Title: Associate Director, Capital and Financial Planning, University of Illinois Chicago
Pay: $105,000-$120,000
The Associate Director of Capital & Financial Planning leads the development, implementation, and management of UIC's integrated long-range capital and operating budget, ensuring alignment with institutional goals and infrastructure priorities. Serving as the primary liaison between the Vice Chancellor for Finance and the Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services, the role also oversees university-wide cost studies, supports service rate development, and contributes to cost accounting efforts across academic and administrative units. This position plays a key role in advancing data-informed decision-making, promoting fiscal accountability, and supporting the long-term financial sustainability of the University.
Duties & Responsibilities
Short- and Long-Range Operating Budget
- Lead the implementation and management of UIC’s annual and five-year operating budgets within the long-range financial planning system, ensuring alignment with institutional goals.
- Maintain the Operating Ledger module by partnering with colleges and administrative units to develop realistic, multi-year revenue and expenditure projections.
- Monitor budget performance, identify material variances, and work with leadership to assess root causes and recommend corrective actions.
- Provide analytical support and scenario modeling to inform strategic planning and promote long-term financial sustainability.
Long-Range Capital Budget
- Oversee the implementation of UIC’s 10-year capital budget in the long-range financial planning system, in collaboration with technical staff.
- Partner with the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services and other stakeholders to support strategic capital investment planning.
- Build and maintain financial models to project capital funding needs and cash flow, with emphasis on centrally funded projects.
- Prepare and present capital planning analyses to senior leadership, highlighting financial risks and opportunities across units.
- Assess capital project budgets to ensure alignment with university goals, with a focus on unit-level financial health and reserves.
Creditworthiness and Ratings Management
- Monitor factors influencing creditworthiness, including revenue trends, debt load, and operating costs—and calculating key metrics such as debt service coverage, cash-to-debt ratios, and EBIDA margins.
- Guide scenario modeling in the long-range financial planning system to assess how financial strategies impact simulated credit ratings and key financial ratios.
- Collaborate with campus leadership to evaluate the credit implications of proposed debt issuances and major financial commitments.
- Conduct independent credit risk assessments of key university entities, identifying trends and potential impacts on UIC’s overall credit profile
Cost Accounting and Financial Analysis
- Lead University-wide overhead cost studies to ensure accurate identification and allocation of central administrative and support costs.
- Conduct cost allocation analyses to equitably distribute overhead expenses to academic, administrative, and auxiliary units based on their proportional use or benefit.
- Evaluate and refine allocation methodologies to promote transparency, accountability, and alignment with best practices.
- Provide data-driven insights to inform budgeting decisions, service rate development, and policy recommendations related to cost recovery and internal funding models.
- For units operating in deficit, or upon request, collaborate with fee-for-service units to assess and adjust service rates, ensuring rates are fully burdened to reflect actual costs.
Leadership and Collaboration
- Function as a key financial advisor to campus units and administrative leadership.
- Serve as the central budget manager for a portfolio of Colleges and Administrative Units.
- Build and maintain strong working relationships with stakeholders across campus, including the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services and fee-for-service operations.
- Support the development of university-wide financial policies related to capital planning, cost accounting, and overhead allocation.
Working Conditions
- Full-time, salaried position with typical office hours.
- Occasional travel or attendance at university-related events may be required.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, business Administration, or a related field (master’s degree preferred).
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in budgeting, capital or financial planning, cost accounting, or related financial roles, preferably within higher education or public sector organizations.
- Knowledge of financial modeling, capital project financing, and cost allocation methodologies.
- Knowledge of funding capital projects through various mechanisms, including debt service, public-private partnerships (P3s), and other funding sources.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate with senior leadership and cross-functional teams.
- Strong user-level proficiency with financial systems and planning tools, along with advanced skills in Microsoft Excel; technical or programming experience is not required.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to present complex financial data in a clear and concise manner.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working with capital projects, facilities management, or infrastructure financing in a higher education environment.
- Knowledge of GASB standards and other accounting principles related to capital asset management and cost accounting.
The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.
