Financial Campus Operations Manager

The University of Minnesota Duluth invites applications and nominations to join a high functioning leadership team in the position of Financial Campus Operations Manager.

PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITY

The University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) is seeking an experienced, strategic minded individual to lead financial, accounting, and policy compliance matters. The Financial Campus Operations Manager supports campus leadership with strategic financial analysis and managing, planning, and implementing financial programs for UMD, one of five campuses within the University of Minnesota.

Operating within a modern administrative environment where high-volume transactional processing is managed by the university's Centralized Shared Services Center, the Financial Campus Operations Manager focuses on strategic financial leadership, complex accounting judgment, policy compliance and governance, effective internal controls, high-level financial analysis, and campus leadership of finance adjacent functions. The position reports to the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations (VCFO), and works closely with UMD budget operations.

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY

The University of Minnesota Duluth is one of five campuses situated within the University of Minnesota that is guided by a common strategic vision (Elevate Extraordinary 2030). UMD, the second largest of the campuses, enrolls nearly 10,000 students and employs approximately 1,800 faculty and staff. The Duluth campus encompasses four colleges, three highly regarded research institutes, a competitive D1/D2 Athletics program, and a comprehensive array of academic programs, and operations and auxiliary functions commensurate with a residential-based, student-centered research university.

UMD's annual institutional budget is in excess of $342 million, which includes nearly $30 million in sponsored research spending. UMD offers a wide selection of undergraduate majors, and grants degrees through Ph.D. Through its Land and Sea Grant designations, it serves as a regional hub for research and contributes $870 million to the regional economy.

Located on Anishinaabe lands along Lake Superior, UMD boasts a main campus of nearly 3.5 million square feet of buildings, on 244 acres of land, as well as supports a host of distributed educational and recreational sites and partnerships in the community and region. UMD has a strong commitment to sustainable practices and the campus is home to five LEED certified buildings, including one with the coveted Platinum certification.

POSITION SUMMARY

The University of Minnesota operates on a financial shared services model, with university-wide policies, enterprise platforms, and a centralized financial services center. The Campus Financial Services Manager ensures the financial integrity and compliance of campus operations, and supports the analysis of UMD's operating budget. This role manages campus accounting, and bridges central financial administration and UMD operations across the full accounting cycle.

Key Accountabilities:

• Financial Leadership: Serve as UMD's financial policy and operations leader, overseeing accounting functions and maintaining a consistent chart of accounts.
• Central Coordination: Align campus operations with the University Controller's centralized functions, Risk Management, Insurance, and Tax Management.
• Technical Accounting: Resolve complex accounting issues, including specialized revenue recognition, gift agreements, and intricate grant compliance.
• Financial Analysis & Compliance: Lead transaction data analysis to ensure compliance, minimize risk, improve resource management, and synthesize data into executive dashboards and decision-support models for strategic decision-making.
• Funds & Procurement: Assist campus units by providing expertise on donor-restricted funds, procurement, purchasing, cash management, and electronic financial transactions.
• Grants & Shared Services: Direct the central grants administration team (pre/post-award compliance, effort reporting, F&A cost recovery) and manage or ensure functional provision of shared campus services, including student financial services, the cashier's office, mailroom, and facilities purchasing.
• Governance & Collaboration: Represent UMD on relevant university-wide committees, support Chancellor subdelegations of authority, and collaborate with campus leaders to promote transparency and accountability.

Job Duties:

Financial Operations & Decision Support (35%)

• Serve as the leader of financial, accounting, and policy compliance matters, supporting campus leadership with strategic financial analysis and managing, planning, and implementing financial programs.
• Manage day-to-day campus financial accounting functions and enforce internal financial controls.
• Oversee centralized campus financial processing for designated units.
• Coordinate campus and unit workflow with the University's Centralized Shared Services Center. Monitor Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for central AP, AR, Payroll, and T&E transactions impacting assigned areas. Maintain unit business processes to ensure timely transactional submission and proper authorization.
• Collaborate with campus budget operations on intersecting activities, including processing approved budget uploads, coordinating unit month-end and fiscal-year-end close tasks in compliance with GAAP and University policy, and reviewing accounting entries for tuition, fees, and Student Services Fee (SSF) accounts.
• Review and process annual cross-fund transfers and inter-institutional/partner reimbursements (such as annual disability resources reimbursements).
• Act as subject matter expert for UMN Controller's Office procedures and represent the campus on university operational groups (e.g., FinMAC). Document local procedures and serve as campus Business Process Owner for Enterprise Financial System (EFS) operations and local user support.
• Lead campus assistance with preparation of annual financial schedules, federal reporting requirements, and other financial reporting, and
• Oversee campus administration of ISO/ESO rate applications under established guidelines.

