Director of Finance amp Operations Office of Research and Creative Scholarship

Profile

UM's

Office of Research and Creative Scholarship

(ORCS) invites applications for the

Director of Finance & Operations

(Director). As the Director, you will oversee fiscal management and financial operations concerning ORCS. You will provide fiscal leadership, budget development and management, operation coordination, and decision making of budgetary and financial services. This position holds significant responsibility for formulating and administering financial functions with a very high degree of autonomy. The Director helps drive business decisions made by senior leadership regarding the financial health of the organization and reports to the Vice President of Research & Creative Scholarship.

The University of Montana is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and has a strong institutional commitment to the principle of diversity in all areas. In that spirit, we are particularly interested in receiving applications from a broad spectrum of qualified people who would assist the University in demonstrating its five priorities for action

: Place student success at the center of all we do; drive excellence and innovation in teaching, learning, and research; embody the principle of “mission first, people always; partner with place; and proudly tell the UM story.

Key Responsibilities

Design and develop financial report formats

Provide fiscal year projections, produce and review labor and monthly departmental summary reports where needed

Lead the annual budget development process for ORCS and assist associated departments where needed

Monitor expenditures and variances associated with the departments under the ORCS umbrella

Serve as the financial advisor and proactively work with the Vice President of Research & Creative Scholarship regarding financial status by providing advice and reports, identify potential problems and propose solutions, and provide support on long range planning that affect ORCS

Manage and oversee payroll, recruiting for the ORCS office, onboarding, off-boarding, employee check-ins and exit interviews, and other human resource needs

Responsible for all human resources (HR) functions including hiring practices, employee review policies, professional development, and other HR activities

Direct knowledge of budget input to the University budget software

Act as the liaison with the centers regarding funding, allocations and any needs that may arise with relation to the ORCS.

Reconcile financial information for accuracy and prepare ad hoc reports for review with the Vice President

Act as liaison with the University’s Office of Budget, Planning and Analysis, Business Services and other campus departments

Oversee and manage research start-ups, purchasing including credit card reconciliation, payroll and Lab Animal Research (LAR) billing ensuring that all relevant policies and procedures are followed

Sign/proxy for the Vice President when needed

Hire and manage staff and student employees

Liaison with research community regarding questions involving items or issues that fall outside of the Office of Research & Sponsored Programs

Knowledge and experience of posting grant payments that are received via check, wire and inter unit journal

Position Details

Position is full-time, 1.0 FTE, MUS Contract and includes a comprehensive and competitive benefits package

including Insurance package, mandatory retirement plan, partial tuition waiver, and wellness program

Salary for this position is $80,000 per year commensurate with qualifications

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree plus five (5) years of relevant experience or equivalent combination of education and experience

Advanced knowledge of financial planning and forecasting, reconciliation, budgeting, and the principles and practices of accounting, including Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

Demonstrated process and fiscal management skills, knowledge of grant accounting and fund accounting, knowledge of the budget process and software

Experience with human resources

Management and/or project lead experience

Ability to use a high-level of discretion and maintain a high level of confidentiality

Ability to use software programs to access, synthesize, analyze, and compile data

Demonstrated quantitative skills, with the ability to forecast and present data to others in an understandable way

Ability to effectively communicate and collaborate on an on-going basis with other administrators, faculty, and support staff

Ability to think critically and approach fiscal matters thoroughly and comprehensively

Professional communication skills with strong clarity in spoken and written words

Ability to handle stressful situations and possesses skills in identifying workable solutions

Demonstrated ability to remain calm, cooperative, professional and positive in all situations

Proven strength in exercising sound judgment consistently and predictably

Preferred Qualifications

Master’s degree in Business Administration or Accounting (or equivalent education and work experience), including accounting coursework, and at least three years of job-related experience in office management in a supervisory capacity, with experience in performing accounting functions in a financial management system

Experience with generating reports from the UM Budget Office software for use with fiscal planning

Demonstrated knowledge of University policies and procedures related to recruitment and retention

Knowledge of University policies/procedures related to accounting/fiscal activities and accountability

Knowledge of University databases and payment systems such as Banner, UMDW, GrizMart, and ProCard

Knowledge of University travel, contract, and purchasing policies and procedures, including capital equipment purchasing

About UM

and the Office of Research and Creative Scholarship

The University of Montana is flagship, research institution with approximately 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students. It is located in Missoula, a culturally vibrant community of about 75,000, surrounded by mountains and three rivers converge. Abundant recreational opportunities in surrounding state and national forests and nearby Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park complement a thriving intellectual atmosphere.

UM's Office of Research and Creative Scholarship (ORCS) supports the educational and research mission of the University of Montana through advocacy and advancement of basic and applied research, creative work, and academic scholarship, and fosters an environment where research, scholarly activities, entrepreneurship, and economic development thrive. The areas of support are Office of Research & Sponsored Programs, Research Compliance, Core Facilities, Accelerate Montana, Broader Impacts Group, Research Centers & Institutes and the Grad School

To learn more about the University of Montana, Missoula, and the State of Montana, please visit the links below.

University of Montana

Video: Mission First, People Always

UM on YouTube

Criminal Background Investigation is required prior to Offer of Employment.

In accordance with University policy, finalists for this position will be subject to criminal background investigations.

ADA/EOE/AA/Veteran's Preference.

Reasonable accommodations are provided in the hiring process for persons with disabilities. For example, this material is available in alternative format upon request. As an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, we encourage applications from minorities, veterans, and women. Qualified candidates may request veterans’ or disabilities preference in accordance with state law.

References

*References not listed on the application materials may be contacted; notice may be provided to the applicant.

Testing

Individual hiring departments at UM may elect to administer pre-employment tests, which are relevant to essential job functions.

E mployment Eligibility.

All New Employees must be eligible and show employment eligibility verification by the first date of employment at UM, as legally required (e.g., Form I-9).

Company info

The University of Montana
Website : https://www.umt.edu