The Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs is seeking a Director of Finance to join the Center's leadership team, with a primary role in supporting strategic planning and facilitating the Belfer Center's financial management. The Director of Finance oversees the financial administration of the Belfer Center and all its affiliated programs and initiatives, whose activities are supported by a large portfolio of current use gift funds, sponsored awards, and endowment funds. Candidates must demonstrate high-level experience in financial strategy and administration, exceptional judgment, and willingness to approach problems with creativity and collegiality.
Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director of Finance will provide a comprehensive financial analysis and budget management for annual sponsored and non-sponsored budgets. This person will function as an internal consultant to staff members regarding fiscal planning and budgeting; will frame key strategic/financial questions for the Center's leadership and analyze financial performance and budgetary issues; will develop a deep understanding of the Belfer Center financials. Responsibilities include:
Lead the financial operation for the Belfer Center and function as the subject matter expert.
Lead annual budgeting process for all funds and oversee the year-end close process.
Provide strategic financial guidance to the Director and Executive Director to ensure resource allocation enables Center goals and objectives.
Establish appropriate practices and control mechanisms to ensure sound financial management and proper stewardship of funds.
Develop deep working understanding of the financial plans for each program and initiative at the Belfer Center; work with faculty PIs and senior program managers to proactively manage deviations from approved budgets.
Analyze complex financial data--including variance and trend analyses--and develop financial analysis and projections.
Direct financial operations including developing and maintaining the Center's chart of accounts, overseeing the staff across teams that process payments, monitoring spending to ensure all charges are allocable and coded appropriately, and establishing appropriate financial record keeping systems.
Develop management reports to support decision-making by PIs and senior managers. This can include regular variance reports, quarterly reports for the Executive Director and Director's review; and annual financial reports for the school and donors.
Provide regular financial updates to Center leadership.
Provide oversight on sponsored awards during all phases (pre- and post-award), serving as the liaison between PIs, the Harvard's Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) and HKS' Research Administration Office (RAO), to create, review, and manage grants' budgets and maintain compliance with federal regulations, sponsor requirements, and University policies.
Develop and strengthen key relationships with internal administrative offices and departments across HKS and the University to promote collaboration and efficiency.
Work with the Executive Director and HKS' Office of Human Resources to implement and enforce personnel policies and procedures specifically related to hiring (domestic, international, temporary staff; contractors).
Manage a Finance Associate and develop strategy to delegate supporting roles in budget and grant development processes.
Basic Qualifications
Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience required
Minimum of 8 years' relevant work experience
Supervisory experience
Additional Qualifications and Skills
Senior financial management experience, preferably within higher education, and an understanding of their systems, governance, and decision-making.
Self-directing and capable of prioritizing and managing multiple activities simultaneously, delivering on commitments and operating with speed, accuracy, and judgment.
Expert-level Excel skills and significant experience with other financial and budget tools, and knowledge of how to utilize them to enhance processes.
Substantial experience in post-award financial management.
Strategic planning experience and ability to drive to big-picture goals while maintaining strong attention to detail.
Strong customer service orientation with excellent communication and interpersonal skills; must be able to build relationships with people at all levels of the organization.
Highly organized, detail oriented, and strong time and project management skills required; proven ability to take an assignment from start to final presentation with minimum supervision required.
We regret that the Harvard Kennedy School does not provide visa sponsorship.
Harvard University requires pre-employment reference and background checks.
Harvard University is committed to supporting a healthy, sustainable learning and working environment.
This is a hybrid position based on our campus in Cambridge, MA. As a campus-based institution, we place a high value on the in-person experience, cross-team collaboration, and strong community building in order to create a vibrant campus for our students, faculty, staff, and research fellows. The position is required to work in-person on campus a minimum of three days per week during the academic year. Specific days and schedule will be determined between you and your manager.
The health of our workforce is a priority for Harvard University. With that in mind, we strongly encourage all employees to be up-to-date on CDC-recommended vaccines.
Salary Range: $102,300- $179,100
Note: Starting salaries typically fall in the lower half of the salary range; however, they are ultimately determined by the scope of the position, the candidate's relevant experience, and internal equity.
About Us
The Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs is the hub of Harvard Kennedy School's (HKS) research, teaching, and training in international security and diplomacy, environmental and resource issues, and science and technology policy. The Belfer Center was named a "Center of Excellence" by the University of Pennsylvania's Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program in 2021 - the last year of its ranking program - in recognition of the Center's six consecutive years as the world's #1 university-affiliated think tank. In 2023, the Belfer Center celebrated 50 years of impactful research and policy analysis at the nexus of science and international affairs.
Benefits
We invite you to visit Harvard's Total Rewards website (https://hr.harvard.edu/totalrewards) to learn more about our outstanding benefits package, which may include:
Paid Time Off: 3-4 weeks of accrued vacation time per year (3 weeks for support staff and 4 weeks for administrative/professional staff), 12 accrued sick days per year, 12.5 holidays plus a Winter Recess in December/January, 3 personal days per year (prorated based on date of hire), and up to 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents who are primary care givers.
Health and Welfare: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, disability and life insurance programs, along with voluntary benefits. Most coverage begins as of your start date.
Work/Life and Wellness: Child and elder/adult care resources including on campus childcare centers, Employee Assistance Program, and wellness programs related to stress management, nutrition, meditation, and more.
Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with contributions from 5% to 15% of eligible compensation, based on age and earnings with full vesting after 3 years of service.
Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive program including $40 per class at the Harvard Extension School and reduced tuition through other participating Harvard graduate schools.
Tuition Reimbursement: Program that provides 75% to 90% reimbursement up to $5,250 per calendar year for eligible courses taken at other accredited institutions.
Professional Development: Programs and classes at little or no cost, including through the Harvard Center for Workplace Development and LinkedIn Learning.
Commuting and Transportation: Various commuter options handled through the Parking Office, including discounted parking, half-priced public transportation passes and pre-tax transit passes, biking benefits, and more.
Harvard Facilities Access, Discounts and Perks: Access to Harvard athletic and fitness facilities, libraries, campus events, credit union, and more, as well as discounts to various types of services (legal, financial, etc.) and cultural and leisure activities throughout metro-Boston.
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Department Office Location: USA - MA - Cambridge
Job Code: F0859M Financial Admin Ops Mgt V
Job Function: Finance
Work Format: Hybrid (partially on-site, partially remote)
Sub Unit: ------------
Salary Grade: 059
Department: Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs
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At Harvard Kennedy School, fostering a diverse and inclusive community where everyone feels they belong is a matter of basic fairness consistent with our core values as an institution. It is also essential to our mission of improving public policy and leadership-because recruiting the best people and creating an environment where they can thrive make us better at what we do, because we learn more from people with different perspectives, and because we work in diverse groups and serve diverse societies. Learn more about Harvard Kennedy School's commitment to Diversity Equity, and Anti-Racism.
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