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Manager of Finance and Business Operations

Requisition Number:

75264

Location:

Boulder, Colorado

City

Boulder

State

Colorado

Employment Type:

University Staff

Schedule:

Full-Time

Posting Close Date:

14-Oct-2026

Date Posted:

02-Oct-2026
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Job Summary

The Department of Cinema Studies & Moving Image Arts (CINE) at CU Boulder invites applications for the Manager of Finance and Operations position! This role reports directly to the Chair. In this capacity, the position will provide high-level budgetary, financial, policy, and administrative support to the Chair. This position is primarily responsible for oversight and policy related to department operations, including finance and human resources. This position engages in long-term strategic projects, planning in consultation with the Chair and Associate Chairs in addition to supervising business office staff.

This position will apply knowledge and interpret principles, rules, regulations, policies, precedents, and other guidelines specific to the College of Arts and Sciences, the University of Colorado Boulder, and the State of Colorado in order to analyze needs, resolve problems, answer questions, and provide information. Advise on technical issues and ensure timely and effective delivery of department, college, and university services to faculty, staff, and student employees. Further, the person in this position must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and have the ability to successfully manage multiple self-directed projects that may, at times, have contending priorities. Thus, the individual in this position must have a strong administrative background and excellent skills in business administration, fiscal and personnel management.
CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

The Department of Cinema Studies & Moving Image Arts (CINE) seeks to integrate the critical, historical and theoretical study of cinema, media and the visual arts, with artistic and commercial practices. Our Department offers the academic degrees BA, and BA/MA in critical film studies, and BA, BFA, and MFA degrees in film and video arts. All of our students in the critical and production tracks complete a number of critical studies requirements, including cinema history, film analysis, film theory, genres, documentary practices, directors, national and regional cinemas, and other history and theory classes. These courses are all coordinated with filmmaking and critical studies majors sharing their different expertise to make for a more engaging, deeper understanding of the subject of our studies.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Faculty Personnel Management
  • Serve as the administrative manager responsible for, but not limited to, organizing and implementing new faculty orientation, faculty recruitment, faculty promotion, reappointment, and tenure, and faculty merit.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for new faculty with respect to university and departmental policies; general payroll questions; in-house travel and research grants; travel authorization and reimbursement; start-up funds; research accounts; faculty computer purchase program; and office space.
  • Schedules meetings and compiles information for the departmental Salary Committee for annual merit evaluation of faculty.
  • Be responsible for and coordinates academic appointments, reappointments, promotions, tenure, retention activities and grievance procedures for department faculty.
  • Compiles and organizes information for faculty and teaching professor reappointment, tenure and promotion.
  • Keeps current records of faculty eligibility for sabbatical, reappointment, tenure, and post-tenure review.
  • Maintains and disseminates current and accurate version of departmental faculty rules.
  • Conducts faculty elections for reappointment/tenure promotion; hiring; administrative positions; committee positions; and departmental faculty rule changes. Assures that all eligible faculty members are informed of balloting procedures and deadlines. Assures security and secrecy of balloting process as appropriate.
  • Monitors faculty progress on submitting Faculty Report of Professional Activities; reminds faculty to submit reports; provides reports and other databases and information as requested to the Salary Committee.
  • Serve as liaison for faculty to ensure they are provided the appropriate employment-related offices, including the College, Faculty Affairs, Graduate School, HR Service Center and Employee Services.
Staff Personnel Management and Supervision
  • Manage and supervise the Undergraduate Program Coordinator, ensuring all operational needs are satisfied.
  • Responsible for hiring decisions, onboarding, training, leave approval, performance management, evaluations, and disciplinary actions involving employees.
  • Advises employees on policies and procedures.
  • Oversees and is aware of the status of projects/tasks that directly relate to the activities of the work unit.
  • Reviews work for accuracy as needed and ensures deadlines are met.
Financial Management
Fiscal Oversight
  • Oversees the financial operations of the department. Maintains and monitors the following accounts:
    • General fund accounts
    • Auxiliary accounts
    • Grant accounts
    • Sponsored Projects
    • Gift accounts
  • Collaborates and advises the Chair with monthly and yearly budget planning to align spending.
  • Provides ad hoc reports from PeopleSoft, Cognos, etc. when requested.
  • Evaluates and forecasts departmental accounts on an ongoing basis to monitor the resources available for operations and special projects.
  • Analyze business operations for programmatic and fiscal efficacy and implement changes.
Budget
  • Ensure compliance with approved budgets and policies, procedures, rules and regulations.
  • Review and forecast budgets for all accounts to include:
    • Working with the chair and associate chairs to plan and forecast funding for instruction.
    • Working with faculty to plan and forecast income and expenses for research grants and auxiliary operations such as conferences.
    • Providing status reports to Principal Investigators on all projects held by the individual investigator.
    • Manage faculty startup accounts ensuring that they are funded according to the terms of their agreements.
    • Monitors gift funds and donor contact, analyzes and makes projections regarding endowment earnings/losses and spending practices. This position will decide if and when to turn off the reinvestment option and inform the chair.
    • Exerts expenditure control and enforces ethical standards for expenditure of funds; and makes budgetary decisions in the chair’s absence.
  • Analyzes demand and prepares budget projections for department instructional fund and manages the related budget.
  • Determines actions to protect budgets, resolves deficits, and provides for unexpected or unique expenses. Ensures Department commitments are processed.
  • Decides when to open or close new or unused speed types (ST), decides what ST is most appropriate for unusual and unexpected expenses, decides when to transfer budgets, revenues and expenses to best support the needs of the department.
Expenditures
  • Provides revenue and expense trackingand analysis, and makes recommendations for Undergraduate and Graduate Programs on a regular basis to monitor the resources available for ongoing operations and special projects.
  • Provides oversight for all accounting, purchasing and payroll functions to insure compliance with approved budgets and policies, procedures, rules and regulations.
  • Authorizes expenditures. Responsible for purchasing, procurement, and buying and contracting. Maintains budget files so that they are accessible and explicable in case of examination or audit by university officials.
  • Initiates payroll corrections, handles salary deficits, runs reports in HRMS and A&S portal as needed.
Relationship Management
  • Liaise with related budget offices including the College’s Budget Office, Office of Contract and Grants, HR Service Center, etc.
  • Compile information requested by the campus budget office or others.
  • Reviews monthly and year-end statements, authorizes accounts payable vouchers, purchase orders, transfer of funds forms, etc., for the Financial Service Center (FSC)orks with the FSC, authorizes and conducts financial transfers between departmental accounts, and into and out of the department.
Administrative Management
  • Advises chair on departmental procedures and provides background information to departmental administrators and departmental committees that report to the chair.
  • Oversees a collective procedural, policy, and judgment record/resource in order to provide department continuity.
  • Analyze department resources to align with department goals and vision.
  • Continually analyze processes, workflow, and operations to improve efficiency, compliance, and outcomes.
  • Create an effective operation by promoting collaboration and cross-training among the staff.
  • Handle and delegate additional duties as needed to meet department needs.
  • Comment on and contribute to university-wide and campus policy as appropriate.
  • Collaborate and coordinate with other administrative offices as needed to handle implementation of new systems or ensure compliance with new policies.

