Manager of Finance and Business Operations
Requisition Number: 69579
Location: Boulder Colorado
Employment Type: University Staff
Schedule: Full Time
Posting Close Date: 01-Feb-2026
Date Posted:
Job Summary
Geological Sciences at CU Boulder is encouraging applications for the Manager of Finance and Operations position! This role reports directly to the Department Chair. In this capacity, the position will provide high-level budgetary, financial, policy, and administrative support to the Chair. This position is primarily responsible for oversight and policy related to department operations, including finance and human resources. This position engages in long-term strategic projects, planning in consultation with the Chair and Associate Chairs in addition to supervising business office staff.
This position will apply knowledge and interpret principles, rules, regulations, policies, precedents, and other guidelines specific to the College of Arts and Sciences, the University of Colorado Boulder, and the State of Colorado in order to analyze needs, resolve problems, answer questions, and provide information. Advise on technical issues and ensure timely and effective delivery of department, college, and university services to faculty, staff, and student employees. Further, the person in this position must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and have the ability to successfully manage multiple self-directed projects that may, at times, have competing priorities. Thus, the individual in this position must have a strong administrative background and excellent skills in business administration, fiscal, and personnel management. CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.
Who We Are
The University of Colorado at Boulder is ideally suited to the study of geological sciences. At the junction of the high plains and the Rocky Mountains, the Boulder area represents a natural outdoor laboratory where you can study geological features of all ages in diverse settings and observe earth processes firsthand. Fieldwork in the Rocky Mountain region is an essential part of instruction and research.
The department considers the diverse opportunities for field studies a particular strength of its undergraduate programs. In addition, the department has research laboratories for studying rock and mineral deformation, soils, sedimentation, geo-microbial processes, petrology, and mineralogy.
What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be
Faculty Personnel Management:
Serve as the administrative manager responsible for, but not limited to, organizing and implementing new faculty orientation, faculty meetings, faculty recruitment, faculty promotion, reappointment, tenure, and faculty merit.
Serve as the primary point of contact for new faculty with respect to university and departmental policies; general payroll questions; in-house travel and research grants; travel authorization and reimbursement; start-up funds; research accounts; faculty computer purchase program; and office space.
Schedules meetings and compiles information for the departmental Salary Committee for annual merit evaluation of faculty.
Oversee and coordinates academic appointments, re-appointments, promotions, tenure, retention activities, and grievance procedures for department faculty.
Compiles and organizes information for faculty and senior instructor reappointment, tenure, and promotion.
Keeps current records of faculty eligibility for sabbatical, reappointment, tenure,and post-tenure review
Maintains and disseminates the current and accurate version of departmental faculty rules.
Conducts faculty elections for reappointment/tenure promotion, hiring, administrative positions, committee positions, and departmental faculty rule changes. Assures that all eligible faculty members are informed of balloting procedures and deadlines. Assures security and secrecy of the balloting process as appropriate.
Monitors faculty progress on submitting Faculty Report of Professional Activities; reminds faculty to submit reports; provides reports and other databases and information as requested to the Salary Committee.
Serve as liaison for faculty to ensure they are provided the appropriate employment-related offices, including the College, Faculty Affairs, Graduate School, HR Service Cente,r and Employee Services
Staff Personnel Management and Supervision:
Manage and supervise the department's Business and Academic support staff, ensuring all operational needs are satisfied.
Responsible for hiring decisions, training, leave approval, performance management, evaluations, and disciplinary actions involving employees.
Organizes the daily activities of the work unit by prioritizing and monitoring workflow.
Oversees and is aware of the status of projects/tasks that directly relate to the activities of the work unit.
Reviews work for accuracy as needed and ensures deadlines are met.
Financial Management: Fiscal Oversight
Oversees the financial operations of the department. Maintains and monitors the following accounts:
General fund accounts
Auxiliary accounts
Grant accounts
Sponsored Projects
Gift accounts
Collaborates and advises Chair with monthly and yearly budget planning to align spending.
Provides ad hoc reports from PeopleSoft, Cognos, etc. when requested.
Evaluates and forecasts departmental accounts on an ongoing basis to monitor the resources available for operations and special projects.
Analyze business operations for programmatic and fiscal efficacy and implement changes.
Budget
Ensure compliance with approved budgets and policies, procedures, rules, and regulations.
Review and forecast budgets for all accounts to include:
Working with the chair and associate chairs to plan and forecast funding for instruction.
Working with faculty to plan and forecast income and expenses for research grants and auxiliary operations such as conferences.
Manage faculty startup account,s ensuring that they are funded according to the terms of their agreements.
