CES Finance Director

The University of New Mexico is seeking an experienced and strategic financial leader to serve as Campus Environments & Services (CES)Finance Director.

CES is a large, operationally complex division responsible for many of the services, infrastructure, and environments that make the University work every day. Its portfolio includes organizations with diverse financial operating models—from institutional and service-supported operations to revenue-generating and cost-recovery units—and significant responsibilities related to operating budgets, capital investment, asset stewardship, and long-term financial sustainability.

The Finance Director will oversee and integrate financial planning, budgeting, reporting, analysis, controls, and financial services across the division. This position will build and lead a high-performing CES finance organization while developing strong partnerships with unit leaders and ensuring that financial practices reflect both University requirements, State reporting needs, and the distinct operating realities of individual CES units.

This is an opportunity for an accomplished finance professional to build systems, develop people, influence major institutional decisions, and establish a financial services model that will have a lasting impact on one of UNM's largest and most operationally diverse organizations.

What You'll Do

Lead CES Financial Strategy and Stewardship

• Provide executive-level leadership for CES budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, analysis, and fiscal oversight.
• Develop financial strategies that support CES priorities, operational sustainability, institutional stewardship, and long-range planning.
• Translate complex financial information into meaningful analysis and recommendations for executive and operational leaders.
• Develop sophisticated financial models, forecasts, scenario analyses, and decision-support tools to evaluate operational choices, investments, funding needs, and financial risk.
•  Prepare and contribute to high-level financial analyses and reports for University executive leadership, the Board of Regents, the State of New Mexico, and other governmental or institutional stakeholders.

Build an Integrated CES Finance Organization

• Lead the implementation and continued development of CES's centralized financial services model.
• Provide leadership, technical supervision, workload coordination, training, and professional development for financial managers and staff supporting CES units.
• Establish consistent financial standards, tools, timelines, reporting practices, and expectations across the division.
• Strengthen cross-training and knowledge sharing to create a resilient finance organization that is not dependent on individual staff members or unit-specific practices.
• Develop a strong finance team with clear accountability, high professional standards, and a shared commitment to excellent service.

Create Reliable, Decision-Ready Financial Reporting

• Establish consistent approaches to budget development, forecasting, reconciliations, financial modeling, internal service unit reporting, quarterly profit-and-loss reporting, and executive financial reporting.
• Ensure financial information is accurate, timely, transparent, and comparable while recognizing the different business models, revenue structures, cost drivers, risks, and performance measures across CES.
• Oversee financial systems, processes, and controls necessary to effectively manage funds, revenues, and expenditures.
• Ensure compliance with University policies, generally accepted financial and accounting practices, and applicable State of New Mexico and higher education requirements.
• Strengthen internal controls, audit readiness, reconciliation practices, and fiscal accountability.

Serve as a Strategic Partner to CES Leaders

• Work closely with CES executives, AVPs, directors, and operational leaders on budgeting, forecasting, staffing proposals, service changes, rate development, funding requests, and other decisions with significant financial implications.
• Help unit leaders understand the financial implications of operational decisions and develop sustainable financial strategies.
• Provide analysis and recommendations while preserving the responsibility of unit leadership to establish operational priorities, service expectations, staffing needs, and unit-level strategies.
• Identify emerging financial risks and opportunities and work collaboratively with leaders to develop corrective actions and solutions.
• Advocate for CES resource needs through credible financial analysis, forecasting, and institutional financial planning.

Drive Improvement and Institutional Alignment

• Evaluate and improve financial processes, systems, policies, and operating practices across CES.
• Identify opportunities to streamline processes, increase efficiency, strengthen controls, and improve the quality of financial decision-making.
• Represent CES on University financial planning committees and contribute to institutional discussions regarding financial systems, policies, and practices.
• Participate with executive and senior leadership in establishing short- and long-range organizational goals and evaluating financial and operational effectiveness.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement, transparency, accountability, collaboration, and responsible stewardship.

See the Position Description for additional information.

• Employees in this job title are subject to the terms and conditions of an employment contract. Employment contracts are typically subject to review and renewal on an annual basis.
• Employees who provide services or work in patient care or clinical areas are required to be in compliance with the University's influenza vaccination requirement.

Bachelor's degree in business, finance, or equivalent; at least 8 years of experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified.

Completed degree(s) from an accredited institution that are above the minimum education requirement may be substituted for experience on a year for year basis.

The successful candidate will be more than an experienced financial administrator. We are looking for a leader who understands the technical requirements of public-sector finance but can also build relationships, develop teams, and navigate organizational complexity. Knowledge of higher education finance, State of New Mexico financial requirements, Higher Education Department reporting standards, auxiliary enterprises, and integrated business practices within a public university is highly valuable.

Competitive candidates will demonstrate:

• Significant leadership experience in financial planning, budgeting, accounting, financial analysis, or fiscal administration within a large and complex organization.
• Advanced knowledge of public-sector financial, accounting, and budgeting principles and practices.
• Exceptional ability to analyze complex financial and operational information and translate it into clear recommendations for senior leaders.
• Experience designing complex financial models, projections, forecasts, and scenario analyses.
• Demonstrated success developing or improving financial systems, processes, controls, reporting structures, or shared-service models.
• Strong understanding of internal controls, fiscal compliance, reconciliations, audit requirements, and financial risk management.
• Ability to understand diverse operating models rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach to financial management.
• Experience leading, developing, and supporting professional financial staff.
• Strong consultation, communication, and relationship-management skills.
• The judgment and credibility necessary to advise executive leaders while maintaining collaborative partnerships with operational units.
• Ability to lead organizational change and establish clear expectations, accountability, and consistent practices across decentralized operations.
•  Experience working with computerized financial and accounting information systems.

Only applications submitted through the official UNMJobs site will be accepted. If you are viewing this job advertisement on a 3rd party site, please visit UNMJobs to submit an application.

To be considered for this position:

1. Complete the official UNMJOBS application; you must include ALL prior work experience, including the full dates of employment (month and year) for each position held, and the number of hours worked per week
2. Attach your current resume with three professional references listed.
3. Attach your cover letter that addresses our preferred qualifications.
4. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Positions posted with a Staff Type of Regular or Term are eligible for the Veteran Preference Program. See the Veteran Preference Program webpage for additional details.

The University of New Mexico is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.

The University of New Mexico requires all regular staff positions successfully pass a pre-employment background check. This may include, but is not limited to, a criminal history background check, New Mexico Department of Health fingerprint screening, New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department fingerprint screening, verification of education credentials, and/or verification of prior employment. For more information about background checks, visit https://policy.unm.edu/university-policies/3000/3280.html. Refer to https://policy.unm.edu/university-policies/3000/3200.html for a definition of Regular Staff.