Special Information

• This position is a hybrid position which allows the incumbent to complete their work at both an NAU site, campus, or facility and at a non-centralized site with or without accommodation.

About the Department/College

The Sanghi College of Engineering (SCE) is committed to empowering emerging leaders to build effective solutions for complex challenges. With 17 undergraduate programs and 12 graduate programs, our staff support over 2,500 students, 120 faculty, and multiple statewide campus locations. At the Sanghi College, engineering is hands-on from the start. Our students learn by building, testing, and improving projects, competing on student teams, and tackling real-world challenges in capstone design courses. We believe the best learning happens when students ask big questions and explore bold ideas. Our namesake, Steve Sanghi, is an industry leader who's helped shape Arizona's engineering landscape. Through his transformational gift, he has ensured that SCE will be at the forefront of preparing graduates for high-demand fields that power the state's economy. We're a close-knit community with global reach where innovation starts with curiosity and turns into real-world impact.

About the Position

The Steve Sanghi College of Engineering (SCE) is seeking an Assistant Director, Financial Oversight (ADFO) to provide strategic financial support and financial oversight for the College of Engineering's diverse portfolio of funding sources. As a key member of the college leadership team, this position serves as the primary financial liaison for supporting sound fiscal management, compliance, and informed decision-making across all departments and programs.

The ADFO directs and oversees the preparation, review, and analysis of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports, while ensuring timely and accurate account reconciliations. This role is responsible for maintaining the integrity, accuracy, and completeness of financial records and reporting, and for monitoring financial activity to ensure compliance with university, state, and federal requirements.

The successful candidate will leverage advanced expertise in budgeting, financial forecasting, grants administration, and financial policy interpretation to support complex financial operations. Responsibilities include analyzing financial data, developing projections, identifying trends and risks, managing special projects, and providing recommendations that support the college's strategic and operational objectives. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills are essential for evaluating financial matters and ensuring effective stewardship of institutional resources. The position requires the effective use of advanced financial systems, automation technologies, and AI-enabled tools to streamline workflows, improve reporting accuracy, enhance data integrity, and support data-driven decision-making.

Success in this role requires exceptional communication and collaborative partnership. The ADFO works closely with college leadership, department chairs, principal investigators, program managers, Academic Affairs, and central administrative offices to provide guidance on budget planning, resource allocation, funding constraints, financial performance, and strategic initiatives. Through these partnerships, the ADFO helps ensure transparency, accountability, and the effective management of financial resources across the college.

Responsibilities Include

60% - Financial Management

• Works independently as primary financial liaison for SCE with the central Budget Office, Provost Office, Comptroller, and Office of Sponsored Projects and other offices as appropriate, for budgeting and financial purposes.
• Demonstrates advanced knowledge of concepts and practices relating to accounting, finance, payroll, and job contracts, and is the specialist within the unit.
• Responsible for developing college’s annual budget and strategic plans to guide financial planning decisions and interacts with Chairs and Directors in the budget management role and offer training.
• Responsible for properly managing Foundation accounts, College fees, Program Fees, Service Center Revenue, and approximately 100 grants with yearly expenditures of $25.5m, $9.8m of state funds, $8.8 million of local funds and Foundation funds.
• Gathers, analyzes, and models various scenarios related to department expense tracking to make recommendations or decisions to department management to improve the operations of the unit.
• Researches, analyzes, and makes recommendations regarding resource needs for staff, capital equipment/improvements, supplies and services considering budget limitations.
• Maintains proper accounting and records of operational and special budgets, typically utilizing a computerized system; designs and implements new procedures or computer systems.
• Produces and presents reports and communications for key stakeholders with recommendations for change.
• Performs research and analysis to provide administration with financial data and recommendations.
• Compares actual financial data to plans, forecasts and budgets, evaluating areas of divergence.
• Creates forecasts and models of various future financial scenarios, guiding university planning decisions.
• Monitors all financial accounts within the college, redistributes resources when appropriate.
• Develops procedures and controls related to fiscal issues with the department and ensures department adherence to financial procedures and controls implemented by the University and other entities as appropriate.
• Manages position numbers and provides personnel funding oversight for the College and its affiliated units.
• Manages all part-time faculty compensation and pay administration in compliance with institutional policies and budget parameters.
• Provides mid-level approval for all hiring, reviewing financial commitments tracking with hiring, and tracks to ensure units are within budgets.

