BUDGET COORDINATOR JOB DESCRIPTION

Budget coordination in higher education means managing hundreds of student revenue accounts while keeping institutional fund allocation accurate across a fiscal year. Errors here ripple into student programming, vendor payments, and compliance reporting. The Budget Coordinator owns that accountability. Sitting within student affairs or university advancement, this role governs everything from departmental spending to the procurement routing that keeps campus operations funded and auditable.

As the Budget Coordinator, you manage institutional budgets, student revenue accounts, and fund allocation processes that keep academic and student life programming financially viable. You work alongside alumni relations staff, departmental directors, and student organization leaders, with your output informing quarterly financial reports and annual audit reviews.

Career Impact: Overseeing more than one million dollars in organizational budgets builds the kind of fiscal management credibility that opens doors to senior administrative finance roles in higher education.

Business Impact: Student organizations, alumni programs, and departmental operations depend directly on the accuracy of the financial records and procurement approvals this role produces.

Growth Opportunity: Exposure to fund accounting, endowment monitoring, and multi-budget reconciliation positions the Budget Coordinator for advancement into roles such as Financial Operations Manager or Director of Budget and Planning.

• Manage departmental and student organization budgets totaling over one million dollars across multiple fund types.
• Coordinate funding request processes for student organizations, including semester budget cycles and spot funding.
• Develop quarterly financial reports reflecting spending trends, budget variances, and account balances.
• Monitor approximately 230 student revenue accounts for accuracy, compliance, and timely reconciliation.
• Process purchasing documentation and manage budget routing for procurement card and supply purchases.
• Maintain statistical data and prepare routine and confidential reports on purchasing patterns and inventory.
• Hire, supervise, and train student staff to support daily office and financial operations.
• Collaborate with auditors, board treasurers, and departmental directors on annual financial reviews and budget planning.

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or equivalent work experience.
• Two or more years of experience in budget coordination, bookkeeping, or financial administration, with demonstrated fiscal management responsibility.
• Ability to plan, organize, and coordinate financial and administrative activities across multiple concurrent budgets.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present financial data clearly to non-financial stakeholders.
• High attention to detail and accuracy in data entry, records management, and financial reporting.
• Ability to work independently, establish priorities, and meet budget cycle deadlines without close supervision.

• Experience supervising student or part-time staff in an academic or nonprofit administrative setting.
• Familiarity with fund accounting principles, endowment reporting, or grant budget tracking in a higher education environment.
• Prior experience with university-specific financial or constituent management platforms used for procurement and donor record integration.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion within an institutional or student-facing context.

• Number of student revenue accounts reconciled on schedule each quarter, targeting zero unresolved variances at period close.
• Budget variance rate across departmental accounts, with accuracy reviewed against quarterly financial reports.
• Turnaround time on procurement card routing and purchasing approvals, measured against institutional cycle deadlines.
• Audit finding rate on Alumni Association or departmental financial records during annual review.
• Funding request processing accuracy across semester budget and spot funding cycles, measured by error and resubmission rate.
• Typical tools: Fund accounting and ERP platforms (commonly Banner or equivalent); constituent and donor management systems (commonly Raiser's Edge or equivalent).

• Base Salary Range: $42,000 to $58,000 per year, typical for higher education administrative roles.
• Bonus: Uncommon at this level; some institutions offer modest year-end merit increases.
• Equity: Not applicable in higher education settings.
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage standard; many institutions cover a significant portion of premiums.
• PTO: 15 to 22 days annually, plus institutional holidays and winter break closures.
• Common Perks: Tuition remission for staff and dependents, retirement contribution matching, and access to campus wellness facilities.

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Reasonable accommodations are available to applicants and employees with disabilities throughout the hiring process and employment. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, and local law. Employment is contingent on successful completion of a background check. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.

