Description
The Assistant Vice President (AVP) - Financial Planning, Analysis
& Business Transformation serves as a strategic leader
responsible for driving financial excellence, operational
efficiency, and institutional modernization. This role blends
high-level financial modeling, budgeting, and performance analytics
with process engineering and change management.
The AVP will lead cross-functional initiatives to streamline
business operations, modernize systems by leveraging enterprise
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation tools, eliminate
workflow bottlenecks, and establish data-driven, AI-augmented
decision-making frameworks across the organization.
This role also serves as the primary finance and business
operations contact person for the annual University operating
budget in collaboration with the Assistant Comptroller. The
position provides budget analytics and reporting support across all
University departments. In addition, the position holds primary
responsibility for financial oversight and reporting for
Advancement donations and for signature University events requiring
event-level financial management, including the Jazz Festival,
Homecoming, the Ministers Conference, and others.
Examples of Duties
Strategic Financial Analysis, Planning and Reporting
- Advanced Financial Modeling: Lead long-range financial
planning leveraging AI-driven predictive analytics to evaluate
strategic initiatives, risk factors, and market trends. Develop
advanced data analytic tools to generate short and long-term
financial projections regarding operating revenues and
expenses.
Performance Analytics: Establish, track, and analyze key
financial and operational metrics (KPIs) to monitor performance
against strategic goals. Monitor and report on the financial
performance of University departmental budgets, providing regular
updates to senior management and stakeholders.
- Budget & Variance Analysis: Oversee complex variance
analyses, identifying trends, risks, and cost-containment
strategies for leadership review.
- Executive Reporting: Prepare and deliver clear,
data-rich presentations and financial insights for executive
leadership and board committees.
- Manage the financial reporting for grants, donors, Advancement,
and signature University events, including the Jazz Festival,
Homecoming, the Ministers Conference, and others.
- Perform ad hoc reporting and related tasks as assigned by
either Deputy CFO or as requested by co-workers and
management.
University Budget Development and Analysis
- Assist in the development and management of the annual
University operating budget to ensure financial resources are
allocated efficiently across all University departments and align
with strategic goals.
- Support the annual budget development calendar across all
University departments, including coordinating department
submission timelines, collecting and compiling departmental data,
and preparing budget materials for senior leadership review.
- Create and maintain sophisticated financial reports for the
Deputy CFO for Business Operations and senior leadership, including
monthly variance reports, recurring leadership reporting packages,
and Power BI dashboards.
Business Transformation & Process Improvement
- Process Re-engineering & Intelligent Automation:
Audit, map, and optimize core workflows by integrating Robotic
Process Automation (RPA), generative AI, and machine learning to
eliminate process redundancies and minimize operational
friction.
- AI Tool Evaluation & Deployment: Evaluate, pilot,
and deploy emerging enterprise AI utilities, automated
accounting/fp&a software, and smart analytics solutions across
finance and operational departments.
- Systems Optimization & Integration: Partner with IT
and business units to evaluate, implement, and leverage Enterprise
Resource Planning (ERP) tools, reporting dashboards, and automated
financial controls
- Data Strategy & AI Governance: Establish guidelines
and governance protocols for secure, ethical, and reliable
AI/automation usage within financial workflows, safeguarding
institutional data integrity.
Change Management & Continuous Improvement
- AI Literacy & Digital Upskilling: Champion a culture
of innovation by training, mentoring, and guiding financial and
operational teams on incorporating modern digital tools and AI
prompt/automation workflows into daily practice.
- Strategic Project Management: Lead cross-functional
transformation portfolios from ideation through post-implementation
review, ensuring projects are delivered on time and within
scope.
- Cross-Departmental Alignment: Collaborate with executive
peers, department heads, and operational teams to align financial
and tech-enabled capabilities with broader institutional
objectives.
- Change Management: Lead organization-wide change
initiatives, ensuring clear communication, stakeholder buy-in, and
training for new financial workflows and systems.
- Project Management: Oversee strategic project portfolios
from ideation through post-implementation review, ensuring
initiatives are delivered on time and within scope.
Other Responsibilities
- Manage the processing of financial transactions with
Advancement that interfaces with Banner and Razor Edge.
- Review and reconcile the transactions from Advancement against
the payment received through cashier, ACH, and credit cards.
- Ensure compliance with donor gift restrictions and endowment
spending policy in coordination with Advancement, General Counsel,
and endowment investment advisors.
- Support audit readiness and SACSCOC accreditation documentation
for donors, gift, and endowment-related financial processes.
- Collaborate with the Deputy CFO for [Business Operations on the
endowment unitization schedule to automate in Finance Edge and
update quarterly.
Typical Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in finance, Accounting, Business
Administration, or other accredited business-related fields from an
accredited institution
- A minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in accounting,
higher education finance or an equivalent combination of education
and experience
- Strong working knowledge of accounting best practices for
higher education institutions
- Advanced proficiency in financial analysis technology and
computer applications including Banner ERP, Microsoft Excel, and
other relevant business intelligence tools
Preferred Qualifications
- Knowledge of university budget processes and state/federal
compliance requirements for higher education
- Experience with audit processes in higher education
- Proficiency with advanced business intelligence tools
- Experience with donor/advancement CRM systems (e.g., Raiser's
Edge, Ellucian Advance, or equivalent)
- Working knowledge of fund accounting principles, including
restricted versus unrestricted fund classification and donor intent
compliance
- Technical Mastery: proficiency in financial modeling,
data analytics, AI and visualization platforms (e.g., Power BI,
Tableau).
- Process Methodologies: Working knowledge of process
improvement frameworks (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma, Agile).
- Strategic Thinking: Ability to translate complex data
into actionable strategic recommendations.
Supplemental Information
- Manage the processing of financial transactions with
Advancement that interfaces with Banner and Razor Edge.
- Review and reconcile the transactions from Advancement against
the payment received through cashier, ACH, and credit cards.
- Ensure compliance with donor gift restrictions and endowment
spending policy in coordination with Advancement, General Counsel,
and endowment investment advisors.
- Support audit readiness and SACSCOC accreditation documentation
for donors, gift, and endowment-related financial processes.
- Collaborate with the Deputy CFO for [Business Operations on the
endowment unitization schedule to automate in Finance Edge and
update quarterly.