20% - Grant and Contract Management

• Directs the review, analysis, and organization of sponsored project financial data to support effective resource management and regulatory compliance.
• Oversees grant financial management activities, ensuring adherence to university policies, sponsor requirements, and applicable federal regulations, including Uniform Guidance.

15% - Supervision

• Trains and develops direct reports on university business processes and procedures, including payroll, purchasing, contracts, travel, and employee reimbursement activities.
• Supervises and mentors college office staff responsible for financial administration, ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and compliance with university policies and procedures.
• Provides leadership, direction, and performance management for assigned staff to ensure departmental financial operations and service needs are met effectively and efficiently.

5% - Other

• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or related field.
• 3 years of accounting/finance experience.
• 2 years of management and supervisory experience.

*A combination of related education, experience, and training may be used as an equivalent to the above Minimum Qualifications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree or PhD in accounting, finance, or related field.
• Experience working in a higher-education environment.
• Experience leading process improvement initiatives that increase efficiency, accuracy, and accountability in financial operations.
• Experience supporting executive-level leaders, including a dean, vice president, provost, or equivalent senior administrator.
• Experience effectively communicating complex financial information to non-financial stakeholders.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

Knowledge:

• Advanced knowledge of financial oversight and operations tools, procedures, processes, policies, and concept; such as payroll management systems, grant management and budget analysis projects, as well as such as expense tracking, and trend analysis.
• Knowledge of financial reporting in higher education and university budgeting practices.
• Knowledge of Grant Uniform Guidance.
• Knowledge of PeopleSoft Human Resource and PeopleSoft Financials, or advance knowledge of accounting systems, and how to utilize computerized systems.
• Advance knowledge of accounting internal controls.
• Knowledge of payroll and personnel contracts processing and requirements.
• Knowledge of local, state, and federal financial reporting regulations.
• Knowledge of supervisory practices and principles.

Skills:

• Skill in financial modeling, and advance Excel and Access knowledge.

Abilities:

• Prepares detailed reports on a timely basis.
• Analyzes complex situations and anticipates issues.
• Balances competing priorities.
• Demonstrates problem solving, organizational, and analytical capabilities.
• Communicates effectively.
• Listens actively.
• Analyzes complex situations and anticipates issues.

Compensation

Salary range begins at $89,551. Annual salary commensurate with candidate's qualifications and related experience.

Pre-Employment Check

Northern Arizona University requires satisfactory results for the following: a criminal background investigation, an employment history verification and a degree verification (in some cases) prior to employment. You may also be required to complete a fingerprint background check. Also, as an employer in the state of Arizona, NAU is required to participate in the federal E-Verify program that assists employers with verifying new employees' right to work in the United States.

This position has been identified as a safety/security sensitive position. Therefore, per AZ Revised Statute, Northern Arizona University requires satisfactory results for the following: a criminal background investigation, employment history investigation, degree verification (in some cases) and fingerprinting. If you are applying for a job that requires a CDL, you will be required to register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse and adhere to the clearinghouse requirements.

Notice of Availability of the Annual Fire and Security Report

Each year Northern Arizona University releases an Annual Security Report. The report is a result of a federal law known as the Clery Act. The report includes Clery reportable crime statistics for the three most recent completed calendar years and discloses procedures, practices and programs NAU uses to keep students and employees safe including how to report crimes or other emergencies occurring on campus. In addition, the Fire Safety Report is combined with the Annual Security Report for the NAU Flagstaff Mountain Campus as this campus has on-campus student housing. This report discloses fire safety policies and procedures related to on-campus student housing and statistics for fires that occurred in those facilities. If you would like a free paper copy of the report, please contact the NAUPD Records Department at (928) 523-8884 or by visiting the department at 525 E. Pine Knoll Drive in Flagstaff.

Immigration Support/Sponsorship

Northern Arizona University will not provide any U.S. immigration support or sponsorship for this position.

Submit your Application

To apply for this position, please click on the "Apply" button on this page. You must submit your application by midnight of the application deadline.

If you are an individual with a disability and need reasonable accommodation to participate in the hiring process, please contact the Disability Resources Office at 928-523-8773, DR@nau.edu, or PO Box 5633, Flagstaff AZ 86011.