Finance Analyst Jobs in California

Finance & Systems Analyst (5183C), School of Social Welfare #89744 About Berkeley

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Departmental Overview

UC Berkeley Social Welfare is one of the nation's leading social work graduate programs. As part of the world's top ranked public university, the School of Social Welfare is producing new knowledge for the common good and training the next generation of social work thought leaders dedicated to serving society's most vulnerable members. Known for combining rigorous scholarship with outstanding education, the School of Social Welfare offers MSW and PhD programs as well as an undergraduate major. Since 1944, the School has prepared nearly 12,000 social work professionals for leadership positions in the public and nonprofit human service sectors. UC Berkeley Social Welfare graduates are dedicated to meeting the growing needs of marginalized, underserved, and other vulnerable populations.

Position Summary

The Finance and Systems Analyst is responsible for driving the financial, operational, and student funding architecture of the department. The position ensures that financial resources, funding mechanisms, and administrative systems run efficiently, compliantly, and in alignment with the academic mission and long-term departmental goals.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is November 13, 2026. For full consideration, please apply on or before the first review date.

Responsibilities

Finance Projects - 30%

Provides analytical support for complex budget, financial, or resource analysis projects and independently gathers information as needed from various sources (CalAnswers, Airtable, SIS, etc.) to perform analysis.
Integrates and validates financial data across multiple systems with inconsistent formats or incomplete historical information; develops and refines multivariable financial models to evaluate assumptions, identify funding implications, and support strategic departmental initiatives.
Coordinates periodic review of departmental expenditures and faculty and staff payroll, corrects errors, and communicates relevant issues to appropriate parties (budget manager(s) and/or leadership). Identifies, investigates, reconciles, and resolves monthly variances between financial general ledger reports and subsystem source data; traces discrepancies to their source and coordinates corrections as needed.
Works closely with research administration to support workforce stipend programs and atypical sponsored projects that intersect with the instructional program, including performing complex calculations for instructor and administrative staff effort for invoicing.
Plans and tracks professional degree supplemental tuition (PDST) revenue and expenditures, ensuring alignment with department goals. Prepares cyclical PDST fee proposals and reports for campus/regental review.
Plans and tracks self-sustaining graduate professional degree program, such as the FlexMSW, revenue and expenditures, ensuring alignment with department goals.
Coordinates and implements internal department budget allocations, making recommendations for changes to the Department Manager and Assistant Dean of Finance and Administration. Develops and evaluates alternative funding scenarios when projected resources, existing commitments, or competing program needs create allocation challenges; analyzes the financial implications of alternatives and presents findings and recommendations for leadership review.
Drafts detailed pledge payment and expenditure scenarios for philanthropic giving campaigns involving current-use, term endowment, and endowed funds to enable Social Welfare to meet desired goals.
Works closely with other stakeholders to develop budgets for revenue generating programs and other Dean's Initiatives.
Provides analysis that supports the development of the annual budget and quarterly updates. Develops and refines dynamic, scenario-based financial projection models for significant capital investments or school-wide initiatives, incorporating available historical data, projected costs, funding assumptions, and alternative scenarios to inform resource planning.
Performs resource analysis to support capital projects.
Maintains and proposes enhancements to the department chart of accounts, other data management tools, and related business processes and documentation.
Troubleshoots automated reporting script errors, broken spreadsheet links, and data inconsistencies; tests corrections and validates reporting outputs to maintain accurate and reliable financial information.
May train or support other staff with finance-related tasks and projects.
Oversees Stova event registration workflows, ensuring accurate revenue tracking and distribution to faculty.
Oversees endowment income and faculty start up and retention fund distribution.

