Budget Director - University of Puget Sound

Another Source's client, University of Puget Sound, is recruiting a Budget Director to join their team in Tacoma, WA.

Here's a little about the University of Puget Sound and the opportunity:

The University of Puget Sound is a nationally recognized liberal arts university located in Tacoma, Washington. The Office of Finance delivers a comprehensive range of services to the campus community, including budgeting, accounting, financial planning and analysis, procurement, tax compliance, and financial reporting.

The University Budget Director will play a critical role in shaping the institution's financial future through strategic financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and long-range modeling. Reporting to the Associate Vice President for Finance, this highly visible position serves as a key financial partner to executive leadership, supporting institutional decision-making across a $94.6 million operating budget and approximately $500 million endowment portfolio. While not directly managing endowment assets, this role develops financial models and assumptions that inform endowment draw strategies and long-term financial sustainability planning.

This opportunity comes at an exciting time for the University as the finance team modernizes budgeting and forecasting processes, implements a new financial planning platform, and prepares for a planned leadership transition. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to overlap with a highly respected financial leader who has served the institution for more than 26 years, ensuring a thoughtful onboarding experience and strong institutional knowledge transfer.

Learn more about the University of Puget Sound's Office of Finance here:

https://www.pugetsound.edu/office-finance

What's in it for you:

Lead strategic financial planning for a financially strong institution with a solid balance sheet and strong credit outlook.

• Partner directly with executive leadership, Cabinet members, and Board committees on key financial decisions.

• Drive implementation of a new budgeting and forecasting platform.

• Gain visibility across all areas of the institution through extensive collaboration with campus leaders.

• Join a collaborative, supportive finance team known for its positive culture and strong working relationships.

• Benefit from a planned transition period with a long-tenured financial leader.

• Hybrid work opportunities available following onboarding and training.

University of Puget Sound offers a comprehensive compensation and benefits package: UPS_NH Benefits Guide-2026 v3.pdf - Google Drive

Salary Range: $115,000 - $130,000 annually, depending on experience. Relocation Assistance Available

About the Role:

The University Budget Director leads the University's financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting functions while serving as the steward of the institution's long-range financial planning model.

Working closely with academic and administrative leaders, the Budget Director develops integrated financial models that support strategic planning, enrollment forecasting, budget development, endowment draw analysis, and long-term financial sustainability. The role translates complex financial data into meaningful projections, scenario analyses, and executive-level recommendations that directly inform institutional strategy.

This position exercises significant independent judgment and requires exceptional accuracy, analytical rigor, and communication skills. The analyses and recommendations produced by this role support executive leadership, Cabinet discussions, budget task force initiatives, and Board-level decision-making.

What you will be doing:

Strategic Financial Planning & Modeling

• Lead maintenance and enhancement of the University's long-range financial planning model.

• Develop multi-year forecasts and scenario analyses supporting institutional strategy and financial sustainability.

• Evaluate financial implications of enrollment trends, compensation changes, endowment performance, and other institutional priorities.

• Identify emerging risks, opportunities, and financial trends impacting the University.

• Develop executive summaries and planning materials for senior leadership.

Budget Development & Oversight

• Coordinate the University's annual budget development process.

• Partner with budget managers across campus to develop budgets, projections, and forecasts.

• Maintain budget data within PeopleSoft and support ongoing process improvements.

• Manage Budget Variance Reporting (BVR) and provide meaningful analysis of financial performance.

• Partner with Human Resources to manage staffing, compensation, and contingency budgets.

• Develop a deep understanding of university operations to support effective resource planning and allocation.

Endowment Modeling & Financial Analysis

• Develop and maintain endowment-related financial models and payout projections.

• Support financial planning related to endowment draw strategies and institutional sustainability.

• Collaborate with Finance leadership to analyze investment-related impacts on long-range planning.

• Maintain assumptions used to support deficit planning and long-term financial forecasts.

Executive & Institutional Support

• Provide financial planning and analysis support to the CFO, Cabinet, Budget Task Force, and other institutional leaders.

• Prepare financial projections, analyses, and planning materials for Finance & Facilities Committee meetings and Board presentations.

• Conduct special financial studies and strategic analyses as needed.

• Support university-wide financial decision-making through clear and actionable recommendations.

Financial Systems & Process Improvement

• Support implementation of a new budgeting and forecasting platform.

• Identify opportunities to improve reporting, automation, and financial planning processes.

• Collaborate with stakeholders to enhance access to financial data and reporting tools.

• Deliver budget-related training and support to campus partners as needed.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, economics, or a related field; CPA preferred

• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in financial planning, budgeting, accounting, or related functions, preferably within a private, not-for-profit higher education environment

• Demonstrated expertise in multi-year financial modeling within a tuition- and enrollment-driven operating model, including scenario and sensitivity analysis

• Working knowledge of endowment accounting, draw policies, and investment unitization, or the ability to quickly develop this expertise

• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously

• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with academic, administrative, and governance stakeholders

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience presenting complex financial information to senior leadership and boards

• Advanced proficiency with Excel and related tools for financial modeling, analysis, and presentation

• Experience working with enterprise systems (ERP, budgeting, or student information systems) and relational databases

• Familiarity with business intelligence and data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau) and core economic and financial concepts relevant to higher education

Preferred Qualifications:

• CPA license

• Experience in a higher education or similarly complex non-profit organization.

University Diversity Statement

We Acknowledge

The richness of commonalities and differences we share as a University community; the intrinsic worth of all who work and study here; and that education is enhanced by investigation of and reflection upon multiple perspectives.

We Aspire

To create respect for and appreciation of all persons as a key characteristic of our campus community; to increase the diversity of all parts of our University community through commitment to diversity in our recruitment and retention efforts; and to foster a spirit of openness to active engagement among all members of our campus community.

We Act

To achieve an environment that welcomes and supports diversity; to ensure full educational opportunity for all who teach and learn here; and to prepare effectively citizen-leaders for a pluralistic world.

Another Source works with their clients, on a retained project basis, to maximize the recruiting process. We are committed to building inclusive candidate pools as we partner with hiring teams. As you read through the job posting and review the list of qualifications (required and/or preferred), please do not self-select out if you feel you do not meet every qualification. No one is 100% qualified. We encourage you to apply and share your story with us.

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