Assistant Vice President, Finance Analytics & Optimization and Student Financial Operations (AVP)

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The University of Miami has a great opportunity for an Assistant Vice President, Finance Analytics & Optimization and Student Financial Operations to work at the Coral Gables Campus.

CORE JOB SUMMARY

The Assistant Vice President, Finance Analytics & Optimization and Student Financial Operations plays a crucial role in driving strategic decisions, identifying growth opportunities, and enhancing operational efficiency through data-driven insights and innovative models and is responsible for overseeing the financial operations related to Student Accounts and related financial systems (billing, waivers, A/R, tuition calc validation, systems maintenance, student customer service). The incumbent collaborates with cross-functional teams to provide actionable recommendations that contribute to the university's overall success.

CORE JOB FUNCTIONS

Financial Analytics and Optimization

Leads the development and execution of the university's finance optimization strategy, driving insights into business performance, identifying key trends, risks, and opportunities, and providing actionable recommendations to senior leadership. Utilizes advanced analytics tools and techniques to synthesize complex financial data into meaningful insights, enabling informed decision-making across various business functions. Designs and implements sophisticated models to support scenario analysis aligning with long-term strategic objectives. Leads, guides, and supports multiple project work streams that support CFO priority projects. Act as leading change agent, including identification of change impacts to people, process, technology, and organizational readiness that advances operational efficiency and financial sustainability. Defines and monitors key performance indicators, establishing benchmarks and tracking progress toward optimization objectives; collaborate with stakeholders to develop metrics-driven dashboards and reports. Identifies opportunities for process improvement, cost optimization, and revenue enhancement through data analysis, and work collaboratively with cross-functional teams to implement these initiatives. Partners with C-suite executives, department heads, and external partners to provide financial insights and strategic recommendations that support effective resource allocation and drive business growth. Ensures financial reporting and analysis adheres to industry standards, legal requirements, and best practices, maintaining accuracy, transparency, and compliance. Collaborates with University divisions, as necessary, to enable best practices supported by a strong foundation of process, people, and technology resulting in efficient and high-value financial reporting. Stays current with industry trends, economic conditions, and competitive landscapes to proactively identify emerging opportunities and challenges. Establishes and continuously assesses the effectiveness of the internal controls within the unit and compliance with University policies and procedures. Ensures employees are trained on controls within the function and on University policy and procedures.

Student Accounts and Student Financials and Systems

Student Accounts:

Facilitates the development of the reporting criteria of the student financial information in CaneLink used by the University to provide sub-ledger detail transaction information to reconcile to the Workday Finance system available to other University external departments including Financial Planning & Analysis, Controller’s Office, Medical Finance and other student units reconciling CaneLink transactions to Workday Finance System. Oversees all student-related receivables, for tuition for degree and non-degree student population, housing, dining, and parking receivables, and third-party receivables as of May year-end by monitoring and ensuring timely monthly reconciliation to safeguard University student receivable assets. Guides and supports the Bank of America reconciliation, collaborating with Financial Reporting, for all student account payment tenders via cashiering and the online payment portal processes for all Office of Student Accounts managed bank accounts in addition to supporting all variance analysis and explanations, tuition/fees collections on average for the academic year in the amount. Oversees the accounting team’s preparation of annual audit requests specific to the Office of Student Accounts related general ledger accounts/institutional & federal loans receivables, cash accounts, and reserve calculations for the University’s year-end financial statement audit requests. Manages and coordinates timely submission of all monthly balance sheet reconciliations and variance analysis for receivables, deposits, and unapplied credits for student/loan receivables to General Accounting and Financial Planning and Analysis. Establishes, leads, and maintains financial internal controls within the Office of Student Accounts for functions related to billing, revenue, manual adjustments, refunds, payments, financial holds, collections, and bad debt write-offs, including approval flow among the management team. Approves all requests for bad debt write-offs of student accounts receivable by leading the Office of Student Accounts in ensuring due diligence is performed on outstanding balances and that the University’s reserve for bad debt is adequate. Establishes student accounts receivables allowance based on the aging of the accounts receivables balances outstanding on a monthly and annual basis for the year-end audit. Works with senior leadership, manages all Office of Student Accounts responses to external auditor requests, and understands the documents and data required by external/internal auditors related to student financial transactions. Guides the management team with recommendations of staffing, hiring, termination, and discipline, setting performance standards and evaluating staff, and staff development working directly with Financial Affairs and HR partners, as needed. Oversees and coordinates the frequency of timeliness of accurate student tuition billing, including third-party sponsored billing every term impacting the University’s incoming working capital cash flow. This requires coordination across numerous student service leads of the university. Oversees and ensures the Check Distribution Team within The Office of Student Accounts responsibly handles the daily timely printing and distribution of student refund checks generated by the CaneLink system and the University’s Accounts Payable vendor checks generated by the Workday system. Provides management, oversight, and coordination for all direct reports to establish all standard operating procedures and assist with the interpretation and implementation of new processes to ensure they meet requirements of the Office of Student Accounts, the CaneLink student information system, Cashiering and Check Distribution and all student accounts receivables. Responsible for ensuring the timeliness of the University’s IRS 1098T-Tuition Statement distribution and filing to comply with IRS regulations and Form 8300 for Cash Payments > $10k; including all customer service inquiries related to student tax forms. Approves all annual encumbrances for the Office of Student Account vendors which include ensuring timely year-end closing of yearly encumbrances for the Office of Student Accounts vendors for payment of services. Approves all communications to students/proxies, for all undergraduate, graduate, law, and medical students, from the Office of Student Accounts. Ensures and guides the Student Account Directors with the financial knowledge needed for processes they directly manage. Focuses on the development of the management team by encouraging strategic thinking, innovation, and maximizing operational performance.