The Budget Coordinator owns financial oversight and student workforce administration across a complex higher education environment, managing over one million dollars in departmental and organization budgets. Working closely with student staff, vendors, and campus stakeholders, this role enables accurate fund distribution and operational continuity for student organizations through platforms such as Engage.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage all hiring paperwork for undergraduate and graduate student workers.
• Manage over one million dollars in organization and departmental budgets.
• Coordinate the SUF, SAF Semester Budget and SPOT funding request processes for student organizations through the Engage platform.
• Manage approximately 230 student revenue accounts.
• Hire, supervise, and train student staff.
• Manage online inventory system for department rentals.
• Work with contacts, agents, and vendors for departmental and student organization events.
• Manage a software platform that tracks registered student organizations' events, budgets, registration, and assessment.
• Develop quarterly financial reports.
• Assist with student organization and departmental events as required.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in college student personnel, counseling, or related field.
• Two years of related experience.
• Demonstrated success as a fiscal manager with ability to plan, organize, implement, and coordinate financial and administrative activities.
• Strong interpersonal skills to work effectively with diverse individuals and groups.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong preparation, organization, and detail management skills.
• Experience supervising student staff preferred.
• Demonstrated commitment to advancing diversity and social justice issues.

Embedded within the finance function, the Budget Coordinator delivers budget development support and spending oversight across the organization, including long-term financial planning in collaboration with the budget manager. Working closely with department leads, this role advances financial efficiency by producing sales tax reports, monitoring expenditures, and providing actionable forecasts that inform operational decisions.

Core Functions

• Assist in the development of the company's overall budget.
• Aid in projecting future financial needs and collaborate with budget manager to prepare long-term financial plan.
• Monitor spending to ensure it remains within budget.
• Create monthly sales tax reports and other reports as needed.
• Make recommendations to improve efficiency.
• Provide information to departments regarding budgets, forecasts, surveys, and financial trends.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, or related field.
• Two or more years of experience.
• Accuracy and attention to detail.
• Verbal and written communication skills.
• Problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in data analysis and statistical forecasting.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and accounting software.

Reporting to the Executive Director of Alumni Relations and Reunion Giving, the Budget Coordinator manages and maintains budgets and financial records for the Alumni Association, covering state budgets, endowed funds, and procurement activity. Partnering with the auditor, the Alumni Executive Board Treasurer, and the Alumni Relations team, this role enables accurate financial reporting and purchasing coordination across Alumni Relations and University Advancement.

Primary Duties

• Manage and maintain budgets and financial records for the Alumni Association.
• Work with the auditor on annual financial review and with the Treasurer of Alumni Executive Board on Alumni Association budget.
• Collaborate with Alumni Relations team to analyze events budget monthly and overall budget quarterly.
• Monitor Alumni Relations state budget, endowed funds, and all applicable reporting.
• Maintain statistical data and analyze and prepare confidential and routine reports regarding purchasing patterns and inventory.
• Process paperwork and maintain records of expenses related to Alumni Association.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Minimum of five years of experience in bookkeeping and data processing highly desired.
• Ability to work independently and coordinate multiple projects and tasks simultaneously.
• Effective oral and written communication skills and exceptional interpersonal skills.
• Previous experience with Peachtree, Banner, and Raiser's Edge applications preferred.

Sitting at the intersection of financial planning and product strategy, the Program and Budget Coordinator shapes budget preparation, variance analysis, and pricing roadmap support across a defined product line. Operating across market research, process improvement, and promotion review, this role enables the company to meet sales goals through accurate forecasting and well-documented standard operating procedures.

Duties

• Prepare a budget for a line of products by consolidating information and update the budget as per the company schedule.
• Monitor and analyze budget variances between forecasts and actuals and provide detailed analyses and recommendations.
• Review and analyze promotion data in order to make recommendations that will drive business results.
• Assist in market data research, business planning, and analysis of pricing roadmaps.
• Identify opportunities for process improvements and make recommendations.
• Document Standard Operating Procedures for project and process management.

Skills and Qualifications

• Post-secondary education in Administration, Finance, Supply Chain, or related field.
• Less than 12 months of related work experience.
• Good analytical skills to assess sales and inventory forecasts and create reports.
• Excellent computer and technical skills including vlookups, pivot tables, and if-statements in Excel.
• Ability to create PowerPoint presentations and balance projects to meet budget cycle timelines.