Job Description

Colorado School of Mines—a prestigious public R1 research university focused on applied science and engineering—is looking for a Budget and Financial Analyst II to join our dynamic team in the Office of Budget and Financial Planning. With over $325 million in operating activity and stewardship of $1 billion in assets, Mines is a leader in educating top-tier talent and advancing real-world solutions for industry and society. As part of the Finance, Administration, and Operations (FA&O) division, you’ll help support our mission while collaborating across campus to ensure the financial health and sustainability of the university.


About the Role
In this key role, you’ll provide financial forecasting, reporting, and strategic analysis—primarily for Academic Affairs and select administrative units. Reporting to the Assistant Director of Budget and Financial Planning, you'll be a trusted partner across the university, contributing to high-impact institutional projects and helping improve budgeting systems and practices.


You’ll translate complex financial data into clear, high-level summaries, support financial planning for campus units, and help elevate Mines’ budgeting and forecasting capabilities.


What We’re Looking For

We're seeking someone with:

Strong analytical and strategic thinking abilities

Excellent communication and problem-solving skills

A detail-oriented mindset with the ability to manage multiple high-profile projects

Experience in financial planning, forecasting, and reporting

A collaborative spirit with a drive for continuous improvement


This is an exciting opportunity to join a mission-driven team at one of the nation’s most respected STEM institutions. This position may have a hybrid work location (in Colorado) and requires a routine on-campus presence. Mines provides dedicated professional development and training. Onboarding for this position includes training on policies and procedures, and technical training opportunities for systems and technology required for this role.

Responsibilities

Budget and Financial Forecasting (20%)

Develop financial models to forecast future revenues and expenses

Develop annual and long-term financial funding models for units in their reporting portfolio

Aids in the development of forecasting procedures and leads reporting initiatives related to multi-year projections

Project mandatory costs

Produce revenue projections for auxiliary areas



Data Visualizations and Reporting (20%)

Draws from available data to develop digestible financial dashboards and reporting

Maintain and enhance scheduled reports based on campus feedback and strategic needs



Financial Analysis (20%)

Analyze forecasts and reports to produce summaries for portfolio decision-makers and campus leadership

Understand financial priorities and develop modeling and reporting to drive strategic decision making

Develop a deep understanding of the financial data to measure benchmarks and explain the outcomes

Provide metrics to measure financial performance against industry trends



Institutional and Department Projects (15%)
Support current strategic initiatives and campus projects, including:

Investigate and gather pertinent data

Develop forecasting and modeling

Develop operational data visualizations and reports

Summarize analysis for campus leadership


​Continuous business process improvement, including:

Writing and revising documentation

Recommending and supporting ways to improve business and financial services to campus partners



Portfolio Development and Support (15%)

In addition to the forecasting, reporting, analysis, and project needs of a portfolio of both general- and auxiliary-funded departments and offices, this role will:

Manage this campus portfolio by meeting regularly and serving as a financial consultant for campus leaders

Effectively communicate models, reports, and analysis results in writing, presentations, and other methods



Learning and Development (5%)

Continuously enhance skills and abilities in data visualization software, such as Tableau

Continuously enhance skills and abilities in Workday’s Adaptive Planning tool, specifically data modeling and reporting



Other duties as assigned (5%)

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, business, finance, or related field.

2 or more years of professional experience

Experience using the Microsoft Office Suite, specifically advanced abilities in Excel and PowerPoint

Experience in enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, such as Workday and Adaptive Planning

Ability to learn and use complex financial, human resources, student, and other information systems 

Experience working with large complex data sets, such as detailed transactions, employee information, student academic characteristics, and other database fields 

Ability to learn and use data visualization software like Tableau or similar systems

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills 

Advanced Microsoft Office Suite, specifically higher abilities in Excel and PowerPoint



Preferred Qualifications:

Master’s degree in accounting, business, finance, or related field

Experience in higher education

Experience in financial modeling systems like Adaptive Planning, or similar systems

Experience in data visualization software like Tableau, or similar systems

Experience with higher education budget modeling and financial reporting 

Experience with higher education fund and cost accounting 

Advanced foundational skills to master more complex structures, algorithms, and problem-solving techniques

Advanced communication skills, display professional presence in meetings and summarize communications at the appropriate level for executive audiences 

Workday or similar financial system experience