Student Financials and Systems

Plans, develops, administers, provides training, coordinates, and leads all functions and services for Campus Solutions Directs and coordinates the activities of administrative employees of multiple project areas. Identifies and develops new technologies, strategies, and solutions to advance Student Financial System initiatives in conjunction with UMIT and other Financial Affairs business units. Creates and maintains all item types within Campus Solutions. Reviews and adheres to regulatory changes to ensure compliance for system or file changes or updates. Manages set up and provides guidance on any system financial and customer-related business process. Develops reports, recommendations, or alternatives and resolves existing and potential trouble areas in production systems. Develops test scripts and coordinates testing for system-related updates to the Student Financial Information System. Provides training to the team, including performance management, coaching, and development. Interfaces with other areas of the business and implements and drives technical decisions that are beneficial across all functions. Handles all interdepartmental customer service on any item type or tuition calc setup. Manages the development of detailed design specifications for use by the technical team. Ensures team development of system test plans and utilizes appropriate resources to address business and technical issues. Directs and focuses efforts of project teams, monitoring progress and offering mentoring. Responds to and handles customer questions via available communication mediums. Analyzes system requirements and works with stakeholders to create an inventory of all business impacts and methods of resolving conflicts. Leads the business analyst teams in identifying and documenting requirements for the ICD10 enhancements. Establishes and continuously assesses the effectiveness of the internal controls within the unit and compliance with University policies and procedures. Ensures employees are trained on controls within the function and on University policy and procedures. Approves all UMIT upgrades impacting the CaneLink Student Financials Module. Serves as the primary lead of the CaneLink student financial and cashiering transactions to the Workday Finance system.

Special Projects: Will be available to the CFO for engagement on special projects involving financial affairs (for example, Workday Re-install, Claim on cash).

This list of duties and responsibilities is not intended to be all-inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties or responsibilities as necessary.

CORE QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Master of Business Administration or advanced degree in Accounting or Finance.

Certification and Licensing:

Certified Public Accountant (CPA) strongly preferred.

Experience:

Ten (10) years related experience in business and finance with experience in higher education

Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes:

• Ability to communicate effectively in both oral and written form.
• Ability to maintain effective interpersonal relationships.
• Ability to analyze, consolidate, and interpret accounting data.
• Ability to compile, organize, interpret, and communicate accounting data and results concisely.
• Ability to manage a budget and work within the constraints of that budget.
• Knowledge of budget control methods, policies, and procedures.

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The University of Miami is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Females/Minorities/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities are encouraged to apply. Applicants and employees are protected from discrimination based on certain categories protected by Federal law. Click here for additional information.

Job Status:

Full time

Employee Type:

Staff

Pay Grade:

A22