Budget Manager

Palo Alto University (PAU) is a private, non-profit institution located in the heart of Silicon Valley. For nearly five decades, PAU has been dedicated to addressing pressing and emerging issues in behavioral health, equipping practitioners to meet the diverse needs of contemporary society. PAU offers a comprehensive range of undergraduate, master’s, doctoral, and professional training programs delivered through innovative online, hybrid, and residential modalities. Engaged faculty, recognized for their significant contributions to their fields, prepare practitioners and students through rigorous educational programs, cutting-edge research opportunities, and extensive hands-on clinical practice. PAU creates a legacy of confident, competent, and compassionate professionals who are making a difference in their communities. PAU has over 1,200 students, more than 4,200 proud alumni, and employs more than 150 faculty and staff.

Position Description

Job Title: Budget Manager

Department: Financial Planning and Analysis

Reports To: Chief Financial Officer and Vice-President, Finance & Operations

Modality: Residential

Employment Status: Full-Time, Exempt
Salary Range: $130,000 - $145,000

Summary

The mission of the Budget Manager is to support strategic planning and decision-making across the University and its various divisions through the compilation, analysis, and dissemination of financial data. This work contributes to effective resource allocation and assessments of institutional performance.

Under the direction of the Chief Financial Officer and Vice-President for Finance & Operations, the Budget Manager is responsible for providing high-quality budget development, analysis, and reporting for departments within the Division of Academic and Student Affairs (DASA). The role also includes oversight of salary and workforce budget management, ensuring alignment with University policies and procedures.

This position will have managerial responsibility for the Financial Analyst and a dotted-line reporting relationship to the Controller to promote alignment and integration between budgeting and accounting functions.

The Budget Manager plays a key role in long-term strategic financial analysis for the University, including the development of pro forma budgets and financial models to support new initiatives and critical activities.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

• Collaborate in the development, recommendation, and implementation of the budget timeline for annual and multi-year planning
• Lead annual budget development and monitoring activities in partnership with the Financial Analyst
• Facilitate the annual budget process by meeting with Department Heads, Directors, and other stakeholders to clarify requirements, provide guidance, and prepare the comprehensive annual budget
• Consolidate departmental data and produce quarterly (or more frequent) budget projections
• Identify budget issues, analyze root causes, and present recommendations for improvements to processes and practices in a professional and collaborative manner
• Develop and maintain a tuition and fee revenue model by program to support currentyear forecasting and future rate planning
• Forecast, monitor, and analyze revenue and expenditures; prepare both regular and ad hoc financial reports
• Maintain faculty and staff salary schedules and process updates as needed
• Collaborate with colleagues to build budget models for proposed University initiatives and evaluate financial viability
• Develop, recommend, and implement financial planning policies and guidelines to support long-term modeling and analysis
• Advise leadership on funding appropriateness and propose fiscal solutions to resolve budget-related issues
• Serve as a backup to the Financial Analyst, demonstrating transferable and complementary skills to ensure continuity of operations
• Serve as the primary budget contact for the Division of Academic and Student Affairs (DASA)
• In collaboration with the Financial Analyst, manage, maintain, and update the DASA budget in the budgeting system; draft budget adjustments for the Provost’s review and approval
• Conduct monthly budget-to-actual analyses and provide financial insights to support the Provost/VP for Academic & Student Affairs and DASA leadership in making informed decisions
• Perform detailed reconciliations for DASA departments and programs
• Collaborate with faculty to develop budget models for proposed academic programs
• Analyze faculty workloads and contracts to assess budgetary implications
• Perform special projects and other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements below represent the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for this role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related discipline from an accredited institution
• 5–8 years of progressively responsible experience in budgeting, financial planning, or a related area
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and maintain attention to detail
• Demonstrated analytical capabilities and experience preparing current-year and multiyear financial projections
• Proficiency in conducting research, performing financial analysis, and developing reports and actionable recommendations
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion when handling sensitive information
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a team-oriented environment
• Experience conducting ad hoc financial analysis and supporting special projects or new program development
• Experience in managing, training, and mentoring staff
• Proficiency with enterprise resource planning systems such as Jenzabar; budgeting platforms like Workday Adaptive Planning; contract management tools such as DocuSign; and Microsoft Office and Google Suite, with advanced skills in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
• Experience in higher education strongly preferred

No Discrimination: The University is an equal opportunity employer and is firmly committed to non-discrimination in its hiring and other employment practices and in the application of its personnel policies. In compliance with all applicable federal and state laws, except where a bona fide occupational qualification exists, employment decisions will be made irrespective of the staff member's backgrounds of race, color, religion, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, age (except for minors), sex, marital status, citizenship status, military service status, sexual orientation, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic condition), disability and/or any another status protected by law.

As provided by law, and when it is requested to do so, the University will offer reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities, if the individual is otherwise qualified to safely and to the University standards of quality of work, perform all essential functions of the position and if it will be done without undue hardship to the University.

PAU has a high-quality work environment that attracts and welcomes a diversity of backgrounds of its employees. In your application or in a cover letter, please include information on how your
background and experience has prepared you to work at a high level of quality of work with co-workers from a variety of different backgrounds.