Sr. Associate Strategic Initiatives (Finance and Administration)

In this role, you will shape USS financial strategy and decision support across a multi-entity university portfolio. You serve as a trusted advisor to USS leadership, translating complex data into actionable recommendations and driving long-range planning. You'll build sophisticated financial models for scenarios, capital investments, and strategic initiatives, influencing executive decisions. You will collaborate with cross-functional partners to elevate reporting, analytics, and data governance, enabling informed, strategic action. This is a high-impact, independent role at a major research university with a focus on enterprise financial stewardship.

• Provide strategic financial leadership and decision support to USS leadership and executives
• Develop and lead complex financial models and scenario analyses for multi-year planning and capital investments
• Oversee external consultants and ensure integrity and consistency of financial data and analyses
• Lead executive-level reporting, dashboards, and analytics, promoting automation and strategic insights
• Leverage enterprise systems for budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning; advise on data structures and reporting tools
• Influence senior leaders and drive continuous improvement in financial processes and tools

• Exceptional analytical skills
• Expert-level Excel and data analysis for scalable, auditable reporting
• Advanced financial modeling (driver-based planning, scenario analysis, forecasting, ROI)
• Experience presenting to senior leadership
• Advanced proficiency with data and reporting tools (Power BI, Power Automate)
• Ability to manage large, complex projects independently
• Bachelor's Degree; seven years of related experience; higher education or complex institutional environment experience preferred

• Executive-level communication
• Strategic mindset
• Influence without authority
• Excel (advanced)
• Power BI
• Power Automate