Department: Office of Human Resources
Salary/Grade: EXS/11

Job Summary:

The Senior Manager of Financial Planning and Strategic HR Projects is a subject matter expert who helps build and monitor the budget of the Office of Human Resources and manages strategic projects for the unit. This critical role proactively supports and collaborates with internal and external stakeholders, applies project management methodologies, drives outcomes and strategic CHRO and Senior HR Leadership team initiatives. In collaboration with such stakeholders, the Senior Manager develops relevant and actionable reports, builds metrics, ensures workforce-related financial data integrity, performs analysis, and provides data insights in coordination with HR Operations and other functional experts across the University.

The Senior Manager is also a subject matter expert with responsibility for ensuring the effective, compliant, and efficient management of financial and business functions for the Office of Human Resources.  With a specific focus on budget development and monitoring, facilities and space planning, risk management and business continuity, the incumbent will contribute to the development of polices, practices and guidelines for effective operation of these areas. 

The Senior Manager must proactively work to build trusting and collaborative relationships with schools, administrative units, as well as with various functions within the Office of Human and all areas it supports.  

Reporting directly to the CHRO, this role will be an individual contributor role, but it may evolve over time. 

Specific Responsibilities:

Project Management

• Lead and advise on projects involving multiple internal and external stakeholders
• Aid strategy implementation by leading project teams through an HR lens to determine solutions and proactively identify interdependencies
• Collaborate with HR units and senior leadership to develop a plan to execute defined vision
• Evaluate change management and employee experience implications across the schools and administrative units
• Collaborate with HR Communications and Executive Support Specialist to inform and communicate plans within the Office of Human Resources or to the university community, as appropriate.

Data Analysis

• Routinely collaborate with HR functions to design and produce reports and metrics and use data to proactively help drive HR strategies and inform decision-making throughout the University
• Perform workforce analysis, collect an reconcile data; validate accuracy with Finance partners
• Develop various HR-related historical and forecasting reports/tools.
• Create and maintain audits and data protocols to help ensure the quality of the data

Facilities and Space Planning

• Assess the need, develop recommendations and implement space allocation processes to ensure the most appropriate use of available space.
• Assist in determining and assigning space
• Oversee building maintenance and construction projects in coordination with Facilities Management
• Negotiate leases, if applicable, overseeing the annual SIMS survey, monitoring facilities and workstation conditions and updating as required.

Policy and Procedure Development

• Contribute an operational, data-informed perspective to the development of polices, practices and guidelines for efficient operations and monitors their implementation and impact, and analyzes and evaluates results.   

Miscellaneous

• Performs other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or the equivalent combination of education, training and experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired 
• 5 or more years' experience including budget administration, finance, grants, facilities, and/or human resources; or other relevant experience
• 5 or more years’ project management experience 
• Demonstrated proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite of products, typing, grammar, and spelling, and punctuation, oral and written communications
• Excellent customer service, interpersonal skills, and tact in dealing with people

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Action Oriented - willing or likely to take practical action to deal with a problem or situation
• Communication.  Communicates strategically to achieve specific objectives (e.g., considers optimal "messaging" and timing of communication. Uses varied vehicles and opportunities to promote dialogue and develop shared understanding and consensus. Maintains continuous, open and consistent communication with others. Checks own understanding through paraphrasing and asking questions.
• Complex Problem Solving — Identifies complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions, and synthetizes information from multiple sources.
• Critical and Analytical Thinking — Uses logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.  Ability to review and dissect information and can apply basic compensation analytic concepts and calculations.
• Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment (and working with employees at all levels of the organization), meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. 
• Flexibility – Able to adapt to a fast paced environment
• Judgment and Decision Making and Discretion — Considers the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. Ability to anticipate needs and take initiative; and is appropriately discrete.
• Organizational Effectiveness – The ability to marshal resources (people, funding, material, support) to get things done.  Can orchestrate multiple activities at once to accomplish a goal, uses resources effectively and efficiently, arranges information in a useful manner.
• Personal Savvy – Displays a high level of professionalism, a positive attitude and composure while dealing with demanding stakeholders, builds appropriate rapport, uses diplomacy and tact, can defuse high-tension situations.
• Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• Technology - Possesses working knowledge of the use of technology to streamline processes with a specific emphasis on the Microsoft Office suite of products.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the United States.