Student Funding - 25%

Develops long-term goals for MSW and doctoral student support programs and coordinates all departmental funding sources into annual financial aid strategy that advances Social Welfare's mission.
Interprets, executes and recommends modifications to departmental financial aid policies.
Facilitates distribution of specialized stipend program awards such as Title IV-E, HCAI-SWECE, and COEBHE.
Exercises professional judgment to determine allocation of aid awards under complex, specialized regulations or for escalated cases.
Recommends packaging policies and strategies for allocation of departmentally managed awards that include Social Welfare funding and other sources (ex. Berkeley Fellowships, Chancellor's Fellowships, etc.) to faculty.
Manages block grant allocation based on continuing student financial commitments.
Creates new doctoral funding packages that align with long-term projections.
Evaluates and awards departmental fellowships to incoming and continuing MSW students based on need and/or merit eligibility.
Implements annual Professional Degree Supplemental Tuition (PDST) return-to-aid plan.
In partnership with the Director of Admissions, Advising + Student Experience, review, approve, and process funding requests for conference travel and emergency support, updating criteria as appropriate.
Liaises with MSW and doctoral student advisors to provide ongoing financial aid counseling to current and prospective students.
Liaises with other University offices such as Financial Aid, Graduate Division, and Billing and Payment Services as appropriate, including to facilitate resolution of sensitive, specialized, and complex financial aid issues.
Keeps students, faculty, and staff informed of changes in Graduate Division and other relevant funding and financial aid policies. Content manager for "Funding Opportunities" portion of the School of Social Welfare website.
Coordinates, implements, evaluates, and reports on government, agency, or donor aid programs. Consults with external agencies on procedural issues or individual student's eligibility. Interprets regulations and develops or recommends procedures to ensure compliance and accurate aid delivery.

Financial Approvals and Policies - 20%

Prepares, reviews/reconciles, and / or approves expenses, financial transactions, and other funding-related requests in BFS, Bearbuy, UCPath, Reimbursement System, Asana, Docusign, and related systems. Investigates transaction-processing errors, identifies causes of reconciliation discrepancies, and coordinates corrective actions to ensure accurate and timely processing.
Maintains, communicates, and as needed, develops department policies and processes related to expenditures and funding.

Business Systems and Process - 20%

Provides department support in the areas of system and business process analysis and design, system or procedure testing and implementation, documentation, security, workflow, and customer feedback. Diagnoses and resolves end-user access issues and workflow-routing errors; investigates system and configuration problems, tests corrective actions, and coordinates escalation when resolution requires additional technical support. Analyzes complex cross-system workflow and data-transfer issues, identifies process and control weaknesses, and develops, tests, and documents process improvements to strengthen reconciliation accuracy and operational efficiency.
Manages user access, onboarding, and training for Airtable, Asana, and similar tools.
Lead or support department transitions to new campus systems (ex. BFS Expense Module, Timekeeping system, etc.)
Ensures that the appropriate internal controls are addressed, maintained and strengthened to protect University resources.

Other duties as assigned - 5%

Required Qualifications

Thorough knowledge of finance policies, practices, and systems.
Ability to independently gather required information to organize, and perform financial analysis assignments.
Proven ability to effectively present information verbally and in writing across broad and diverse subject areas in a clear and concise manner with a customer service focus.
Proven ability using spreadsheet and database software for complex financial analysis, fiscal management, and financial reports.
Proven interpersonal skills with peers throughout the organization; strong service orientation and critical thinking skills to research and resolve problems, escalating as needed; and attention to detail. Proven ability using organizational skills to multi-task in a high volume environment.
Ability to adapt to changing priorities.
Ability to function as a member of a team.
Thorough knowledge and understanding of internal control practices and their impact on protecting University resources.
Ability to use discretion and maintain confidentiality, especially regarding personnel, student and financial information.
Ability to set priorities, meet constant deadlines, follow-through on tasks and commitments with minimal direction, interact effectively with diverse groups and work independently and as a member of a team.
In depth ability to use multiple spreadsheet and database software tools to accurately gather information for specialized, complex analysis, program management, proposals and reports.
Thorough knowledge of common office tools such as the Google Office Suite and Microsoft Office tools.
Solid knowledge of, and/or ability to quickly learn, common University-specific computer application programs, such as BearBuy, BFS, UCPath and CalAnswers.
Requires thorough understanding of, and/or ability to quickly learn, research administration guidelines of Federal and non-Federal sponsors supporting research and educational activities, preferably in a university environment.

Preferred Qualifications

Thorough knowledge of and/or ability to learn systemwide and campus policies procedures and practices that govern finance administration.

Education / Training

Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training (Required)

Salary & Benefits

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

The budgeted annual salary range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $82,800.00 - $116,300.00. The full pay scale for this classification is $82,800.00 - $149,800.00.

This is an exempt, monthly-paid position.
This is a part-time (32 hours/week) Career position eligible for UC benefits.