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Executive Director of Finance and Operations

Employer
George Mason University
Location
Fairfax, VA
Salary
Commensurate with education and experience.
Closing date
Jul 7, 2022

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Job Details

Executive Director of Finance and Operations The Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University, seeks an Executive Director of Finance and Operations who will take a leadership role to grow the funding streams of the school such that Schar has the necessary resources to continue to invest in its future.George Mason University has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff, and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will enrich Mason's academic and culturally inclusive environment.About the Position:This position will (1) seek out creative and effective ways to allocate resources and make spending decisions that most enable the Schar School to achieve its growth objectives, (2) oversee all E&G, grant, and GMU Foundation (GMUF) accounts, and (3) ensure that faculty and staff throughout the school have the financial data and wherewithal to make effective decisions. Part of the role will be helping senior leadership to conceptualize and realize a strategic vision for allocating personnel and building a team for the future. The position will need to balance strategy, day-to-day fiscal management and oversight, and training responsibilities. This position reports to Doug Goldstein, the Senior Associate Dean for Administration, will have a senior leadership role within the dean's offices, and will work closely with the Dean and with a wide group of faculty and staff throughout the Schar School and Mason more broadly. The three direct reports to the position are the Director of Human Resources & Planning, Senior Research Administrator, and Fiscal Specialist.The Schar School and George Mason University:The Schar School is a dynamic, fast-growing institution. Strengths include daily media hits by faculty in the nation's top newspapers, $9 million in annual grant expenditures, and over $1 million in annual funding for PhD students. Enrollments of incoming master's students increased by 60% in Fall 20; enrollments of incoming undergraduates increased by 22% in Fall 21. Our 62 tenure-line faculty currently serve over 2,000 students on the Arlington and Fairfax campuses. Much of the work of the school is interdisciplinary, and area strengths include immigration policy; illicit trafficking and trade; healthcare within the criminal justice system; AI equity and policy; and national intelligence and security.George Mason University was named the top young university in the United States in the Times Higher Education (THE) Young University Rankings. Mason is Virginia's largest public research university, the largest producer of tech talent in the State, and the 25th most diverse public university in the country.Responsibilities:1. Strategic PlanningWork closely with the Sr. Associate Dean for Administration and serve as a member of the leadership team of the Schar School in conceptualizing, developing, implementing and tracking long-term goals and plans, including growth projections and financial objectives to meet larger strategic goals;Propose ways to allocate funds and investments so as to maximize growth opportunities for the School; andHelp to design the workforce for the future, including determining hiring needs, fostering inter-office collaboration, providing team members with growth opportunities and pathways, and promoting collaboration and community in a hybrid work environment.2. Oversight and management of E&G, grants, and GMU Foundation Accounts Oversee day-to-day management of the Schar School's budgets, including but not limited to:E&GDevelop, manage, and track E&G annual operating budgets at the School level and for various units/faculty within the School;Prepare detailed analysis of budget, including variances and projections, at various points throughout the year;Ensure that all Schar units/employees are effectively using, managing, and reconciling their own budgets;Ability to discuss aspects of the budget, with a wide variety of people within the Dean's Office, the Schar School, and Mason, in a clear and comprehensible manner;Develop and maintain appropriate internal controls for Schar School finances and fiscal policies;Ensure compliance with Federal, State, and University policies and procedures; andResponsible for oversight and management of workflow for all fiscal activities.Pre- and Post-Award Research AdministrationProvide necessary inputs to OSP and faculty members when they develop budgets for proposals to be submitted. Assist others in a timely and proactive way, enabling them to oversee and manage the pre-award process;Create processes and policies to ensure most effective use of grant funding;Provide oversight and support of research grants and financial management for compliance with sponsor, university, state, and federal guidelines;Set up accounts for awards and coordinate with OSP to arrange subawards and make necessary payments to subcontractors and consultants;Review and approve funding for personnel reallocations and track project cost-share and PI effort requirements;Review awards that are projected to be overspent and work with PI to mitigate financial risk; andManage reconciliations for PI review and approval. Ensure annual payroll certifications are reviewed, verified by PI, and submitted to OSP.GMU FoundationTrack and ensure that GMUF accounts are being spent appropriately, as to maximize their impact and to facilitate future gifts while also complying with gift agreements and all university and foundation rules and policies.ContractsReview all proposed contracts prior to submission to central procurement.3. Professional Development of Schar CommunityThrough ongoing consultation and support, ensure that senior leadership of the School fully understands the budget, how it can be used most effectively, potential financial risks facing the school, costs and benefits of various initiatives, and creative ways (from a financial perspective) of approaching and addressing challenges; andProvide staff and faculty throughout the Schar School with an understanding of the budget enabling them to maximize growth opportunities and do their jobs effectively and efficiently. This will require many one-on-one conversations as well as joint training sessions.4. Communication and CollaborationEffectively communicate short- and long-term fiscal data, objectives, challenges and opportunities with wide range of stake-holders within Schar and within the broader Mason community, including Fiscal Services, Budget and Planning and the Provosts Office; andCollaborate with offices within Schar and within the broader Mason community to respond effectively to challenges, take advantage of opportunities, and achieve short- and long-term fiscal goals.Required Qualifications:Master's degree in finance, accounting, or related field, or equivalent work experience;Experience with managing budgets and finances in a university setting;Demonstrated experience in preparing, monitoring, reconciling, and analyzing past, current, and future budgets;Understanding of or experience with revenue and cost allocation models;Knowledge of accounting principles; andDeep understanding of federal and university grants management accounting politics and procedures.Preferred Qualifications:Experience with Elucian Higher Education Banner and Microstrategy software; andAdvanced financial/accounting degree preferred.

For full consideration, applicants must apply at https://jobs.gmu.edu/; complete and submit the online application; and upload a cover letter, resume, and a list of three professional references with contact information.

"Great Careers Begin at Mason! George Mason University is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with national distinction in both academics and research. Mason holds a top U.S. News and World Report "Up and Coming" spot for national universities and is recognized for its global appeal and excellence in higher education.Mason is currently the largest and most diverse university in Virginia with students and faculty from all 50 states and over 135 countries studying in over 200 degree programs at campuses in Arlington, Fairfax and Prince William, as well as at learning locations across the commonwealth. Rooted in Mason's diversity is a campus culture that is both rewarding and exciting, work that is meaningful, and opportunities to both collaborate and create.If you are interested in joining the Mason family take a look at our current opportunities and catch some Mason spirit at jobs.gmu.edu/!George Mason University, Where Innovation is Tradition."

Company

George Mason University is a university with three campuses, each with a distinctive academic focus that plays a critical role in the economy of its region. At each campus, students, faculty, and staff have full access to all the university's resources, while duplication of programs and support services is minimized through the use of technology. In addition to the main campus in Fairfax, the university has campuses in Arlington and Prince William Counties.

Company info
Website
Location
4400 University Dr
MSN 3C3
Fairfax
VA
22030
US

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