The University of Denver’s Morgridge College of Education (MCE) invites applications for the position of Assistant Dean, Budget and Operations.

The Morgridge College of Education’s vision is to train global leaders who employ innovative and effective approaches to advance learning throughout the lifespan, educational change, and social equity. Our programs prepare ethical, collaborative practitioners who can apply principles to promote learning and development with diverse clients and communities. We are looking for a candidate who can lead efforts to promote MCE and recruit quality graduate level students to our programs. This is a full-time, benefitted position.

University of Denver
DU is the oldest and largest private, independent university in the Rocky Mountain Region, welcoming approximately 5700 undergraduate and 8000 graduate students to campus either in-person or virtually each year. Our students complete a rigorous, comprehensive core curriculum in addition to a deep, hands-on immersion in their technical curricula. DU is a research university with high research activity and an exceptional commitment to its students.

Denver, the Mile-High City, consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in the United States. Denver’s economy is rapidly growing and diversifying, with strengths in the aerospace, healthcare, financial tech, telecommunications, and IT-software sectors. Our region features a dry climate with 300 days of sunshine annually and surprisingly mild winters. The nearby Rocky Mountains provide beautiful views and abundant recreational opportunities year-round. The city of Denver is home to several major league sports teams, diverse neighborhoods, and strong cultural and food scenes. Situated in this vibrant metropolitan community, the University is committed to building and sustaining a culturally diverse faculty, staff, and student body. The Chancellor’s diversity statement can be viewed here: https://www.du.edu/equity. 

Position Summary

This full-time, benefitted position serves as Assistant Dean of Budget and Operations for the Morgridge College of Education and reports to the Dean, with a dotted line reporting relationship to the Provost’s Office and Controller’s Office. The Assistant Dean assists the Dean, Assistant Dean of Marketing and Enrollment, Associate Deans, Ricks School for Gifted Children, Fisher Early Learning Center, Research Centers, and Department Chairs in managing the business operations of the College. This individual is responsible for overseeing the processing of the divisions financial transactions, establishing financial policies and procedures; developing the divisions budget; monitoring compliance regarding use of divisional resources; and providing financial tools and research to facilitate planning to ensure financial sustainability and growth. This position will directly supervise the Director of Budget and Operation and the Grants and Contracts Manager. This position will also have 2 indirect reports within the Budget and Finance Office. In addition, the Associate Director of Financial Aid who reports to the Assistant Dean of Enrollment and Marketing, will hold a dotted line reporting relationship to the Assistant Dean of Budget and Operations.

