Finance Manager, Office of the Vice President for the Arts

Work Arrangement: Please note that this position can be hybrid (based on the main Stanford campus, coming to campus 2 days/week) or fully remote. This position may require the following:

• Routine extended working hours during peak cycles
• Travel on campus to schools/units

Budgeted Salary: The expected pay range for this position is $118,307 - $155,000 per annum.

Stanford University is one of the world’s premier academic and research institutions, devoting tremendous intellectual and physical resources toward the betterment of humanity. As a major Silicon Valley employer, Stanford seeks people committed to excellence and to improving our world. In turn, the university is committed to supporting its employees as they develop their careers and enrich their lives. We believe Stanford’s future success will be shaped by the diverse perspectives, unique experiences, and inclusive culture of its community.

The Vice Presidency for the Arts at Stanford University was established in February 2017 to elevate the arts in the University’s priorities and lead strategic planning for the University’s arts goals. Stanford’s non-departmental arts programs fall under the auspices of the Vice President for the Arts (VPA), including Stanford Live and Bing Concert Hall, Anderson Collection at Stanford University, Cantor Arts Center, Stanford Arts Institute, and the Institute for Diversity in the Arts. The Office of the Vice President for the Arts also manages campus-wide arts opportunities, strategic partnerships, arts grant opportunities, and student support.

The Finance Manager will report to the Senior Director of Finance and Administration. They will perform complex finance functions and activities with programmatic impact on the institution. The position requires professional expertise and application of internal policies and systems and external regulations. This position will be the primary financial business partner and provide the full breadth of financial support from day-to-day tasks to strategic thought partner for the museums: Cantor Arts Center and the Anderson Collection.

The Finance Manager will be responsible for budgeting, financial analysis & reporting, funds management, internal controls, accounting, and be a financial resource for VPA. Additionally, they will support the financial business needs of the leaders of Cantor and Anderson, and be the financial business expert of these businesses for VPA. A successful candidate must be a strategic thinker, as well as detail-oriented; must have strong communication and organizational skills.

Core Duties:

• Perform highly analytical, complex finance and control functions; multi-dimensional and complex reconciliations and related analysis; prepare or review and approve complex transactions and higher level dollar value transactions.

• Research, and synthesize data; interpolate results from large amounts of data, identify trends in data, draw conclusions, develop solutions, present and implement recommendations, and create follow up analysis.

• Develop complex budget and forecasting scenarios, long-range planning and analyses for financial reporting and presentations; design and run ad hoc reports.

• Identify and resolve unique issues with substantial significance; recognize exceptions, and conduct in-depth analysis using advanced technical knowledge and experience. Recommend and develop solutions that may require policy changes or the development of new processes; maintain broader organizational and university perspective in decision making.

• Review, design, and implement appropriate internal control programs, research new regulations, and implement approved changes. Manage compliance program for area of responsibility, interpret internal policy and external regulations, and create and/or review complex compliance reports.

• Lead and execute unit or cross functional projects and teams, make decisions regarding projects and programs affecting operational effectiveness, policies, or processes.

• Engage in continuous critical analysis of existing systems and processes; make recommendations to achieve greater efficiencies and improve internal controls. Define requirements, develop and implement complex test cases, perform testing and analyze results.

• Lead and support unit and organization strategy and change management initiatives.

• Provide training on new financial systems. Represent organization to client group(s) and external partners; serve as subject matter expert on matters that involve complex technical, financial, or subject matter expertise.

• Assess client and business needs, and formulate recommendations to determine approach to managing and completing processes.

• May supervise, train, coach, and review the work of other staff, as needed. Contribute primarily through applying individual expertise.

Minimum Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree and six years of relevant experience or combination of education and relevant experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Advanced proficiency in business applications, such as Microsoft Office suite, especially Excel.

• Advanced knowledge of Enterprise Resource Planning and financial systems; internet and computer literacy.

• Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

• Advanced professional communication skills, including ability to prepare materials for and clearly and effectively communicate information to internal and external audiences, client groups, and management.

• Strong project management skills and ability to contribute to or lead part of a multi-functional team.