What We Can Offer

The annual salary for this full-time position $65,500-$70,000

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County’s largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. In fact, CU Boulder has been named one of Forbes' America's Best Large Employers, ranking #4 among large employers in Colorado and #28 among universities nationwide. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be authentic. Be brilliant. Be Boulder.

What We Require

  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
  • Equivalent combination of education and experience may substitute.
  • 3 years of supervisory and/or leadership experience.
  • 3 years of proven experience leading complex budgets with multiple funding sources.

What You Will Need

  • Excellent customer service.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills.
  • Strong analytical, problem-solving and interpersonal problem-solving skills.
  • High degree of professionalism and ability to maintain confidentiality.
  • Ability to work effectively in a working environment with multiple interruptions.
  • Ability to establish and maintain positive and cooperative working relationships.
  • Ability to work independently and as a member of a team.
  • Organizational skills and ability to handle multiple complex priorities.
  • Proficiency using Microsoft Suite, Word and Excel.
  • Demonstrated ability to proactively analyze issues in such a way as to foresee possible problems or concerns that may arise and to develop possible solutions and initiate related action with little close supervision.

What We Would Like You to Have

  • Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university.
  • 3+ years of progressively increasing experience in financial management, operations, supervision, and human resources.
  • Working knowledge of complex human resources information and management systems in a regulatory framework.
  • Demonstrated track record of communicating effectively and building and maintaining relationships at all levels of organization.
  • Experience working within a regulatory framework.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials: 
  1. A current resume.
  2. A cover letter that specifically tells us how your background and experience align with the requirements, qualifications, and responsibilities of the position.
We may request references at a later time.
 
Please apply by October 14, 2026 for consideration.
 
Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, please apply through CU Boulder Jobs.

In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

Posting Contact Information

Posting Contact Name: Boulder Campus Human Resources

Posting Contact Email: Recruiting@colorado.edu