Finance Director, Budget & Finance, Provost Finance & Administration

Duke University:

Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America's leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

Be You.

The Provost Finance & Administration team is seeking a Finance Director, Budget & Finance to provide leadership and oversight for the Provost Area Management Center (PAMC) budget and reporting functions for a $1.2B operating budget across all funds. Reporting directly to the Associate Vice Provost for Finance and Administration, you will work closely with senior academic and financial administrators to guide budget processes and support units under the Provost's purview in budget planning, financial management, policy and control, monitoring financial performance, and consolidated reporting activities.

You will collaborate with finance leadership across Provost units, provide administrative direction for management center approvals, and assist the Associate Vice Provost with coordination of programs, projects, and activities.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Business Administration, or a related field.
• At least ten years of business/administrative experience in financial management, general accounting principles, ad hoc financial analysis and reporting, budgeting, and financial modeling.

Preferred Qualifications

• CPA and/or MBA.
• Three to five years in a research-oriented institution of higher education.
• Supervisory experience.
• Experience managing large, complex budgets in higher education.

Other Requirements

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to analyze trends and financial information to perform complex analysis and financial modeling.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated interpersonal and diplomatic skills with the ability to effectively work with diverse groups, including senior faculty and administrative leaders, on institutional policies and procedures.
• Strong organizational, management, and administrative skills with attention to detail.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft tools and other integrated systems such as Advanced Excel and SAP.
• Flexibility and ability to work on multiple initiatives simultaneously.

Work Arrangement

• Hybrid eligible position. The employee must reside in a Duke University-approved state.

Be Bold.

Budget & Reporting

• Guide and coordinate budget process oversight for the Provost management center, including the annual budget and spring and fall projections.
• Establish timelines, coordinate budget meetings, prepare budget materials, reporting templates, allocation targets, guidelines, and communications for Provost units.
• Review budget submissions, analyze data, identify budget issues, and provide recommendations to improve submissions and estimates.
• Lead consolidation of strategic funding requests, track approvals, and monitor budget performance throughout the fiscal year.

Management Center Approvals, Policy and Internal Controls

• Develop relationships with Provost Office finance leads and business managers and assist with comprehensive financial responsibilities for Provost Area Management Center units.
• Create formal internal controls frameworks in consultation with central administration and internal audit.
• Review and recommend policy changes, approve policy exceptions, oversee systems workflow administration, and ensure management center approvals are completed timely.
• Create compliance monitoring reports and analyze exception reporting using data from SAP, Concur, and other systems.

Financial Management, Reporting and Fiscal Oversight

• Directly manage associate directors supporting management center oversight activities.
• Lead year-end closeout processes and ensure compliance with accounting policies.
• Review financial statements, evaluate budget variances, and partner with central finance on corrective actions as needed.
• Serve as a resource for budget and reporting responsibilities and support training of new business and finance managers.
• Complete quarterly monitoring of budget versus actuals, AP problem invoices, exception reporting, and corporate card activities.

Strategic Finance Oversight

• Lead strategic finance oversight for Provost area centralized funding distributions supporting strategic initiatives, academic priorities, and reserves.
• Create and maintain commitment tracking databases for leadership reporting.
• Develop and manage memorandum of understanding (MOU) agreements supporting academic and strategic priorities.
• Create projections for strategic fund availability and develop executive-level presentations to support decision making by Provost leadership.
• Perform other duties and ad hoc requests as assigned.

Choose Duke.

Duke University is one of the world's leading research and teaching institutions. Duke attracts and retains outstanding faculty, staff, and students committed to advancing knowledge and improving lives through education, research, and service.

Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke offers a collaborative and mission-driven environment where employees contribute to academic excellence, innovation, and global impact.