Budget Analyst

$69,000 - $77,000/Yr

Syracuse University - Syracuse, NY

Full-time - Entry Level

Syracuse, NY

Educational Services

About the position

The Office of Budget and Planning at Syracuse University is seeking a dedicated Budget Analyst to provide essential financial support on a day-to-day basis. This role involves managing and approving financial transactions, as well as developing and maintaining both current and long-range analytical and informational reports and schedules. These efforts are crucial for supporting ongoing financial budgeting, monitoring, and forecasting. The Office of Budget and Planning plays a vital role in providing budgetary and fiscal management leadership, ensuring that financial resources are effectively deployed in alignment with the University's mission and strategic objectives. As a Budget Analyst, you will report directly to the Associate Director of Budget and Planning. Your contributions will support departmental goals and objectives through effective collaboration and partnership with colleagues and campus stakeholders. You will be responsible for the timely and accurate maintenance and interpretation of data, along with detailed analysis of budgets, funding, and commitments for various initiatives that align with the strategic goals and objectives of the schools and colleges within the University. In this position, you will establish and maintain lines of communication with various schools, colleges, and other University personnel. This collaboration is essential for developing the information required for accurate record-keeping, financial analysis, and the interpretation of policies and procedures. Your role will be pivotal in ensuring that the financial operations of the University are conducted smoothly and efficiently, contributing to the overall success of the institution.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the preparation of annual operating budget, salary category detail files, budget comparisons, and variance analysis for schools and colleges.
• Develop and maintain complex spreadsheets and integrated financial models to inform annual budget preparation, monthly financial reporting, and long-range forecasting.
• Monitor, review and process position evaluation requests in accordance with budget and financial objectives.
• Participate and assist with key aspects of estimated final projections, special projects and scenarios related to the University's budget plan.
• Assist in monitoring spending, including review of expense requests against budget, identifying variances to ensure expenditures do not exceed available resources.
• Prepare, review and process journal entries and budget transfers.
• Create and run queries to provide financial and budget related information.
• Assist with RCM year-end closing including reconciliation and review of year-end reports to ensure accuracy.
• Act as a liaison between departments and the Comptroller Office; facilitate the establishment of new chartstrings, correct posting errors and monitor for inconsistencies.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree preferably in Finance, Accounting, Business or related field.
• Minimum of 1 year of professional experience with similar functional responsibilities.
• Experience in higher education setting preferred.
• Must work collaboratively and cooperatively with University personnel at all levels.
• Ability to respond flexibly and positively in all circumstances, working calmly under pressure.
• Ability to exercise good judgment and discretion regarding sensitive and confidential information.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and in written; proven ability to communicate information to a diverse audience in an understandable manner.
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to work independently, prioritizing workload under pressure of competing assignments and converging deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail with a high degree of accuracy, including generation and maintenance of financial summaries.
• Strong analytical, mathematical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent computer skills including knowledge of and proficiency in Adobe and Microsoft Office Suite applications: Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Extensive use and understanding of the General Ledger and Hyperion Planning Essbase and Tableau preferred.

Nice-to-haves

• Willingness to learn new software applications as necessary.