Campus Financial Shared Services Management (20%)

• Oversee daily operations for student accounts receivable and collections (billing and collections for tuition, fee accounts, Perkins and institutional loans). Oversee Cashier's Office operations and general ledger accounting oversight for federal financial aid programs (Title IV) in compliance with regulations.
• Supervise financial cluster staff responsible for general ledger reconciliations, travel reimbursement compliance, and P-Card transaction approvals.
• Manage purchasing and Accounts Payable verification/receiving processes for Facilities Management, as well as Central Mailroom and Central Fleet services operations.

Internal Controls, Risk Management & Compliance (15%)

• Implement and monitor internal control practices aligned with COSO standards to safeguard assets and mitigate operational risks within assigned departments.
• Enforce campus cash handling and electronic transaction controls.
• Serve as the primary campus contact for University Office of Internal Audit reviews, external audits, and regulatory inquiries.
• Monitor campus compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations, including Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT) reporting.
• Conduct periodic internal reviews of local financial operations to identify process improvements and maintain fiscal integrity.

Financial Reporting & Analysis (15%)

• Maintain unit financial reporting structures to ensure accurate data, transparency, and consistency. Submit and manage campus Chart of Accounts modification requests.
• Perform routine and ad-hoc financial analyses for campus leadership (e.g., year-over-year revenue/spend variance analysis, carryforward reviews, and trend identification).
• Gather and compile financial data for internal analytics, student financial stress indicators, and compliance reporting.

Team Leadership & Personnel Management (10%)

• Exercise full supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, discharging, assigning work, rewarding, disciplining, directing work, and adjusting grievances for direct and indirect reports.
• Direct, mentor, and evaluate a team of supervisors, financial analysts, accountants, and support staff. Maintain collaborative working relationships with distributed financial staff, including serving as the subject matter expert on financial policies, practices, and controls for the campus.
• Foster a customer service oriented culture focused on continuous process improvement, data integrity, and ethical conduct. Provide guidance on financial policies and internal controls to department administrators.

Purchasing & Procurement Coordination (5%)

• UMD's subject matter expert and lead campus resource for procurement of goods and services, including for pursuit or procurement contracts and for goods and services not regularly available.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a closely related discipline.
• Minimum of 8 years of progressively responsible professional accounting and financial management experience.
• Demonstrated supervisory experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of GAAP/GASB, fund accounting, internal controls (COSO framework), and standard financial compliance.
• Experience in higher education financial administration or a complex public or private sector agency

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), or Master's degree (MBA/MSA).
• Familiarity with Enterprise Resource Planning systems (e.g., PeopleSoft/EFS), financial reporting/BI tools, and centralized shared services models.

Pay Range: $125,000 - $155,000; depending on education/qualifications/experience

Time Appointment: 100% Appointment

Position Type: Faculty and P&A Staff

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost

While our salary ranges provide a framework, it is important to note that most of the
time, the initial pay may not reach the maximum of the range. This approach ensures
that compensation reflects the value and unique contributions of each candidate while
maintaining equity within our organization. As part of our commitment to fair and
equitable compensation, please be aware that the salary offered to incoming candidates
will be based on their individual credentials and experience.

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

Please include the following required application materials:

• Resume
• Cover Letter

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail jobcentr@umn.edu.

For priority consideration please apply by December 4th, 2026

Candidate Inquiries: If you have any questions, please contact Anna Griebel at grieb070@umn.edu.

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

University of Minnesota, Duluth (UMD)

The University of Minnesota, Duluth (UMD) consistently ranks among the top Midwestern, regional universities in U.S. News and World Report's "America's Best Colleges" issue.

Overlooking Lake Superior, UMD provides an alternative to both large research and small liberal arts environments and attracts students looking for a personalized learning experience on a medium-sized campus of a major university. A firm liberal arts foundation anchors a variety of traditional degree programs, as well as professional and graduate students that draw on UMD's many research institutes and labs.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by Forbes as a Best Employer for Company Culture (2026), Best Employer for Women (2023, 2025, 2026), and Best Employer by State (2022-2026). In 2026, we also received Culture Excellence & Industry Awards recognition for employee appreciation and work-life flexibility.