"Director of Finance and Strategic Budgeting"

Director of Finance and Strategic Budgeting

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Job Code 18414

Recruitment Pool All Applicants

Posting Number req7995

Unit College of Humanit and Sciences MBU

Department Office of the Dean, College of Humanities and Sciences

Department Website Link https://chs.vcu.edu/

Location VCU

Address 828 West Franklin Street, Richmond, VA 23284 USA

Summary:

The VCU College of Humanities and Sciences (CHS) invites applications for the Director of Finance and Strategic Budgeting. The College of Humanities and Sciences is where excellence and access meet and, like the university as a whole, is committed to fostering a welcoming and respectful environment for individuals from all backgrounds and life experience. We value a wide range of perspectives and are dedicated to creating a workplace where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and contribute fully.

VCU combines learning, research, creativity, service, and discovery. Ranked by U.S. News as one of the 30 “most innovative” public universities in the country, VCU is a premier, urban, public research university home to multiple nationally ranked programs. Here your success is supported, and your career can thrive.

VCU is proud to support and prioritize the hiring of veterans. As part of this commitment, your years of military service can be credited toward our leave plan, potentially increasing your annual leave accrual.

The position falls under the Senior Director classification within VCU’s Financial Services job family. For additional details, please visit VCU Human Resources’ Job Family and Salary Ranges, https://insidehr.vcu.edu/guidelines/compensation/job-families-and-salary-ranges/.

VCU is transitioning to a new application system beginning October 1, 2025. If you apply before that date, you may be asked to resubmit your application in the new system after the system is live. Clear instructions will be provided at the time. We appreciate your understanding during this transition and look forward to reviewing your application.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Director of Finance and Budget

The Director of Finance and Strategic Budgeting will provide strategic financial planning and leadership, and oversight for the fiscal operations of the College of Humanities and Sciences (CHS), including the strategic management of the operating budget, sponsored programs, endowments, and auxiliary services. This role requires a dynamic and forward-thinking leader who can guide complex financial operations while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and service excellence. The Director will serve as a key advisor to the Dean and Associate Deans, offering strategic counsel on initiatives and programmatic priorities to ensure optimal alignment of financial resources with the College’s mission and long-term goals.

In addition to advising leadership, the Director ensures compliance with university, federal, and state laws, regulations, and policies. Reporting to the Dean, this position supervises a team of financial analysts and specialists.

The Director will also provide day-to-day operational leadership for a team of finance professionals. These responsibilities include but are not limited to implementing policies, ensuring legal and regulatory compliance, managing staff, coordinating with sponsored programs, and contributing to long-term planning and strategic execution of financial and administrative initiatives.

This role will be responsible for:

• Strategic Leadership
• Lead financial planning and operational strategy at the institutional level, ensuring the alignment of financial resources with organizational goals and priorities.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships across academic departments, administrative units, and university leadership to support collaboration and shared decision-making.
• Lead institutional change efforts by clearly communicating transitions, engaging stakeholders, and driving continuous improvement, while demonstrating emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and the ability to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics with empathy and professionalism.
• Strategic Collaboration and Communication
• Work collaboratively across multiple academic departments to understand priorities, resource needs, and funding opportunities.
• Serve as the primary liaison with the University Budget Office, facilitating communication on updates to the RCM (Responsibility Center Management) budget model and assessing their impact on the College.
• Maintain and strengthen relationships with key university partners essential to the College’s success.
• Serve on university committees and task forces as appropriate to represent the College and contribute to institutional initiatives.
• Data-Driven Decision-Making and Resource Allocation
• Utilize data and financial analysis to inform strategic decisions and guide the equitable allocation of resources across departments and programs.
• Financial Oversight and Operations
• Provide oversight of procurement activities, ensuring consistency, compliance, and a positive, service-oriented approach in all transactions.
• Support the CHS grants administration team, in partnership with the Associate Dean for Research, particularly in managing salary savings and distributing indirect cost recoveries to departments, centers, and institutes.
• Leadership
• Provide strong, values-driven leadership that supports staff and faculty development, while advancing an environment of respect, professionalism, and civility throughout the College of Humanities and Sciences.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required, with a minimum of five to seven (5–7) years of progressively responsible experience in financial management and administration.
• Significant experience in financial leadership roles within large-scale, complex organizations, including nonprofit and government sectors.
• Proven experience in developing and managing strategic plans, multi-year financial models, annual operating budgets, and complex fiscal operations.
• Strong background in financial systems, financial modeling, and advanced data analysis.
• Demonstrated ability to solve complex problems, develop innovative solutions, and implement creative administrative and financial strategies.
• Proven leadership experience in financial management, with a demonstrated ability to set strategic direction, manage teams, and deliver results in a complex organizational environment.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise, motivate, and develop professional staff, fostering a collaborative and high-performance work culture.
• Capacity to build trust by actively listening, understanding others’ needs, and adapting communication to foster a collaborative and supportive team environment.
• Skilled at building cross-functional relationships and driving results aligned with organizational goals, timelines, and budgets.
• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering an environment of respect, professionalism, and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from various backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a member of VCU.
• Knowledge and understanding of managing sponsored programs and university foundation accounts, with insight into compliance and reporting requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field.
• Extensive experience in financial management and administration within a university or similarly complex organizational setting.
• Proven ability to oversee the financial operations of a wide range of academic programs, particularly those characteristic of a liberal arts college or school.
• Experience managing sponsored programs and university foundation accounts, with a strong understanding of compliance and reporting requirements.

Job Requirements

Light Lifting (<20 lbs.), Standing, Sitting, Repetitive Motion, Walking, Reaching, Bending, Fast Pace, Multiple Stimuli, Intense Customer Interaction, Frequent Change, Memory, Reasoning, Hearing, Reading, Analyzing, Logic, Verbal Communication, Written Communication.

FLSA Executive & Senior Leadership

Job FTE 1

Exemption Status Exempt

Restricted Position No

E-Class UF - University Employee FT

Job Category Executive and Senior Leadership

ORP Eligible Yes

Salary Range $140,000 to $160,000

Compensation Type Salaried

Target Hire Date 11/25/2025

Contact Information for Candidates

Danielle Hairston, dnhairston@vcu.edu

Documents Needed to Apply Cover letter, resume/curriculum vitae, list of three professional references and their contact information.