Monitors gift funds and donor contact, analyzes and makes projections regarding endowment earnings/losses and spending practices.
Exerting expenditure control and enforcing ethical standards for expenditure of funds, and making budgetary decisions in the chair's absence.
Analyzes demand and prepares budget projections for department instructional fund and manages the related budget.
Determines actions to protect budgets, resolves deficits, and provides for unexpected or unique expenses. Ensure Department commitments are processed.
Decides when to open or close new or unused speed @types (ST), decides what ST is most appropriate for unusual and unexpected expenses, decides when to transfer budgets, revenues and expenses to best support the needs of the department.
Expenditures
Provides revenue and expense tracking, analysis, and makes recommendations for Undergraduate and Graduate Programs on a regular basis to monitor the resources available for ongoing operations and special projects.
Provide oversight for all accounting, purchasing, and payroll functions to insure compliance with approved budgets and policies, procedures, rules, and regulations.
Authorizes expenditures. Responsible for authorizing purchasing, procurement, and buying and contracting. Maintains budget files so that they are accessible and explicable in case of examination or audit by university officials.
Initiates payroll corrections, manages salary deficits, runs reports in HRMS and A&S portal as needed.
Relationship Management
Liaise with related budget offices, including the College's Budget Office, Office of Contract and Grants, HR Service Center Bursars, Advancement etc.
Compile information requested by the campus budget office or others.
Reviews monthly and year-end statements, authorizes accounts payable vouchers, purchase orders, transfer of funds forms, etc.
Administrative Management:
Advises chair on departmental procedures and provides background information to departmental administrators and departmental committees that report to the chair.
Oversee a collective procedural, policy, and judgment record/resource in order to provide department continuity.
Ensure operational needs are met by assessing the strengths and development needs of staff
Analyze department resources to align with department goals and vision.
Continually analyze processes, workflow, and operations to improve efficiency, compliance, and outcomes.
Create an effective operation by promoting collaboration and cross-training among the staff.
Conducts regular staff meetings. Mentor, coach, and ensure professional development opportunities. Engage staff in collaborative problem solving.
Manages and delegates additional duties as needed to meet department needs.
Comment on and contribute to university-wide and campus policy as appropriate.
Collaborate and coordinate with other administrative offices as needed to manage the implementation of new systems or ensure compliance with new policies.
Plan and implement department events such as commencement, faculty/employee recognition, retirements, holiday event, donor relations, and stewardship events etc.
Other/Projects:
Other duties as assigned that support the Department of Geological Sciences. Examples:
Research faculty position management and hiring
Scholarship and fellowship administration and donor relations support
Event and meeting coordination and support.
What You Should Know
Hybrid Schedule: At least 3 days a week on campus per campus and college policies and guidelines.
This can be subject to change based on the business needs of the department.
Standard Business Hours: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM | Monday - Friday
Employee may be expected to be on campus Monday-Friday during onboarding, training, and/or professional development events/meetings.
What We Can Offer
The annual salary for this full-time position is $80,000-$85,000.
Benefits
At the University of Colorado Boulder (https://www.colorado.edu/) , we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package (https://www.colorado.edu/jobs/benefits) includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County's largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage (https://advantage.cu.edu/campus/cu-boulder) program.
Be Statements
Be collaborative. Be pioneering. Be Boulder.
What We Require
BA/BS degree in management, human resources, operations or a related field.
Equivalent combination of education and experience may substitute on a year-by-year basis.
Demonstrated problem-solving and decision-making skills, along with experience in staff relations
and staff development.
3+ years of experience in: managing complex budgets with multiple funding sources, managing an office, and supervision
What You Will Need
Demonstrable experience setting shared goals for a team and holding employees accountable to ensure goals are met.
Demonstrable leadership, the ability to identify opportunities for improvement, and implement changes to achieve improvement.
Demonstrable experience managing complex budgets, financial statements and financial
reporting/data analysis.
Strong written and oral communication skills.
Strong analytical, problem-solving and interpersonal problem-solving skills.
Ability to handle multiple and complex assignments.
Strong interpersonal skills.
Special Instructions
To apply, please submit the following materials:
A current resume.
A cover letter that specifically addresses how your background and experience align with the requirements, qualifications and responsibilities of the position.
We may request references at a later time. Please apply by February 1, 2025 for consideration. Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, applications must be submitted through CU Boulder Jobs. (http://jobs.colorado.edu)
In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.
To apply, visit https://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDetail/Manager-of-Finance-and-Business-Operations/69579 (https://apptrkr.com/6862982)
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The University of Colorado does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, pregnancy, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, political affiliation, or political philosophy. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.
