Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Santa Clara University is seeking a Director of Finance and Research Programs to provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for financial and administrative functions within the School of Engineering. The Director will manage research-related funding and collaborate with various stakeholders to ensure compliance and effective management of resources.
Responsibilities
- Operate as a strategic and operational partner to School leadership, ensuring financial, research, and administrative functions are aligned with institutional priorities and executed with consistency and rigor
- Exercise sound judgment in managing complex financial and research-related activities, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and appropriate stewardship of all funding sources
- Translate data, financial analyses, and program outcomes into clear, actionable insights that support informed decision-making at the leadership level
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships across academic departments, central administrative offices, and external partners to support coordinated and efficient operations
- Identify gaps, inefficiencies, or risks in financial and administrative processes, and proactively develop and implement solutions that improve performance and scalability
- Ensure all financial, research, and programmatic activities adhere to university policies, regulatory requirements, and best practices
- Maintain a high level of organization and accountability across multiple funding streams, programs, and operational priorities, ensuring timely and accurate execution of responsibilities
- Communicate clearly and consistently with stakeholders, providing regular updates on financial status, program performance, and project progress
- Support a culture of continuous improvement, transparency, and shared accountability within the School of Engineering
- Adapt to evolving priorities, funding landscapes, and institutional needs, providing flexible and responsive leadership in a dynamic environment
- Support comprehensive financial planning, forecasting, and analysis to support School-wide budgeting, resource allocation, and long-term financial sustainability
- Support School-wide financial processes and periodically review for improvements and cost savings, including: Faculty Professional Development distribution and expense tracking, Reconciliation processes for academic and administrative unit corrections, Budget reporting to the Dean’s Office from academic and administrative units, Serve as Cost Center Coordinator for Dean’s Office budget
- Develop and maintain integrated financial reporting tools and dashboards that track revenues, expenses, and funding sources across all operational budgets in the School of Engineering
- Provide strategic financial insights, including cost-benefit analysis and return on investment modeling, to inform leadership decision-making
- Prepare and present regular financial reports to School leadership, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and alignment with strategic priorities
- Serve as a central resource for financial guidance and training to administrative staff, strengthening financial literacy and consistency across departments
- Oversee financial operations related to Dean’s Office activities, including supporting the Assistant Dean of Faculty Affairs, Finance and Administration in budget development, monitoring, reconciliation, and fiscal close
- Identify and implement process improvements to enhance financial operations, compliance, and efficiency across the School
- Oversee financial management of research-related funding, including grants, contracts, gifts, and internal awards, ensuring compliance with university policies and external regulations
- Partner with the Assistant Dean of Faculty Affairs, Finance and Administration, Dean and Associate Dean for Partnerships and Research to support financial planning and execution of research initiatives, including startup fund allocations, Dean’s Fund distributions, and new initiatives
- Manage the administrative process of internal research funding programs in collaboration with the Associate Dean for Partnerships and Research: Proposal processes, Review coordination, Award administration, Annual Reporting
- Monitor and analyze research funding activity, including indirect cost recovery and expenditure trends, to support strategic growth
- Maintain inventory and asset tracking systems for equipment and resources, supporting lifecycle management and future planning
- Hosts up-to-date information on SOE research assets and space usage. Serves as a key point of knowledge to inform decisions regarding equipment purchase and deployment, and laboratory space use and allocation
- Support the development and refinement of policies and procedures that enhance research administration and funding utilization
- Provide administrative oversight for interdisciplinary programs and initiatives, including budget development, tracking, and reconciliation
- In collaboration with the Associate Dean of Partnerships and Research, evaluate interdisciplinary programs and their outcomes to inform decisions on continuation, expansion, or sunset, and provide administrative support for the development of new initiatives
- Support Program Directors with operational needs not otherwise covered by department resources, including hiring processes, financial transactions, and administrative coordination
- Manage financial transactions across multiple funding sources, including fund transfers, reallocations, and expense tracking
- Oversee program-related administrative processes such as Director appointments, compensation tracking, and operational logistics
- Ensure effective coordination across stakeholders to support program execution and operational continuity
- Provide input for annual impact statements to satisfy donor wishes for execution of anticipated use
- Provide School-level administrative and financial support for sponsored projects in coordination with principal investigators and SPO office
- Assist with proposal preparation as needed, budget questions, and post-award financial management activities as directed by SPO
- Support the SPO at the School level to assist faculty with monitoring expenditures and ensuring alignment with approved budgets and funding requirements
- Support SPO compliance with institutional, sponsor, and regulatory guidelines
- Serve as a resource for faculty and staff navigating sponsored project processes and requirements
- Manage School of Engineering laboratory personnel regarding processes, performance, policies, and budgetary matters; this role does not include direct technical support
- Supervise laboratory directors to ensure effective management of budgeting, finance, safety compliance, space, and student workers
- May supervise other professional staff
Skills
- Solid understanding and ability to apply GAAP
- Understanding higher education administration structure, the typical politics involved in decision-making strategies and how strategic vision is applied in a university or college setting
- Good understanding of STEM environment
- Outstanding organizational and project management skills and data management acuity
- Excellent interpersonal and verbal/written communication skills
- Ability to effectively establish and maintain cooperative working relationships within a diverse multicultural environment
- Effects change through a series of steps to successfully influence others indirectly to gain support
- Facile with a variety of communications skills to apply appropriate language or forms of reasoning to deliver messages that ensure successful outcomes
- Entrepreneurial spirit, flexibility, adaptability, and willingness to respond spontaneously when opportunities arise
- Creative mindset, openness to change, and enthusiasm for collaborative program development
- Demonstrated ability to drive projects from inception to completion
- Excellent judgment, attention to detail, and ability to be self-directed and take initiative
- Ability to work non-traditional hours
- Valid U.S. Driver's License
- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, or Business Management preferred
- 5 years of experience within finance, accounting, or a student services department preferred
- Specific work in a higher education institution involving direct faculty, student, and staff contact and supervisory or management experience; HR experience preferred
- Demonstrated knowledge of MS Office/GoogleDocs required; Microsoft Access, advanced data analytics in Excel preferred
Benefits
- Santa Clara University is registered to do business in the following states: California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, and Illinois. Employees approved to telecommute are required to perform their work within one of these states.
- In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended, the California Fair Employment & Housing Act, and all other applicable laws, SCU provides reasonable accommodations for qualified persons with disabilities.
- Consistent with its obligations under the law, Santa Clara University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities.
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