Director, Finance Readiness

Company: University of Washington
Location: Seattle
Posted on: January 25, 2023

Job Description:

If you are using a screen reader and experience any difficulty accessing our web pages, please call 206-543-2544 or email UWHires and we will be happy to assist you. jump to content Notes: As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs. For a complete description of our benefits for this position, please visit our website, click here. As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

The Finance Readiness Program (FRP) is a collaborative partner to the broader UW Finance Transformation program (UWFT). UWFT is a multi-year effort to transform the UW's existing financial processes through business process redesign and the replacement of legacy systems with modern technology. This position is part of the UWFT - FRP pillar responsible for ensuring that UW's central finance division is operationally ready to execute new processes, policies, and procedures with excellence post "go live".

The Director for Finance Readiness will play a key role in determining the technical and operational readiness strategy for UW Finance as well as oversee execution of agreed-upon strategies. The Director for Finance Readiness will be responsible for working collaboratively across the UW Finance organization to pull together a consistent structured framework to define the scope, schedule and resource requirements to retire, remediate, or replace their existing systems and prepare for Workday go live. This position will also ensure that a clear roadmap of all aspects of program needs is developed and coordinated with the FT program team, including technical and organizational change management. The Director for Finance Readiness will require strong collaboration, communication, and outreach skills to engage UW Finance unit leaders and technical staff in developing a strategy to ensure UW Finance is technically operational at go-live.

The University is implementing an enterprise-wide, multi-year initiative to replace the existing financial systems with a modern, integrated system that will provide functionality to support financial business needs. It also will provide a set of standardized processes to significantly improve support for critical financial work across the university. Finance Transformation program is one of the highest profile projects at the university, and is one of the largest finance system projects in Washington State. The outcome of the program will be highly visible at all levels of the university and the state.

Duties & Responsibilities

Communications/Relationship Building (30%)
--- Develop communications and advise UW Finance leadership and stakeholders at all levels of the organization
--- Provide leadership and guidance on UW Finance side systems integration, remediation, and retirement
--- Assess and advise leadership and stakeholders to navigate and address program risks, issues, and decisions
--- Build partnerships that span organizational silos and work to collaboratively bring teams together
--- Work in a complex matrixed environment; use influence, knowledge, and experience to motivate and energize staff

Culture/Governance and Decision Making (20%)
--- Support a culture of transparency and communication throughout the finance readiness program
--- Lead the ongoing solicitation of UW Finance community input, recruit and support volunteers for user involvement in implementation planning and execution
--- Facilitate/Guide complex program governance and decision making
--- Develop and oversee the implementation of governance structures that support effective decisions and sound judgment.

Strategy/Program Management (20%)
--- Develop and implement strategic program approach; define program vision, mission, goals, and objectives
--- Advise and coordinate with executive program leadership to define holistic operational readiness approach
--- Lead and oversee all program management phases; oversee four major workstreams encompassing a portfolio of 200 operational and technical readiness projects
--- Recruit, manage, and develop a team of senior leaders to manage critical program workstreams
--- Develop and refine resource plans and negotiate a funding strategy to execute on the program scope, schedule, and budget as needed.
--- Develop and implement a strategic technical decisions guide for enterprise architecture and complex systems environment management and integration for Finance Transformation

Organizational Change (20%)
--- Evangelize the value of Workday First
--- Lead complex organizational change in coordination with the implementation of technical improvements
--- Develop positive relationships with key stakeholders at all levels of the organization
--- Develop and oversee the implementation of a communication plan to deliver key messages, both internally and externally, that will further the goals and objectives of UW Finance Readiness

Other duties as assigned (10%)

Required Qualifications
--- Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Finance, Technology or related field and minimum of nine years of experience performing progressively more complex tasks in business and technical management activities.
--- Experience with large scale technical project management in large, complex environments
--- Experience with business process mapping of As-Is/To-Be
--- Experience across the systems development life cycle with experience in all program/project phases: plan, initiate, elaborate, design, prototype, build, test, deploy, and stabilize
--- Experience in designing, gaining buy-in, and executing change management plans
--- Demonstrated advanced project management soft skills, including tolerance for ambiguity, ability to earn the trust of stakeholders, ability to motivate team members, tenacious problem ownership, the ability to deliver bad news gracefully, and a dedication to customer advocacy.
--- Excellent verbal and written communication
--- Strong problem solving skills.
--- Ability to work independently and with minimal supervision.
--- Experience facilitating meetings, constructively addressing input and criticism, and resolving conflicts.
--- Experience working with PowerPoint, Visio, Excel, Word, and MS Project

Desired Qualifications
--- Experience with Workday
--- Proficiency in JIRA or similar project tracking/issue tracking tool
--- Experience in a major research university setting
--- Knowledge of multiple business subject areas, i.e. Accounting, Finance, etc.
--- Experience standing up and managing programs
--- PMP certification
--- Change Management certification

Working Environment
--- Work is in an open office environment (with option for 100% remote work assignment) and contribute to collaborative team work focused on problem-solving. Daily interactions with other team members, subject matter experts and stakeholders at all levels of the organization. While the general working hours are within Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. will on occasion, need to adjust hours to accommodate the business needs and deadlines.
--- This position on the Finance Transformation Project is temporarily funded; continued employment is contingent on ongoing funding and performance.
--- This position is eligible for 100% remote work.

Application Process:
The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select "Apply to this position". Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment, you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your "My Jobs" page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.
Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law .

Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, the University of Washington will honor your experiences, perspectives and unique identity. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming.To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu .COVID-19 VACCINATION REQUIREMENTEmployees of the University of Washington are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 unless a medical or religious exemption is approved. Being fully vaccinated means that an individual is at least two weeks past their final dose of an authorized COVID-19 vaccine regimen. As a condition of employment, newly hired employees will be required to provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination. View the Final candidate guide to COVID-19 vaccination requirement webpage for information about the medical or religious exemption process for final candidates.

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