"Finance Manager"

Position Summary

Reporting directly to the Chief Business Officer, Rice Business is seeking a Finance Manager to coordinate and manage the day-to-day budget operations of the school. This role is responsible for ensuring accurate and timely entry, submission, review, reporting and execution of the school's operating budget. This position serves to provide operational oversight and financial management and guidance, with final budgetary and strategic decisions made by the Dean and Chief Business Officer. This position also plays a key supporting role in the development and management of both the school's annual and long-term budget plans, working in close collaboration with senior leadership and departmental staff to ensure alignment with institutional goals and priorities.

The Finance Manager is responsible for the daily oversight of the school's financial operations, including university, gift, endowment, and research funds. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, monitoring expenditures across all school funds, tracking and resolving discrepancies, transacting certain payments, including faculty compensation, submitting and verifying balances and cost transfers, producing various financial reports, and direct or indirect management of various fiscal processes; overseeing the annual budget process, and ensuring compliance with internal policies and external regulations.

The Finance Manager also collaborates on financial planning initiatives and contributes to forecasting, reporting, and analysis to support strategic decision-making. Additionally, the position manages special projects with school-wide financial implications and maintains the school's internal accounting system, ensuring alignment with university systems such as iO, and also leads financial training for school faculty and staff as needed.

Ideal Candidate Statement

The ideal candidate for the Finance Manager position will be a detail-oriented and a proactive finance professional with a strong background in transactional finance, analyzing budgets, and financial reporting. The candidate will bring hands-on experience in the processing and knowledge of financial transactions, that may include but is not limited to budget and cost transfers. The candidate will demonstrate the ability to manage and support a team as needed, while fostering a collaborative and service-oriented work environment. They will be comfortable balancing independent transactional responsibilities with oversight duties, including reviewing for accuracy, providing training and guidance, and helping streamline financial workflows.

A strong command of Microsoft Excel, including the use of pivot tables, formulas, and data analysis tools is essential as the role requires interpreting and organizing complex financial data to support reporting and decision making. Chosen candidate will have excellent organizational and communication skills, a working knowledge of university financial systems (such as iO), and a commitment to continuous improvement.

The Finance Manager must be able to thrive in a collaborative and fast-paced setting, working closely with senior leadership, academic departments, and administrative units to support the financial health and operational efficiency of the school.

Workplace Requirements

Rice Business primarily delivers residential classes and activities taking place almost daily between 7 am and 10 pm. We value a highly collaborative and community-based culture, with expectations to provide in-person support and services to all members of our community. Remote work options are limited. Most employment activities are required to be performed in-person and on-campus. This in-person approach is central to the successful achievement of our research and academic missions.

This position may be offered as a hybrid role and may combine both in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration. Remote work opportunities are possibly extended to the candidate following the successful conclusion of the probationary period

Hiring Salary

Commensurate with experience

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree
• Three or more (3+) years of related experience In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year-for-year basis, may be substituted.
• Skills:
  • Proficiency in financial reporting, forecasting, and data analysis.
  • Demonstrated ability to interpret and apply university financial policies, procedures, and compliance requirements
  • Exceptional accuracy and commitment to excellence
  • Excellent organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
  • Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel, and familiarity with other business support resources
  • Strong analytical mindset with proven ability in critical thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving. In-depth understanding of Enterprise Resource Planning and financial systems
  • Excellent knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
  • Strong presentation skills with the ability to communicate effectively through verbal, written, and visual formats.
  • Proven ability to work well with people from diverse backgrounds and skill levels, and to build effective cross-functional teams through collaboration.

Preferences

• Experience working with Rice University financial systems
• Rice University and/or higher education experience

Essential Functions

• Works closely with the Chief Business Officer to develop, manage, and monitor the school's budget.
• Performs analytical, finance, and control functions; multi-dimensional reconciliations and related analyses; prepares, reviews, and approves transactions and higher-level dollar value transactions.
• Serves as a Cost Center Manager supporting specific functions; monitors financial transactions for school.
• Creates and submits financial transactions for the Dean's office and when needed for the departments.
• Reviews and approves balance transfers, and cost transfers; confirms accuracy of school's financial transactions.
• Develops budget and forecasting scenarios, long-range planning, and analyses for financial reporting and presentations; designs and runs ad hoc reports
• Runs monthly financial reports for the school, identifies errors, and takes action to correct errors.
• Recommends and develops solutions that may require policy changes or the development of new processes; maintains a broader organizational and university perspective in decision-making.
• Engages in continuous critical analysis of existing systems and processes; makes recommendations to achieve greater efficiencies and improve internal controls.
• Collaborates with leadership and supports the unit and organization strategy and change management initiatives
• Serves as approval for expenditures and transactions, ensuring compliance with university policies and procedures as well as specific guidelines on restricted funds
• Works collaboratively with the financial team to develop, implement, and maintain procedures, policies, and systems for the finance administrative area.
• Performs other duties as assigned

Additional Functions

• Oversees the Individual Compensation Payment (ICP) process; may support labor distribution process as needed.
• Serves as the subject matter expert for the school regarding the interpretation, implementation, and compliance with Rice's financial and operational policies and regulations.
• Works closely with the budget office, the controller's office, and research and cost accounting, as needed.
• Provides guidance on fund balances and expenditures such as payroll, travel, and purchases, including advice regarding compliance with relevant guidelines.

About Rice

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice's culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name -- RICE -- Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.