Finance Manager

Job Posting Title:

Finance Manager

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Hiring Department:

Oden Institute

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Position Open To:

All Applicants

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Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40

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FLSA Status:

Exempt from FLSA

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Earliest Start Date:

Nov 01, 2026

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Position Duration:

Expected to Continue

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Location:

UT MAIN CAMPUS

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Job Details:

The Oden Institute is an organized research unit that fosters interdisciplinary programs in computational sciences and engineering, computational medicine, computational geosciences, mathematical modeling, applied mathematics, data science, artificial intelligence, software engineering, and computational visualization.

The University of Texas at Austin is a nationally ranked, tier-one research institution and one of the largest employers in central Texas. UT is located in the heart of Austin, a vibrant city that frequently appears on lists of best cities to live and work. Committed to recruiting and retaining a varied and talented workforce, the university offers competitive salaries and benefits, an extensive support network, and above all, an enriching and highly collaborative community that is deeply passionate about our vision for higher education and public service.

UT Austin offers a competitive benefits package that includes:  

• 100% employer-paid basic medical coverage 
• Retirement contributions  
• Paid vacation and sick time 
• Paid holidays 

Please visit our Human Resources (HR) website to learn more about the total benefits offered

Purpose

The Finance Manager oversees the day-to-day financial operations of the Oden Institute, including budgeting, financial reporting, forecasting, compliance, procurement, travel, reimbursements, and financial analysis. This position partners closely with Institute leadership to provide accurate financial reports, budget projections, and analysis that support informed decision-making and effective resource management. The Finance Manager ensures responsible stewardship of Institute resources and compliance of financial transactions across university, sponsored, endowment, gift, and other funding sources. As a trusted resource to Institute leadership and staff, this position provides expert guidance, exceptional customer service, effective training, and operational support while fostering a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, and organizational excellence. 

Responsibilities

Supervision

• Supervise finance staff and establish clear expectations for performance, service quality, and accountability.
• Provide coaching, mentoring, and professional development opportunities to strengthen team expertise and service delivery.
• Develop, document, streamline and maintain financial procedures, training materials, and operational guidance to promote consistency and excellence across the finance function.

Subject Matter Expert and Campus Partner

• Serve as the Institute’s subject matter expert on university financial policies, procedures, and best practices related to travel, entertainment reimbursements, procurement, purchasing, and related transactions.
• Serve as a trusted financial resource for staff and Institute leadership; deliver responsive, solutions-oriented guidance that balances operational needs, compliance requirements, and sound financial practices.
• Build productive partnerships with central campus offices, the Research Administration team, and university stakeholders to resolve financial and operational issues and advance institute priorities.
• Provide guidance and training to staff and administrators on travel, procurement, reimbursement, and financial processes; identify opportunities to improve business processes and enhance customer service across the Institute.

Hands-On Financial Processes

• Manage the Institute’s day-to-day financial operations and business processes, including preparation, monitoring, and reconciliation of operating, personnel, and research-related budgets.
• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports, analyses, and projections for Institute leadership; monitor revenues, expenditures, commitments, and fund balances.
• Develop and maintain real-time tracking systems to monitor endowment, gift, discretionary, and other Institute funds  balances, distributions, and investment performance.
• Support leadership with financial modeling and scenario planning; develop management reports and dashboards to support operational and strategic objectives.
• Identify budget variances, financial risks, and funding issues and recommend appropriate solutions; provide recommendations regarding resource utilization and financial planning.

Auditing and Approvals

• Review and approve financial transactions — including procurement, travel, entertainment, and reimbursements — to ensure accuracy, appropriateness, and compliance with university policies, sponsor requirements, and applicable regulations.
• Monitor financial activity and identify potential compliance issues, risks, and corrective actions; develop and maintain internal controls and best practices to ensure responsible stewardship of institute resources.
• Coordinate audit responses and provide supporting documentation for financial reviews; collaborate with the Research Administration team to ensure sponsored project expenditures comply with university and sponsor requirements.

Oversight of All Processes and Staff Satisfaction

• Maintain high-level oversight of all financial processes and operations, ensuring quality, timeliness, and alignment with Institute goals and university standards.
• Foster a service-oriented, collaborative culture focused on staff satisfaction, professional growth, and continuous improvement; promote a work environment where team members feel supported, empowered, and engaged.
• Identify and lead process improvement initiatives that enhance efficiency, strengthen internal controls, and improve the overall experience for faculty, staff, and Institute stakeholders.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Management, or Business Administration.

• At least six years of progressively responsible experience in financial administration, budgeting, accounting, financial reporting, or related areas. 

• Experience preparing financial reports, budgets, forecasts, projections, and related analyses for leadership decision-making. 

• Experience interpreting and applying financial policies, procedures, internal controls, and compliance requirements. 

• At least four years of supervisory experience, including staff training, coaching, and performance management.
• Strong customer service skills and the ability to build collaborative relationships with staff, leadership, and university partners. 

• Demonstrated commitment to fostering a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, effective training, and organizational excellence. 

• Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, written communication, and verbal communication skills. 

• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel and experience using financial management systems. 

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field. 

• Experience in higher education, research administration, government, or nonprofit financial operations. 

• Experience with university fund accounting, restricted funds, endowments, gifts, and sponsored project compliance. 

• Familiarity with UT Austin financial systems and processes, such as Workday, DEFINE, FRMS, or related university tools. 

• Experience developing dashboards, management reports, financial procedures, and training resources. 

• CPA, CMA, CGFM, or other relevant professional certification. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 

• Knowledge of higher education budgeting, financial management, reporting, and compliance practices. 
• Ability to interpret complex financial information and communicate clearly to financial and non-financial audiences. 
• Ability to translate financial data into practical guidance, options, and recommendations for leadership. 
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy, accountability, and responsible stewardship. 
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and operational demands in a complex environment. 
• Collaborative, service-oriented approach with a focus on solutions, partnership, and continuous improvement. 
• Ability to train, mentor, and develop staff while promoting consistency, accountability, and operational excellence.

Salary Range

$80,000 + depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

• Standard office environment. 
• Occasional extended hours may be required during budget development, fiscal year-end close, audit periods, or high-volume processing cycles. 
• Fully in person during introductory period, with consideration for up to two days remote after fully trained.  

Required Materials

• Resume/CV
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest

Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers: You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded.  Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers: As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

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Employment Eligibility:

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

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Retirement Plan Eligibility:

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

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Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

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Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

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Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

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Employment Eligibility Verification:

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form.  You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States.  Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment.  Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

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E-Verify:

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

• E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

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Compliance:

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.