Strategic Operations and Finance Analyst

Oregon State University

Oregon State University

Accounting & Finance, Operations, IT
USD 120k-150k / year
Posted on Sep 15, 2025
Position Information
Department Liberal Arts Admin (CLA)
Position Title Specialist 2-Strategic
Job Title Strategic Operations and Finance Analyst
Appointment Type Professional Faculty
Job Location Corvallis
Benefits Eligible Full-Time, benefits eligible
Remote or Hybrid option? Yes
Job Summary
The College of Liberal Arts is seeking a Strategic Operations and Finance Analyst. This is a full-time (1.00 FTE), 12-month, professional faculty position.

Under supervision of the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, and in collaboration with college leadership, school directors, and unit leaders, this position conducts strategic modeling and budget projections with the intent to communicate and inform strategic, data-based decision making within the context of the financial landscape of the college, schools, and OSU.

This position performs complex programmatic, financial, budgetary, statistical, operations, and human resources analyses in support of the development and administration of college and school budgets. This includes analysis and forecasting of financial, strategic, operational, and organizational plans. This position provides sound professional recommendations and assistance in long-term financial planning, academic programming, course scheduling, day-to-day business operations and policy formulation and implementation. Provides administrative and technical support to college leadership on issues pertaining to business performance of academic programs under the university’s budget model. This position communicates findings from analyses focused on the complex interplay between academic and financial metrics to decision makers in a strategic and concise way that drives data informed management across the college
Why OSU?
Working for Oregon State University is so much more than a job!

Oregon State University is a dynamic community of dreamers, doers, problem-solvers and change-makers. We don’t wait for challenges to present themselves — we seek them out and take them on. We welcome students, faculty and staff from every background and perspective into a community where everyone feels seen and heard. We have deep-rooted mindfulness for the natural world and all who depend on it, and together, we apply knowledge, tools and skills to build a better future for all.

FACTS:

Top 1.4% university in the world
More research funding than all public universities in Oregon combined
1 of 3 land, sea, space and sun grant universities in the U.S.
2 campuses, 11 colleges, 12 experiment stations, and Extension programs in all 36 counties
7 cultural resource centers that offer education, celebration and belonging for everyone
100+ undergraduate degree programs, 80+ graduate degrees plus hundreds of minor options and certificates
35k+ students including more than 2.3k international students and 10k students of color
217k+ alumni worldwide
For more interesting facts about OSU visit: https://oregonstate.edu/about

Locations:

Oregon State has a statewide presence with campuses in Corvallis and Bend, the OSU Portland Center and the Hatfield Marine Science Center on the Pacific Coast in Newport.

Oregon State’s beautiful, historic and state-of-the-art main campus is located in one of America’s best college towns. Corvallis is located close to the Pacific Ocean, the Cascade mountains and Oregon wine country. Nestled in the heart of the Willamette Valley, this beautiful city offers miles of mountain biking and hiking trails, a river perfect for boating or kayaking and an eclectic downtown featuring local cuisine, popular events and performances.

Total Rewards Package:

Oregon State University offers a comprehensive benefits package with benefits eligible positions that is designed to meet the needs of employees and their families including:
Medical, Dental, Vision and Basic Life. OSU pays 95% of premiums for you and your eligible dependents.
Free confidential mental health and emotional support services, and counseling resources.
Retirement savings paid by the university.
A generous paid leave package, including holidays, vacation and sick leave.
Tuition reduction benefits for you or your qualifying dependents at OSU or the additional six Oregon Public Universities.
Robust Work Life programs including Dual Career assistance resources, flexible work arrangements, a Family Resource Center, Affinity Groups and an Employee Assistance Program.
Optional lifestyle benefits such as pet, accident, and critical illness insurance, giving you peace of mind and the support you need to thrive in all aspects of your life.

