offer analytical support to inform decision-making across campus. Key responsibilities include retrieving data from Banner and other systems; performing simple and complex analyses; collaborating with Fiscal and HR Shared Services staff when necessary; disseminating results to appropriate audiences; performing related duties as required.
Duties and Responsibilities
Biennial Budget Cycle
- Prepare biennial personnel snapshot for submission to the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education (OCHE).
- Coordinate with Facilities Management on Long Range Building Plan (LRBP) Operations & Maintenance (O&M) submittal.
- Provide analytical support for the PLA model, including calculations and data validation.
Budget Model
- Oversee the University’s Budget Model, including collaboration with University Data & Analytics on benchmark metrics.
- Analyzing year-over-year financial and operational trends to inform planning and model refinement.
- Identify and recommend improvements to the budget model to enhance transparency, accuracy and alignment with institutional goals.
- Communicate significant model changes to appropriate leadership.
- Monitor Gallatin College revenue and expenditure trends to ensure alignment with funding levels and appropriate contributions to institutional overhead and benefits pools.
Annual Budget Cycle
- Lead training and system set up of the annual operating budget process.
- Serves as the central budget lead for technical upload and validation of annual budgets.
- Collaborate with Central UBO team on the annual review and management of positions and operations budgets.
- Serve as liaison for affiliate campus budget teams during annual budget cycle.
- Prepares annual OCHE reports, including the CHE113, CHE104, and the other operating rollup reports, ensuring alignment with expectations at the Level 2 (L2) fund level and resolving discrepancies with units prior to submission.
- Update multi-year trending data for the annual budget report for review by the Director, AVP and VP prior to the September Board of Regents (BOR) meeting.
- Ensure the timely processing of annual journal vouchers (JVs) related to scholarships, Athletics, KUSM, and other special needs.
Data Analysis & Reporting
- Provide multi-year institutional financial analytics to identify trends and following through with management, as needed.
- Partner with university constituents to analyze operations data, resolve discrepancies and identify potential process improvements.
- Proactively develop and deliver reports that support unit-level decision-making and campus-wide financial planning.
- Generate ad hoc reports for the Director and Vice President as requested.
- Support the Provost in specific budgetary allocation areas such as calculations for:
- Faculty market, merit, equity, promotion, and tenure
- Extra Sections
- Summer session distributions
- Sabbatical
- Program and course fees
- Academic program proposal fiscal forms
Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills
- Demonstrated hands-on complex analytical experience, creating usable data and recommendations for managers.
- Experience with data visualization for use different levels of management.
- Experience developing annual financial budgets for a department or larger organization.
- Demonstrated experience using Microsoft Excel to analyze and summarize data.
- Demonstrated customer (internal or external) support experience.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate across a wide variety of individuals and groups.
- Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance or relevant field, or, an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills
- Extensive experience analyzing financial results and data to assist managers with business decisions.
- Advanced knowledge and experience with Microsoft Excel (e.g., parsing, pivot tables, macros, database).
- Demonstrated process improvement or process automation experience.
- Experience in higher education or government financial areas.
The Successful Candidate Will
- Ability to gather, analyze, manipulate and compile complex data into informational reports for budget review and projections.
- Working knowledge of budgeting practices.
- Ability to interpret and apply financial policies and practices.
- Strong analytical skills—must be detail-oriented and accurate, plus can make decisions independently.
- Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with units across the institution.
- High degree of proficiency in spreadsheet, database query, and word processing programs
- Excellent oral, written and interpersonal skills.
- Working knowledge of budgeting process and ability to recognize opportunities to improve quality and efficiency.
- Must be committed to meeting deadlines.
Position Special Requirements/Additional Information
This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
Physical Demands
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
This position has supervisory duties?
No
Posting Detail Information
Number of Vacancies
1
Desired Start Date
Upon completion of a successful search.
Position End Date (if temporary)
Open Date
Close Date
Applications will be:
Applications will continue to be accepted until the positions are filled.
Special Instructions
EEO Statement
Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.
In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference, please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.
In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference, please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.
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