How to Apply
A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.
Job Summary
Department Summary:
The Division of Student Life at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor includes core student services, programs, and facilities which are funded through self-generated revenues (Auxiliary Operations), student fees (University Health Service, Student Legal Services), and the University's General Fund (centers and programs). Student Life maintains a shared business office for all finance operations. The Student Life divisional budget is $340 million.
Position Summary:
This position will oversee creation of periodic and ad hoc financial reports relating to operational and financial effectiveness, oversee management of financial data from various accounting and information systems, budgets, cash flow and capital projects pro forma for decision-making and lead the auxiliary finance team.
The U-M Student Life auxiliary and quasi-auxiliary units include: University Housing, University Unions, Michigan Dining, Conference and Events Services, University Health Service, Capital Projects, Marketing, and Michigan Recreation, as well as their core associated facilities and sub-units. The Assistant Director of Auxiliary Finance reports to the Director of Student Life Budget and Finance (SLBF) and will work with the Associate Vice President of Finance (AVP) & CFO as well as various auxiliary unit directors and their teams.
Responsibilities*
Actual salary commensurate with experience and education!
Strategic Financial Planning and Evaluation - 30%
- Provide high-level budget analysis and planning, revenue and profitability reports, comparative market analysis, enterprise-wide trend analysis, and proactive business intelligence
- Produce multi-year financial analyses and reports to assist planning and decision making
- Support development of and produce business plans for new revenue generating opportunities
- Work with the Director of Student Life Budget & Finance and the Student Life AVP & CFO to support capital project planning, including development of pro-formas, cash flow, and debt schedules
- Partner with unit directors to develop financial performance and economic impact measures to inform strategy and business decisions
- Predict future trends, provide recommendations on revenue generation, report on financial factors influencing performance
- Coordinate auxiliary capital projects pro-forma development and related financial analysis
- Participate as needed in auxiliary leadership team meetings
Develop, Evaluate, and Analyze Metrics - 20%
- Research and analyze revenue, expense, and profitability variances
- Perform financial analysis of data in various financial systems
- Conduct proactive financial forecasts, trend analyses, and variance rationales
- Research benchmarks, support directors' analysis to provide tools to improve financial performance
Budget Creation & Analysis - 20%
- Coordinate annual budget process for auxiliary units, assuring those with funds comprised of multiple operating areas are synchronized with unit leadership decision-making (e.g. Dining with both Housing and Unions)
- Maintain comprehensive budget history including rationales, records of revenue, expense, and salaries, funding agreements, and contracts
- Oversee preparation of monthly/quarterly/annual budget projections including variance analysis and narrative
- Recommend cost containment strategies, budget adjustments and other actions to help ensure units meet budget and strategic goals
Operations and Risk Mitigation - 15%
- Review auxiliary operating policies, recommend and enact appropriate controls
- Perform risk analysis and risk mitigation of areas within auxiliary business in collaboration with SLBF teams (e.g., cash handling procedures, credit card transactions)
Supervisory Responsibilities - 10%
- Oversee a team of accountants/analysts and provide ongoing performance coaching and conduct performance reviews. Develop employees to enable them to assume increasingly complex financial and budgeting assignments including training and succession planning
Other Duties - 5%
- Participate in cross-unit work and leadership teams to develop financial strategies to enhance the student and customer experiences throughout Student Life
Required Qualifications*
- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- 5+ years of related experience in a large, complex organization, with financial responsibility
- Ability to maintain a strategic, big-picture perspective while executing on details
- Ability to operate effectively with senior leaders and stakeholders, exercising sound judgment, discretion, and diplomacy.
- Ability to communicate clearly and effectively.
Desired Qualifications*
- Higher Education, Higher Ed Auxiliary and/or Student Affairs experience
- Experience analyzing complex, ambiguous information and synthesizing it into clear executive-level recommendations (briefs, decision memos, dashboards, or presentations).
- Business experience related to auxiliary housing, food service, or capital projects.
- Ability to multitask, prioritize, and work effectively in a fast-paced environment
- Experience supervising a team of finance and accounting professionals.
- Demonstrated ability as a lead financial manager of a large organization.
- Demonstrated experience with change management and organizational development.
- Demonstrated Experience in strategic planning and execution and experience interpreting a strategic vision into an operational model.
- Knowledge of University of Michigan policies and procedures related to financial and administrative management; and experience with M-Pathways financial systems
Modes of Work
Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.
Additional Information
Position Responsibilities Criteria (leadership and behavioral qualities expected in this position):
- Demonstrated skills in fiscal management, strategic analysis, and resource diversification in complex profit-loss driven organizations.
- Excellent knowledge of planning, budgeting, financial, accounting principles, and functional analysis to aid data driven decision-making.
- Demonstrated ability to build comprehensive financial cash flow models to assist in long term capital project planning.
- Proficient in various applications, including spreadsheet, relational database, presentations, and word processing to assemble, manipulate and format data and reports. Excellent Excel, PowerPoint, and Word skills.
- Strong customer service mentality and skillset along with inclusive relationship building skills
- Ability to communicate clearly and work effectively and collaboratively within a complex matrix organization.
- Skills (i.e. communication, presentation, organizational, etc.)
- Proficient in various applications, including spreadsheets, relational database, presentations, and word processing to assemble, manipulate, and format data and reports. Excellent Excel, PowerPoint, and Word skill
- Abilities (i.e. ability to navigate change effectively, to lead a team, to work with cross-functional departments, etc)
- Self-starter in initiating projects and process improvements
- Ability to communicate clearly and work effectively and collaboratively within a complex matrix organization with multiple lines of accountability
- Competencies/All UM Organizational Competencies
- Drive for Results
- Strategic Agility
- Business Acumen
- Decision Quality
- Organizational Agility
- Interpersonal Savvy
- Developing Direct Reports & Others
Financial/Budgetary Responsibility:
Overseeing and maintaining financial controls, ensuring compliance, and managing, analyzing and reporting on financial data. Auxiliary budget responsibility of approximately $240M.
Working Conditions:
- This is an Exempt and Hybrid position with office space at 1000 Victors Ways, the south side of Ann Arbor and campus. In a given week, this position will be required to be present at other campus locations.
Physical Requirements:
- This position is hybrid, allowing for remote work and participation in virtual meetings using video conferencing platforms such as Zoom, as well as mobile devices. You will travel across the UM-Ann Arbor campus for in-person meetings with different units within the division in the Ann Arbor area.
Direct Reports:
- 4 Financial Specialist Senior direct reports, and oversight of nine full time staff members.
Additional Information:
This role may have reporting obligations under Title IX and Clery.
Authorization to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment and applicants for this position will not be sponsored for work visas.
Selected candidates whose start date is 4/1/2026 or after will not be eligible for the university FY26-27 salary/merit plan unless otherwise notified.
Salary may vary depending on qualifications, experience, and education of the selected candidate.
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Application Deadline
Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.
U-M EEO Statement
The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.