The university provides accommodations to applicants and employees. Request an Accommodation
Mark McClellan, CPA, MSA
Senior Director, Accounting and Financial Reporting
UIC Office of Budget and Financial Analysis
601 S. Morgan Street
2606 University Hall, MC 103
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 413-5370
mmccle1@uic.edu
Duties & Responsibilities
Short- and Long-Range Operating Budget
- Lead the implementation and management of UIC’s annual and five-year operating budgets within the long-range financial planning system, ensuring alignment with institutional goals.
- Maintain the Operating Ledger module by partnering with colleges and administrative units to develop realistic, multi-year revenue and expenditure projections.
- Monitor budget performance, identify material variances, and work with leadership to assess root causes and recommend corrective actions.
- Provide analytical support and scenario modeling to inform strategic planning and promote long-term financial sustainability.
Long-Range Capital Budget
- Oversee the implementation of UIC’s 10-year capital budget in the long-range financial planning system, in collaboration with technical staff.
- Partner with the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services and other stakeholders to support strategic capital investment planning.
- Build and maintain financial models to project capital funding needs and cash flow, with emphasis on centrally funded projects.
- Prepare and present capital planning analyses to senior leadership, highlighting financial risks and opportunities across units.
- Assess capital project budgets to ensure alignment with university goals, with a focus on unit-level financial health and reserves.
Creditworthiness and Ratings Management
- Monitor factors influencing creditworthiness, including revenue trends, debt load, and operating costs—and calculating key metrics such as debt service coverage, cash-to-debt ratios, and EBIDA margins.
- Guide scenario modeling in the long-range financial planning system to assess how financial strategies impact simulated credit ratings and key financial ratios.
- Collaborate with campus leadership to evaluate the credit implications of proposed debt issuances and major financial commitments.
- Conduct independent credit risk assessments of key university entities, identifying trends and potential impacts on UIC’s overall credit profile
Cost Accounting and Financial Analysis
- Lead University-wide overhead cost studies to ensure accurate identification and allocation of central administrative and support costs.
- Conduct cost allocation analyses to equitably distribute overhead expenses to academic, administrative, and auxiliary units based on their proportional use or benefit.
- Evaluate and refine allocation methodologies to promote transparency, accountability, and alignment with best practices.
- Provide data-driven insights to inform budgeting decisions, service rate development, and policy recommendations related to cost recovery and internal funding models.
- For units operating in deficit, or upon request, collaborate with fee-for-service units to assess and adjust service rates, ensuring rates are fully burdened to reflect actual costs.
Leadership and Collaboration
- Function as a key financial advisor to campus units and administrative leadership.
- Serve as the central budget manager for a portfolio of Colleges and Administrative Units.
- Build and maintain strong working relationships with stakeholders across campus, including the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services and fee-for-service operations.
- Support the development of university-wide financial policies related to capital planning, cost accounting, and overhead allocation.
Working Conditions
- Full-time, salaried position with typical office hours.
- Occasional travel or attendance at university-related events may be required.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, business Administration, or a related field (master’s degree preferred).
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in budgeting, capital or financial planning, cost accounting, or related financial roles, preferably within higher education or public sector organizations.
- Knowledge of financial modeling, capital project financing, and cost allocation methodologies.
- Knowledge of funding capital projects through various mechanisms, including debt service, public-private partnerships (P3s), and other funding sources.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate with senior leadership and cross-functional teams.
- Strong user-level proficiency with financial systems and planning tools, along with advanced skills in Microsoft Excel; technical or programming experience is not required.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to present complex financial data in a clear and concise manner.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working with capital projects, facilities management, or infrastructure financing in a higher education environment.
- Knowledge of GASB standards and other accounting principles related to capital asset management and cost accounting.
The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.
The university provides accommodations to applicants and employees. Request an Accommodation
Mark McClellan, CPA, MSA
Senior Director, Accounting and Financial Reporting
UIC Office of Budget and Financial Analysis
601 S. Morgan Street
2606 University Hall, MC 103
Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 413-5370
mmccle1@uic.edu