Question
2-5

E&S Business Operations and Budget Manager

12/16/2025

The E&S Business Operations Manager is responsible for managing financial operations, including budget preparation, purchasing, and payroll authorizations. This role also involves supporting faculty and staff with grant spending and liaising with various university offices.

Working Hours

40 hours/week

Company Size

11-50 employees

Language

English

Visa Sponsorship

No

About The Company
Building on our heritage of over 55 years and our unique relationship with Detroit as our home, the School of Architecture & Community Development is internationally recognized for our social, economic and environmental justice-driven and student-centered approach. The School is divided into two departments, Architecture and Community Development, and the Detroit Collaborative Design Center, an applied teaching and research center. The School is strongly committed to a broad-based liberal arts education that prepares architects to understand the spectrum of human endeavors. The School intentionally keeps its enrollment small to maintain relationships with each student. SACD advocates an open dialogue about architectural issues and philosophies, then searches for deeper architectural meaning than that offered by trend, fad or style.
About the Role

Description

  

Job ID

AF9836-0301-1902


Position Classification

FT Administrator


Position Summary

The E&S Business Operations Manager performs business and financial operations for the College of Engineering & Science, including, but not limited to, assisting with budget preparation and management, purchasing, payroll authorizations, creation of contracts, reimbursements, start-up fund support, grant spending support, and reports creation, support for hiring processes, liaising with Facilities, Finance and other university offices. This position also supports faculty, staff, and administrators with financial aspects of grants awarded to faculty and administrators within the College.
 

As with all staff positions in the College, this position also assists in the planning and execution of some college events.


Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Financial Management/Business Operations 

  • Execute day-to-day College business/financial activities ensuring spending is appropriate and within budget.
  • Create requisitions for creating purchase orders to authorize expenditures in the College. Ensuring that all purchases are in compliance with University policy.
  • Improve operational efficiencies.
  • Liaise with University’s Finance Office and with external vendors to resolve any issues with payments or financial transactions.
  • Manage and process payroll authorizations, stipends, tuition remission, check requests, reimbursements, advances,   etc.
  • Work with Grant Post-Award personnel to support faculty, staff, and administrators in the College with processes for grant spending.
  • Act as the primary interface between the College of Engineering & Science and the University offices of the Controller, Budget, Purchasing/Accounts Payable, HR, and IT.
  • Provide analysis of financial reports. Complete annual salary surveys and reports.
  • Maintain College specific written policies and procedures regarding financial and business operations.
  • Reconcile P-Card purchases.

Budget Development and Financial Processes Coordination

  • In conjunction with the Dean, E&S Department Chairs/Directors, and University Budget Office, develop and oversee the College budget formation for the College’s (currently 11) budget areas.
  • Maintain budget oversight for operational and restricted funds within the College.
  • Conduct budget status reviews each semester with the Dean and Department Chairs/Directors.
  • Review, communicate, provide training and oversee financial/business management practices within the College.
  • Track and maintain faculty start-up fund accounts. Provide training on university financial policies and regular communication with these faculty about their start-up funds.
  • Work with the University Post-Awards office to assist faculty with managing their grant budgets.
  • Advise the Dean on financial/business items needing attention and on improvements for operating efficiency.
  • Provide oversight for lab managers purchasing.
  • Track and maintain awarded funds to faculty, including start-up funds, UDMPU 11.6 funds, etc. and work with UDMPU on these types of disbursements.

Support the Dean with Building and Personnel Operations

  • Train new and current employees with orientation to appropriate financial processes and procedures for the      University and the College.
  • Working with Deans Office personnel to assist with reviewing hiring processes and adherence to rules and regulations regarding hires.
  • Assist in managing projects and communications with Deans Office and Facilities around project and building issues.
  • Assist with budgeting and coordination of events and vendors.
  • Collaborate with College leadership on contracts, MOU’s, etc.

 Other Duties as Assigned.

Requirements

  

Minimum Qualifications

  • Education – A college degree or four to eight years of work experience in a related field.
  • Experience – Two years to five years (Equivalent combinatin of education and employment).


Preferred Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in a relevant area.
  • Business background preferred.
  • Experience with Ellucian Banner ERP preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

  • Demonstrated commitment to contributing to a supportive, diverse work environment.
  • Demonstrated proficiency with Excel, including pivot tables, formulas, spreadsheets, and databases.
  • Must be technically able to input and extract information from databases and prepare reports.
  • Must be discrete, extremely well organized, able to multitask and prioritize. Must be diplomatic and collaborative.
  • Attention to detail and organizational skills.
  • Ability to problem-solve and troubleshoot issues when appropriate.
  • Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
  • Ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities in a fast-paced, multi-faceted work environment.
  • Proactive and service orientation, including actively looking for ways to help students, faculty, and staff.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills, including conflict resolution, relationship building, boundary spanning, and teamwork.
  • Ability to work independently, as well as with students, faculty, and staff.
  • Ability to critically think and act as a team player and take initiative.

Physical Requirements

Job may require lifting light weight objects (1 to 10 pounds) with no repetitive bending or stooping. Occasionally lift average weight objects (1 to 10 pounds).


Work Environment

Regular exposure to favorable conditions such as those found in a normal office.


Salary/Pay Information

Commensurate with experience


Anticipated Schedule

Monday to Friday 8.00 AM to 5.00 PM.

 

Employee Benefits

At the University of Detroit Mercy, we continually strive to provide a high-quality, comprehensive benefits package to our valued employees. We offer our employees the following benefits: 
 

· Medical -

         o Three health plans to choose from with a large national provider network

· Dental -

        o UDM’s School of Dentistry FREE to you and your dependents

        o Option to purchase additional dental plan through UNUM

· Vision - 

        o Exams and lenses every 12 months

· Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Accounts offered.

· Employee Assistance Program -

        o Provided to everyone in your household.

· Short-Term and Long-Term Disability.

· Life and AD&D - 

         o One times base salary up to a hundred thousand dollars.

· Option to purchase additional life insurance, accident insurance, and/or critical illness insurance

· Tuition Remission Benefit for you, your spouse, and children. 

· Retirement Plan -

        o UDM provides matches up to 8%


Michigan’s largest, most comprehensive private University, University of Detroit Mercy is an independent Catholic institution of higher education sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy and Society of Jesus. Detroit Mercy seeks qualified candidates who will contribute to the University’s mission, diversity, and excellence of its academic community. University of Detroit Mercy is an Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer with a diverse student body and welcomes persons of all backgrounds.  

Key Skills
Financial ManagementBudget DevelopmentPayroll ProcessingGrant ManagementCommunication SkillsOrganizational SkillsProblem SolvingExcel ProficiencyInterpersonal SkillsAttention to DetailOperational EfficiencyTraining and DevelopmentCollaborationConflict ResolutionDatabase ManagementProject Management
Categories
Management & LeadershipFinance & AccountingEducationAdministrativeEngineering
Benefits
MedicalDentalVisionHealth Savings AccountFlexible Spending AccountsEmployee Assistance ProgramShort-Term DisabilityLong-Term DisabilityLife InsuranceAccidental Death and Dismemberment InsuranceTuition Remission BenefitRetirement Plan
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