Assistant Director, Business & Financial Operations (5184C), Intercollegiate Athletics - 84572

About Berkeley

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff.

As a world-leading institution, Berkeley is known for its academic and research excellence, public mission, diverse student body, and commitment to equity and social justice. Since our founding in 1868, we have driven innovation, creating global intellectual, economic and social value.

We are looking for applicants who reflect California's diversity and want to be part of an inclusive, equity-focused community that views education as a matter of social justice. Please consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles, Principles of Community, and Strategic Plan.

At UC Berkeley, we believe that learning is a fundamental part of working, and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups (staff organizations). Our goal is for everyone on the Berkeley campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support this by providing all of our full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours (10 days) of paid time per year to engage in professional development activities. Find out more about how you can grow your career at UC Berkeley.

Departmental Overview

The University of California, Berkeley, is the preeminent public university in the country. We're also one of the leading employers in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics consists of more than 275 staff members and coaches and sponsors 30 varsity sports programs. These 30 programs include more than 850 student athletes who participate in the various sports programs annually within the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA).

Position Summary

The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of California, Berkeley, the nation's leading public university, is seeking a financially sophisticated professional who understands the fast-paced, high-accountability world of competitive athletics.

Cal Athletics operates a complex, high-volume financial environment that demands precision, strategic insight, and operational innovation. This role sits at the center of that ecosystem. The ideal candidate brings a strong foundation in financial management, internal controls, and policy compliance, paired with an appreciation for the unique demands of collegiate athletics ranging from procurement, vendor relations, recruiting and official visits, facility operations, donor engagement, licensing, and NCAA regulations.

This position is a strategic business operations role responsible for ensuring financial integrity, guiding staff, and partnering across Athletics and Campus partners. The successful candidate will lead financial processes that directly support coaches, administrators, and student-athletes. This is an opportunity for a financially experienced professional who thrives in a mission-driven, performance-oriented environment and wants to play a meaningful role in supporting championship-level athletics while upholding the highest standards of fiscal responsibility.

If you bring financial expertise, strong internal controls knowledge, and an understanding of the business of sports, we invite you to apply. Go Bears!

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is: 03/18/2026.

Responsibilities

Key areas of impact include:

Financial Operations Leadership

• Provide oversight of accounts payable/receivable, purchasing, and transactional financial operations within a high-volume Division I athletics environment.

Travel, Entertainment & Business Expenditures

• Lead management of travel, entertainment, recruiting, and business-related expenses, including reconciliation and reimbursement procedures. Oversee transaction review processes to ensure timely reconciliation, receipt verification, documentation compliance, and appropriate approvals.

Card Program Administration

• Serve as Athletics Department Business Officer for the U.S. Bank Card Program. Act as the department's primary point of contact for corporate purchasing cards and declining balance per diem cards, ensuring policy adherence, reconciliation oversight, and program integrity.

Policy Interpretation & Exception Management

• Serve as liaison to the Chancellor's Office and Controller's Office regarding exceptions to University of California Office of the President (UCOP) policy. Lead complex interpretation and application of UCOP, campus, NCAA, and departmental policies, ensuring appropriate documentation, approvals, and audit readiness.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Collaborate with Sport Operations, Compliance, Development, and Licensing to align business processes with operational needs. Develop educational materials and deliver training to department staff on financial services policies and procedures.

Staff Leadership & Process Excellence

• Provide leadership to support and professional staff, fostering a culture of accountability, teamwork, and operational precision. Ensure financial processing functions are executed accurately, efficiently, and in compliance with all applicable regulations.

Additional areas of opportunity:

• Assesses and recommends management changes as needed to ensure financial processes maintain compliance with federal and state requirements and internal financial/audit policies.
• Implements changes to internal policies and procedures as needed to ensure financial processes maintain compliance with federal and state requirements and internal financial/audit policies and adhere to campus and industry best practices.
• Responsible for leading training, sending program communications and evaluating program and members as required and recommending corrective action when necessary.
• Research complex financial discrepancies and escalate customer service problems through UC Berkeley administration.
• Other duties as assigned, including assisting in department initiatives, strategic plan projects, and professional development within the department and the College Athletic Business Management Association.

Required Qualifications

• Thorough demonstrated knowledge and experience of financial processes, policies and procedures.
• Thorough demonstrated knowledge and experience with financial data management and reporting systems.
• Strong proficiency in the use of spreadsheet and database software.
• Strong interpersonal skills, analytical skills, service orientation, active listening, critical thinking, attention to detail, ability to multi-task in a high-volume environment, organizational skills, effective verbal and written communication skills, sound judgment and decision making; ability to develop original ideas to solve problems.
• Ability to function effectively as a member of a team.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities.
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of internal control practices and their impact on protecting university resources or at similar institutions.
• Leadership skills to provide guidance, coaching and mentoring to professional and support staff.
• Bachelor's degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a collegiate athletics environment at a university, conference, or national level.
• Experience within NCAA Division I athletics.
• Experience leading teams or operational units.
• Strong organizational, management, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment that promotes collaboration and mutual respect among all members of the UC Berkeley community and its stakeholders through leadership and team engagement.

Salary & Benefits

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

The full pay scale for this classification is $74,700.00 - $132,900.00. The budgeted annual salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $74,700.00 - $79,000.00.

This is an exempt monthly-paid position.