Financial Analyst
School of Government Services · Chapel Hill, NC ·
- Work mode
- Hybrid
- Employment
- Full time
- Category
- Finance
- Experience
- 2+ years
Full-time, benefits-earning position
Salary range: $80,000 - $100,000
Position Summary
This position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement that may include a partially remote work location. Must be able to report onsite in Chapel Hill, NC.
The Financial Analyst position will complement the existing team in the Budget, Planning, & Analysis (BP&A) department; each serving various elements of budget development, execution and management. This position will function as a Financial Analyst (FA) and will provide complex financial analysis, financial modeling and forecasting, metrics, reporting, and budgeting. This includes all institutional fund types - general funds, F&A or overhead receipts, institutional trust funds, grants, discretionary funds, foundations, and endowments. This position will also be integrated into the complex and unique facets of the state of North Carolina general funds budgeting process.
The selected candidate will be employed by the School of Government Services (SOG Services), but their work location and reporting responsibilities will be at the Budget, Planning & Analysis unit. SOG Services assists faculty and staff at the UNC School of Government in carrying out its important mission: to improve the lives of North Carolinians by engaging in practical scholarship that helps public officials and citizens understand and improve state and local government. As a nonprofit organization and an official affiliated entity of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, SOG Services also contributes to advancing UNC-Chapel Hill’s broader mission of academic excellence, research, and public service.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
60% Analysis, Modeling, and Forecasting
This position is responsible for using various moderately complex models and systems to perform campus-wide budget analysis during the development, review, and reporting periods of the annual budget cycle.
- Supports the development and maintenance of centralized revenue projection models, including tuition, appropriations, and non-general fund sources.
- Acts as a direct support contact for MCU finance leads during all phases of the budget process.
- Identifies data needs for financial analysis and participates in collaboration with key areas across campus to gain access to information for forecasting.
- Provides analysis on risks associated with potential budget scenarios.
- Works with various datasets and tools including financial, human resources, and student data.
- Assesses the potential impact of incorrect estimates or assumptions within a budget model.
- Provides regular analysis and reporting such as budget-to-actuals, historical examination of revenues and expenses, budget reduction and distribution scenario planning, and allocation model planning.
- Reports on monthly budget performance, status of one-time allocations, and projects.
40% Special Projects
- As our annual budget process continues to evolve, our budget development system continues to advance, and the demand for multifaceted planning and reporting from leadership is at the forefront, the need for financial analysis and reporting is paramount.
- This position will be assigned special projects that involve documenting and analyzing complex issues, developing ad-hoc reporting, and preparing recommendations based on the review of data.
- This position will be viewed as a resource for institutional and regulatory knowledge and may be asked to participate in other special initiatives as assigned by the Executive Director.
- May also assist with data preparation and analysis in support of external budget requirements, including submissions to the Office of State Budget and Management and the UNC System Office.
Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or other related disciplines. Minimum 2–3 years of related professional experience in financial analysis, budgeting, or accounting
- Demonstrated analytical and critical thinking skills including ability to analyze large volumes of data, solve problems, find efficient way to complete tasks, and make decisions.
- Proficiency in understanding numerical relationships and trends, using tools like graphical and/or Excel dashboards to create financial projections, metrics, costing standards and other relevant information for campus customers.
- Basic familiarity with North Carolina budget processes and general fund appropriations.
- Operational business understanding, including the potential impact of business decisions on various situations.
- Attention to detail and ability to successfully manage multiple tasks independently, while keeping big picture in sight.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong skills in Excel, Word, and database applications.
- Ability to work independently with sound direction and goals.
Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience
- Progressive experience in accounting and extensive knowledge of complex accounting functions.
- Proven experience in financial reporting, system integration, and data reconciliation, particularly with software such as AIM, Maximo, PeopleSoft, Sequel, IQ Query, Power BI, and/or Tableau.
- Ability to educate constituents, deliver formal presentations, summarize complex data, and communicate results with outstanding written and oral correspondence.