Senior Director, Finance and Administration bei Rice University

Special Instructions to Applicants:

All interested applicants should attach a resume in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in a PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

About Rice:

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name — RICE — Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.

Position Summary:
The Senior Director of Finance and Administration will lead a team and provide strategic leadership, operational oversight, and/or advisory support for key functions within the Facilities & Capital Planning division of Rice Real Estate & Facilities (RE&F). These areas include finance, inventory and customer service management, and business analytics.
This role supports RE&F’s strategic vision by advising on financial and administrative matters, resolving operational issues, and serving as the division’s primary resource on department guidelines and procedures in alignment with university policy. The Senior Director also plays a key role in budget development, working closely with departmental budget managers and serving in an advisory capacity to leadership. The role will also be involved in strategic leadership or advisory support for key data analytics decisions and reporting, as well as inventory and customer service management.

Ideal Candidate Statement:
The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented leader with a strong background in finance and analytics. They are an excellent communicator and relationship builder, able to advise on sensitive and complex administrative matters while maintaining strict confidentiality. This individual has a proven track record of successfully managing teams or programs aligned with strategic institutional goals and can navigate both operational and strategic challenges with professionalism and discretion.

Workplace Requirements:
This position is offered as a hybrid role, combining in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

Hiring Range: This is a full-time, benefits-eligible position, and the salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications.

*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime. 

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree
• 6 years of related professional experience in administration, budget planning and management, financial analysis, and/or financial reporting, including experience in managing people, systems, processes, and functions

Skills:

• Advanced   knowledge of fund accounting, budget planning, financial forecasting, modeling, and reporting. Strong data analysis and problem-solving capabilities with a keen attention to detail. Proficient in financial software, spreadsheet applications, and data visualization tools. Holds relevant financial industry certifications.
• Skilled in working within Windows environments, specifically Excel, and other data-based tools / platforms with the ability to import, export, and analyze financial data. Extensive experience with the Microsoft Office suite and other business tools used for reporting and analysis.
• Proven ability to work effectively with executive leadership to translate strategic objectives into actionable plans.
• Proven ability to lead a team and provide guidance to direct reports in order to enable execution of key goals and objectives.
• Communicates complex financial and operational information clearly and persuasively to a variety of audiences both verbally and in written form.
• Experienced in developing user-friendly documentation and training materials. Capable of delivering clear, effective training sessions to support knowledge transfer and process adoption.
• Exceptional time management and organizational abilities. Able to manage multiple projects, priorities, and deadlines in high-pressure environments.
• Strategic thinker with advanced analytical capabilities. Adept at troubleshooting, resolving conflicts, and developing innovative solutions to complex challenges.
• Exercises sound judgment and maintains confidentiality in handling sensitive information.

Preferences:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, business administration, facilities management, or a related field.
• Master’s degree (MBA or related field).
• Experience in a similar financial leadership role within a university or non-profit organization.
• Experience in Facilities Operations and Capital Planning.

Essential Functions:

• Lead the division’s financial planning and management efforts to drive the units annual budget cycle, short- and long-term forecasting, and fiscal analysis to support strategic decision-making. Prepare and present financial reports, including board-level materials, and collaborate with the Budget Office to enhance budget systems, streamline operations, and improve data accuracy.
• Conduct complex financial analyses, generate regular and ad-hoc reports, and interpret data to identify trends and actionable insights. Serve as the division’s enterprise systems expert (e.g., Oracle, SAP), ensuring effective use of reporting tools and financial databases. Proficient in Microsoft Excel, financial modeling, and data visualization.
• Partner with senior leadership to design and implement operational strategies aligned with divisional goals. Maintain a customer service–oriented, data-informed approach to decision-making and problem-solving. 
• Manage the department’s HCM and personnel action processes, including onboarding, position changes, and employment updates. Provide guidance on HR procedures and support operational implementation of people strategy initiatives.
• Maintain effective working relationships with stakeholders at all levels. Actively participate in university forums and committees to stay aligned with institutional initiatives. Communicate complex financial and operational information clearly to non-technical audiences. Collaborate with leadership and functional units to ensure a cohesive, customer-centric approach to divisional services.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

Additional Functions:

• Lead the evaluation and continuous improvement of internal business processes, systems, and tools to enhance operational efficiency.
• Collaborate regularly with division staff, other university offices, and external vendors to implement effective solutions.
• Demonstrate the ability to lead through influence within complex, matrixed environments such as higher education.
• Oversee and manage capital planning budgets, project financial status, and related reporting processes in partnership with project management leadership and central finance.

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits

Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact Rice University’s Disability Resource Center at 713-348-5841 or [email protected] for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at [email protected]. Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.