Future and current OSU employees can use the Benefits Calculator to learn more about the full value of the benefits provided at OSU.
Key Responsibilities
45% Financial and Strategic Analysis
  • Analyzes financial, academic, human resources, and performance data across a variety of platforms to provide leadership with the “big picture” and inform financially based strategic decision making at both the college and unit levels.
  • Performs policy analyses of complex issues with potentially significant impact on college programs, operations and/or revenue streams.
  • Prepares, analyzes, and visualizes data findings for comparison, justification, and benchmark reporting and for strategic planning purposes.
  • Assists with financial reporting and advises on the college-level funding model.
25% Data Consultation and Reporting
  • Prepares complex data visualizations and reports to inform strategic decision making within the context of the financial and academic landscape of the unit.
  • Presents, consults, and meets with college leadership to discuss analyses, findings, and data-informed strategy; communicates complex data findings in clear and concise language that is targeted to the audience.
  • Collaborates with leadership to develop and execute communication plans and data-informed strategies based on data analysis, university, and college-level budget models.
  • Formulates approaches and courses of action that address issues identified; participates in college and school strategic planning processes and develops action plans to execute strategy in areas of assign responsibility.
20% Data Management and Process Improvement
  • Leverages university data in combination with school-level detail to answer complex questions and tailor data informed solutions and strategy.
  • Manages, defines, cleans, and prepares large datasets to include merging and defining variables across various data platforms for complex exploratory and explanatory analyses.
  • Develops and manages college-wide process improvement plans that flexibly showcase the complex interaction between relevant academic outputs/metrics and financial resources/expenditures.
  • Attends meetings to identify business use cases where solutions are data informed. Maintains knowledge of current and new data to collaborate with stakeholders on an analytical plan and communication/implementation strategy that is driven by the presentation of succinct data visualizations and data storytelling which effectively communicates results and audience specific.
10% Service
  • Collaborates and partners with a variety of university partners to include Financial Strategic Services, Budget and Resource Planning, Human Resources, Admissions, Institutional Analytics and Reporting, and other academic colleges and units.
What You Will Need
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Statistics, or related field AND three years of experience providing data analytics to develop processes and strategy OR an equivalent combination of education, training, and professional data analytics experience.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
  • Demonstrated experience using Excel, Tableau, PowerBI or similar.
Experience working with:
  • Budgets and writing budget reports
  • Compliance with institutional policies and procedures
  • Advising/consulting with leadership on strategy and tactics
  • Writing clear, compelling, and accurate narrative reports.
Knowledge of:
  • Principles, practices, and methods of administrative, organizational, economic, and procedural analysis.
  • Principles, practices, and methods of budget development and management.
  • Basic principles, tools and techniques of project planning and management.
  • Principles and practices of sound business communication.
  • Uses and operations of computers and standard business software
Ability to:
  • Maintain confidential information
  • Communicate effectively with various audiences about issues of high importance to schools, college, and university, considering diverse perspectives and skill sets.
  • Perform complex analyses of financial, budgetary, academic, operational, and organizational problems, evaluate alternatives and reach sound, logical, fact-based conclusions, and recommendations.
  • Analyze, interpret, explain, and apply relevant laws, regulations, ordinances and policies and budget policies and procedures to college leadership and staff.
  • Prepare clear, concise, and comprehensive reports, correspondence and other documents involving technical, budgetary, and financial data in a manner appropriate to the audience.
  • Maintain files, records, and documentation
This position is designated as a critical or security-sensitive position; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a criminal history check and be determined to be position qualified as per University Standard: 05-010 et seq. Incumbents are required to self-report convictions and those in youth programs may have additional criminal history checks every 24 months.
What We Would Like You to Have
Working Conditions / Work Schedule
Work to take place on the Corvallis campus with flexible work arrangement available as agreed upon with supervisor.
Pay Method Salary
Pay Period 1st through the last day of the month
Pay Date Last working day of the month
Recommended Full-Time Salary Range $120,000-$150,000
Link to Position Description
Posting Detail Information
Posting Number P09417UF
Number of Vacancies 1
Anticipated Appointment Begin Date 11/15/2025
Anticipated Appointment End Date
Posting Date 09/15/2025
Full Consideration Date 10/06/2025
Closing Date 10/10/2025
Indicate how you intend to recruit for this search Competitive / External - open to ALL qualified applicants
Special Instructions to Applicants
To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by October 6, 2025. Applications will continue to be accepted after the full consideration date, until a sufficient applicant pool has been achieved or the position is filled. The closing date is subject to change without notice to applicants.

When applying you will be required to attach the following electronic documents:

1) A resume/CV; and

2) A cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position.

You will also be required to submit the names of at least three professional references, their e-mail addresses and telephone numbers as part of the application process.

Starting salary within the salary range will be commensurate with skills, education, and experience.

For additional information please contact:
John Edwards
jedwards@oregonstate.edu

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status.

OSU will conduct a review of the National Sex Offender Public website prior to hire.

OSU is a fair chance employer committed to inclusive hiring. We encourage applications from candidates who bring a wide range of lived experience including involvement with the justice system. This job has “critical or security-sensitive” responsibilities. If you are selected as a finalist, your initial job offer will be contingent upon the results of a job-related pre-employment check (such as a background check, motor vehicle history check, sexual misconduct reference check, etc.). Background check results do not automatically disqualify a candidate. Take a look at our Background Checks website including the for candidates section for more details. If you have questions or concerns about the pre-employment check, please contact OSU’s Employee and Labor Relations team at employee.relations@oregonstate.edu.