Director of Financial Planning and Budget

Trinity Univesity•Waxahachie, TX

1d•$106,323 - $159,485

About The Position

Are you ready to make a significant impact at Trinity University? The Finance & Administration division is seeking a dynamic, collaborative leader to join our team. Reporting to the Senior AVP for Finance, this role serves as a key partner in budgeting, forecasting, and long-range financial planning. Bring your technical expertise, intellectual curiosity, and strong communication skills to help us chart an exciting path forward. You’ll lead the Office of Financial Planning and Budget, including a talented team of six professionals. This position develops scenario-based financial models and maintains long-range financial plans to support informed decision-making by senior leadership. To thrive in this role, you’ll need strong management skills, the ability to build trust with both administrative and academic leaders, and a passion for mission-driven work. You’ll champion best practices in higher education budgeting and foster a culture of accountability, professional growth, and continuous improvement. The Director of Financial Planning and Budget provides strategic leadership for the university’s operating and capital budget processes and manages the institution’s multi-year financial planning framework. This position develops financial models, conducts scenario analyses, and delivers decision-ready information that supports long-range financial sustainability and resource alignment. The Director partners closely with academic and administrative leaders to ensure transparent, data-driven financial planning that advances institutional priorities. This position provides leadership in implementing best practices in higher education budgeting and financial planning, while fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement. If you’re ready to help shape the future of Trinity University by guiding the university’s operating and capital budgeting processes with innovation and purpose, we want to hear from you.

Requirements

Required: Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field from an accredited institution
Required: Ten years of progressively responsible experience in budgeting, financial planning, accounting or related field.
Demonstrated ability to build financial models, analyze complex data, and communicate insights effectively.
Three years of supervisory experience.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel
Excellent communication and presentation skills
Ability to work cooperatively and diplomatically across departmental boundaries
History of identifying and implementing changes to improve the organization
Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with external stakeholders
Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with frequently changing priorities
Ability to meet deadlines while handling multiple tasks concurrently
Ability to effectively delegate tasks and responsibilities
All jobs require a current Criminal Background Check (CBC).

Nice To Haves

Preferred: Master’s degree in Business Administration from an accredited institution or Certified Public Accountant
Preferred: Experience in higher education finance or budgeting
Experience with Workday and Adaptive Planning

Responsibilities

Financial Planning & Analysis: Directs the development and maintenance of the university’s long-range financial plan to support strategic decision making by senior leadership.
Performs periodic reconciliations between the long-range financial plan, operating budget projections, and capital budget forecasts to ensure consistency of future year assumptions, projected results, and the impact on future year strategic planning.
Maintains the university’s long-term capital financing plan which evaluates the various financing options for capital projects.
Oversees the development and maintenance of a wide variety of financial models to assist with long-range financial planning; requires collaboration with academic and administrative departments.
Works closely with the Senior Associate Vice President for Finance to perform financial analyses and scenario modeling to assess the financial impact of strategic initiatives and external factors; provides recommendations that enable optimization of the university’s resources.
Works closely with the Controller in developing interim financial statement forecasts.
Budget Development & Management Leads the development of the university’s annual operating and capital budgets.
Consolidates budget requests and provides funding recommendations to senior leadership.
Manages the budget calendar, guidelines, and communication to campus stakeholders.
Monitors budget performance throughout the fiscal year, including variance analyses and forecasted results, and provides recommendations to Vice Presidents.
Directs the management and reporting of designated and restricted resources to facilitate strategic management of these resources in alignment with First Dollar Principle and applicable donor restrictions.
Collaborates with the SAVPF and VPFA to assess the budget process, including effectiveness of the university’s resource allocations to ensure alignment with strategic priorities.
Debt Management: Manages the university’s long-term debt portfolio in a cost-effective manner; ensures compliance with all bond covenants and performs continuing disclosure.
Coordinates long-term debt issuance, including research and analysis to develop strategic recommendations for senior leadership; monitors compliance with the university's debt policies.
Ensures compliance with tax-exempt borrowing regulations, including tracking of reimbursement of all bond financed projects in accordance with IRS rules.
Reporting: Directs the preparation of regular reporting to the SAVPF, other members of senior leadership, and the Budget & Finance Committee of the Board.
Collaborates with the SVAPF and VPFA to develop presentations for campus constituents, such as Budget Advisory Council, Provost’s Council, Executive Leadership Team, Executive Planning Group, and the Board of Trustees.
Develops dashboards, recurring financial reports, and mid-year budget reviews to support operational and strategic decision-making; ensures consistent approach across all divisions.
Systems and Process Improvement: Develops and maintains accurate and complete budget policies and budget team manual.
Ensures data integrity and strong internal controls within budget and financial planning processes.
Collaborates with the Digital Campus Management team to maintain and optimize the university’s budget and financial planning systems (e.g., Workday Adaptive).
Directs training program for budget managers to strengthen financial stewardship across the university.
Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending conferences and workshops.
Supervision: Directs, coordinates, mentors, and evaluates employees.
Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with all policies and applicable laws.
Interviews, hires and trains employees; plans, assigns, and directs work; creates work schedules and conducts performance appraisals, counsels, and disciplines employees; and addresses complaints and resolves problems.
ADDITIONAL DUTIES Maintains a commitment to service excellence in all interactions on behalf of the University.
Cooperates and collaborates with other employees in the spirit of teamwork and collegiality and interacts with confidence, patience and integrity to provide professional leadership during emergencies.
Complies with all Trinity University policies and guidelines.
Performs other duties as required.