Essential Functions

In addition to following the University of Denver’s policies and procedures, principal responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Work closely with the Deans with day to day management of the College, involved in strategic planning for the College.
• Responsible for recommending long-range strategic planning, goals, and growth predictions to the Dean.
• Establish long-range financial objectives to meet strategic goals.
• Responsible for large combined budgets.
• Manage a broad range of business functions for the College including HR recruiting and transactions, grant management, pre-collegiate schools financial management, student financial aid transactions, and accounting functions (budgeting, forecasting, reporting, disbursement and receipts activity, reconciliations, etc.). Interfaces regularly with Budget & Planning, Controller’s Office, Facilities, Univesirty Financial Sercices, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.
• Understand, implement, and ensure divisional compliance with all University policies and procedures; develop and implement divisional procedures as needed.
• Work closely with the Deans and MCE leadership team to direct the annual budget process including modeling, developing, forecasting, deploying, and monitoring budget activity.
• Prepare analyses of enrollments, salaries, adjunct needs, faculty course loads, graduate financial aid, departmental salaries and expenses, and other areas. Creatively translate complex data into useful forms for discussion and presentation.
• Oversee processing of all HR, payroll, and purchasing paperwork and on-line submissions for the College. Monitor all current-year activity including keeping detailed records of all of the Deans financial commitments. Ensure accuracy of all divisional human resource records and payroll transactions. Manage operating, gifts, endowment, and other funds.
• Coordinate annual merit processes: Work with the Dean in merit pay methodology and allocation. Partner with the DU’s Central Offices to ensure that merit letters are accurate and sent to faculty and staff in a timely manner, and that HR paperwork is processed accurately.
• Supervise Budget and Operations team. Actively participate in ensuring employee growth and development. Display a comprehensive understanding of accounting and budgeting practices, serve as a resource for others, provide expertise on financial matters.
• Train division staff on university budget and operating systems. Explain budget terminology and present on division and university budget issues to faculty and staff.
• Responsible for ensuring monthly reporting and updates are made to all administrative personnel with budgetary management responsibility.
• Responsible for collegewide net revenue management including scholarship planning by program and by degree as well as balancing budgeted and forecasted net revenue. Oversee awarding of financial aid and first line student communication. Partners with the Asscoiate Director of Finanaiclal Aid and Assistant Dean of Marketing and Enrollment to ensure that the net revenue plan meets the enrollment plan for the college.
• Work closely with grants department to ensure effective financial control. This includes collaboration on budget preparation and quarterly forecasting; ensure that all personnel paperwork is prepared and payments made in a timely fashion, ensure that grant submissions comply with MCE budget and finance plans.
• Works closely with the Director of Fisher Early Learning Center and Ricks School in all of the ways listed above and with systems that support financial communicaiton with school stakeholders such as rate changes, financial aid and tax documents.
• Prepares Ad Hoc reports for the Dean
• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Financial systems and accounting skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively under tight deadlines.
• Effective time management, planning, and organizational skills.
• Knowledge of grants, gift, and endowment accounting.
• Strategy and problem solving skills.
• Effective interpersonal communication skills.
• Positive, teamwork attitude, and the desire to interact positively with a diverse population.
• Experience and interest in developing and training staff

Required Qualifications

• 7 years of progressively responsible experience with budget forecasting and development, financial management, and accounting oversight.
• 7 years of administrative leadership, operations management, HR administration and supervisory experience.
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent
• Experience with strategizing and problem solving in a complex organization.
• Excellent computer skills and ability to work in MS Excel / MS Access at a sophisticated level.
• Experience working directly with all levels of staff to develop and implement complex budgets and strategic plans.

Preferred Qualifications

• 8 plus years of experience with budget forecasting and development, financial management, and accounting oversight.
• 8 plus years of administrative leadership, operations management, HR administration and supervisory experience.
• Experience in a university setting.
• Familiarity with university financial systems. Banner experience preferred.
• Experience working with university faculty and staff.
• Knowledge of gift and grant accounting and HR policies and procedures.
• Master’s degree

Working Environment

• Standard office environment.
• Unexpected interruptions often occur, and stress level is moderate to high.
• Noise level is quiet to moderate.

Physical Activities

• Ability to sit in front of a computer for an extended period.
• Occasionally required to move about the office/campus with the capability of transporting objects up to 20 lbs.

Work Schedule
Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.  In accordance with the University’s flexible work policy, this position is eligible to be considered for partial remote work. Further details regarding this plan will be determined with the hiring manager and are dependent on the division and team specific needs.

Application Deadline
For consideration, please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) January 31, 2025.

Special Instructions
Candidates must apply online through jobs.du.edu to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted.

Salary Grade Number:
The salary grade for the position is 15.

Salary Range:
The salary range for this position is $115,000 - $140,000

The University of Denver has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The University may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information, but not based on a candidate’s sex or any other protected status.

Benefits:
The University of Denver offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO pass. The University of Denver is a private institution that empowers students who want to make a difference. Learn more about the University of Denver.

Please include the following documents with your application:
1. Resume
2. Cover Letter

The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital, family, or parental status, pregnancy or related conditions, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. The University of Denver does not discriminate and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, creed, disability, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital family, and parental status, pregnancy, genetic information, military enlistment, or veteran status, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance in any of the University’s educational programs and activities, and in the employment (including application for employment) and admissions (including application for admission) context, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Americans with Disabilities Act; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; the Equal Pay Act; the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act; the Colorado Protecting Opportunities and Worker's Rights ("POWR") Act; and any other federal, state, and local laws, regulations, or ordinances that prohibit discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation. For more information, please see the University of Denver's Non‑Discrimination‑Statement.

All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history background check.