Penn State Job Catalog

The Director of Strategic Finance Partners leads a team of unit-based Strategic Finance Partners (Academic, Administrative, and Commonwealth Campuses) within the Financial Planning, Analysis, and Coordination hubs; is responsible for ensuring proactive, consistent, timely, compliant, and innovative finance support to the various units; creates partnerships and collaborates with unit/college leadership and Strategic Financial Partners to align financial strategy with institutional goals.

• Direct and advise Strategic Financial Partners as they collaborate with budget executives and senior leadership to align financial strategy with academic, research, and operational priorities
• Provide input and coordination of communications, processes, trainings, and procedures based on feedback from Strategic Financial Partners, Financial Planning Analysts, and Financial Coordinators
• Identify, develop, and support metrics and KPIs to ensure efficiency and consistency across Strategic Financial Partners and units
• Oversee, direct, and manage assigned Strategic Financial Partners and develop talent strategy in order to attract, develop, mentor, train, and retain key talent
• Work closely with Strategic Financial Partners to ensure successful implementation of large-reaching / university-wide financial initiatives, programs, and strategies
• Ensure compliance with policies, procedures, and restricted fund regulations/guidelines; keep abreast of changing regulatory requirements
• Identify and lead process improvement initiatives to enhance financial effectiveness and efficiency within unit operations
• Represent Financial Planning and Analysis on university-wide committees
• Function as a change agent to promote a culture of financial transparency, accountability, and innovation within the unit(s)
• Temporarily provide direct support to a unit as their Strategic Financial Partner in addition to their leadership position, as needed

Level:

– Principal Manager

Base Description:

– Manages direct reports where primary duty is the management of a working unit.

Level Summary:

– Demonstrates awareness of broad issues and management trends. Applies exemplary management principles. Evaluates impact of policy and adjusts accordingly. Ensures appropriate skills are developed and maintained within team/unit. Realigns staff responsibilities to meet desired changes. Provides administrative and policy direction. Develops and articulates broad goals. Fosters collaboration between units. Engages in written and verbal communications that reach a university-wide and/or broad external audience. Develops and implements solutions to highly complex and often controversial problems.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

– Oversees teams of other supervisors/managers
– Leads a business unit

Fiscal Responsibilities:

– Plans, forecasts, develops, and/or approves budgets
– Typically has final signature authority for business unit

Problem Solving:

– Encounters highly varied and complex problems that may have a significant impact on multiple units and/or the University
– Regularly develops creative and/or novel approaches to resolve the most difficult problems
– Creates an environment that encourages imaginative solutions to problems

Independence of Action:

– Work results are not clearly defined and may be frequently changing
– Sets own goals and determines how to accomplish results with few or no guidelines to follow
– Oversees completed work of others and is accountable for unit results
– Delegates advanced tasks to others and provides guidance to team members

Communication and Collaboration:

– Communicates with both internal and external audiences
– May represent the University externally
– Collaborates closely with team members and other leaders across the University
– Communicates a compelling vision that inspires and motivates others

• Comp Grade – 16
• Minimum – $123,200.00
• MidPoint – $157,100.00
• Maximum – $191,000.00

• Change Management
• Data-based decision making
• Financial analysis
• Financial Planning
• Influence & Persuasion
• Mentoring
• Negotiation
• Process improvement
• Program implementation
• Project Management
• Regulatory compliance
• Stakeholder engagement
• Strategic Planning
• Talent Development