Senior Financial Analyst - Fixed Term

About Stanford University’s Hoover Institution:  The Hoover Institution on War, Revolution, and Peace is a public policy research center devoted to the advanced study of economics, politics, history, and political economy—both domestic and foreign—as well as international affairs.

Founded in 1919 by Herbert Hoover before he became the thirty-first president of the United States, the Institution began as a repository of historical material gathered at the end of World War I.  The library and archives have grown to be among the largest private repositories of documents on twentieth-century political and economic history.  Over time the Institution expanded its mission from collecting archival material to conducting advanced research on contemporary history and economics and applying this scholarship to current public policy challenges. 

The Financial Analyst 3 / Senior Financial Analyst is a key member of the Hoover Institution Finance team and will report directly to the Chief Financial Officer. This one-year fixed-term position will provide senior-level financial analysis, reporting, planning, and decision support across a broad range of institutional priorities.

Hoover Finance supports an increasingly complex financial environment, including an annual operating budget of approximately $150 million, significant endowment and restricted gift activity, sponsored research, capital projects, and a diverse portfolio of research programs and operational units.

The Senior Financial Analyst will partner closely with the CFO, Finance leadership, program administrators, Fellows, and institutional stakeholders to support accurate financial reporting, complex financial analysis, forecasting, fund management, and strategic decision-making.

A critical component of this role is the ability to operate effectively at both the strategic and detailed levels—translating complex financial information into actionable insights while ensuring that the underlying financial data is complete, accurate, reconciled, and defensible.

The successful candidate will have exceptional financial reporting and analytical skills, strong attention to detail, and the ability to independently investigate and resolve complex financial issues. Experience with Stanford financial systems and processes is strongly preferred; experience with capital accounting and capital projects is a plus.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Finance & CFO Decision Support

Partner directly with the CFO on complex financial analysis, institutional planning, forecasting, and strategic initiatives.

Develop financial models, scenario analyses, and executive-level reporting to support institutional resource allocation and decision-making.

Synthesize complex financial information and identify key trends, risks, opportunities, and implications for leadership.

Prepare financial analyses and presentation materials for executive leadership, governance, and other senior-level discussions.

Support long-range financial planning and evaluation of strategic initiatives and funding alternatives.

Perform ad hoc analyses and special projects on behalf of the CFO.

Financial Reporting, Analysis & Data Integrity

Develop, prepare, and review complex financial reports, forecasts, reconciliations, and management analyses for internal and external audiences, including the Hoover Board of Overseers.

Ensure the accuracy and integrity of financial information used for executive reporting, forecasting, planning, and decision-making.

Perform complex, multidimensional reconciliations across financial systems, funds, awards, programs, and reporting structures.

Independently investigate discrepancies, unusual activity, and financial reporting issues; identify root causes and implement appropriate solutions.

Validate financial results and supporting data before information is presented to senior leadership.

Analyze actual results against budgets and forecasts and clearly communicate significant variances, emerging trends, and financial risks.

Develop and maintain reporting tools and analyses that improve transparency and support proactive financial management.

Complex Fund & Portfolio Management

Manage and analyze complex portfolios that may include operating funds, expendable gifts, endowment payout, sponsored research, designated funds, and other restricted and unrestricted resources.

Evaluate funding availability, restrictions, commitments, and long-term sustainability across multiple funding sources.

Support alignment of program expenses with appropriate funding sources and ensure accurate financial stewardship.

Partner with program leadership and Finance colleagues to develop budgets, forecasts, and multi-year financial plans.

Provide financial guidance regarding funding strategy, resource allocation, and financial implications of programmatic decisions.

Support donor stewardship and other financial reporting requiring a high degree of accuracy and understanding of fund restrictions.

Capital Accounting & Institutional Projects

Support financial management and reporting for capital projects and other significant institutional initiatives.

Monitor capital project budgets, expenditures, commitments, funding sources, and financial activity.

Perform reconciliations and analysis related to capital activity and coordinate with Stanford partners as appropriate.

Provide financial reporting and analysis to support capital planning and project decision-making.

Experience with capital accounting, construction accounting, or major capital projects is highly desirable.

Financial Systems, Controls & Process Excellence

Serve as a knowledgeable resource on Stanford financial systems, reporting tools, policies, and procedures.

Leverage financial systems and reporting tools to improve the accuracy, efficiency, and accessibility of financial information.

Identify opportunities to strengthen financial controls, reporting processes, reconciliations, and documentation.

Lead or support Finance process improvement, reporting automation, systems implementation, and data-quality initiatives.

Develop repeatable processes and documentation that reduce key-person dependency and strengthen organizational capability.

Partner with Finance colleagues to establish consistent analytical and reporting standards.

Business Partnership & Leadership

Build effective partnerships with Finance colleagues, program managers, administrative leaders, Fellows, and Stanford central offices.

Translate complex financial concepts into clear, concise, and actionable information for both financial and non-financial audiences.

Serve as a subject matter expert for complex financial, policy, procedural, reporting, and systems issues.

Provide guidance, coaching, and technical expertise to other Finance team members as needed.

Review analyses and work products and provide feedback to strengthen accuracy, consistency, and analytical quality across the team.

Lead or participate in cross-functional projects and institutional initiatives.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is an experienced finance professional who combines strategic thinking with exceptional financial discipline and attention to detail. This individual is equally comfortable developing an executive-level financial analysis, investigating the underlying transactions supporting a financial result, and explaining the implications clearly to senior leadership.

The successful candidate will:

Demonstrate exceptional financial reporting, reconciliation, and analytical capabilities.

Have a strong understanding of financial statements, accounting principles, budgeting, forecasting, and fund management.

Exercise sound judgment and independently identify financial risks, inconsistencies, and emerging issues.

Be intellectually curious and willing to investigate financial information until the underlying story is fully understood.

Translate large and complex datasets into meaningful financial insights and recommendations.

Manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced academic and research environment.

Demonstrate a high degree of ownership, accountability, discretion, and professional judgment.

Work effectively both independently and collaboratively.

Communicate confidently and effectively with senior leaders and diverse stakeholders.

Thrive in a team-oriented environment where success is measured collectively.

Stanford financial systems and institutional knowledge are strongly preferred. Experience with capital accounting and/or major capital projects is a plus.

This is a 100% FTE, one-year fixed-term, exempt position based on the Stanford campus and may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement, subject to operational needs.

If you believe this opportunity is a match for your knowledge, skills, and abilities, we encourage you to apply. Resume and cover letter are required for consideration.

Thank you for considering employment opportunities with the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.

Responsibilities

Core Duties:

• Perform highly analytical, complex finance and control functions;multi-dimensional and complex reconciliations and related analysis;prepare or review and approve complex transactions and higher leveldollar value transactions.

• Research, and synthesize data; interpolate results from largeamounts of data, identify trends in data, draw conclusions, developsolutions, present and implement recommendations, and create follow upanalysis.

• Develop complex budget and forecasting scenarios, long-rangeplanning and analyses for financial reporting and presentations; designand run ad hoc reports.

• Identify and resolve unique issues with substantial significance;recognize exceptions, and conduct in-depth analysis using advancedtechnical knowledge and experience. Recommend and develop solutions thatmay require policy changes or the development of new processes; maintainbroader organizational and university perspective in decisionmaking.

• Review, design, and implement appropriate internal controlprograms, research new regulations, and implement approved changes.Manage compliance program for area of responsibility, interpret internalpolicy and external regulations, and create and/or review complexcompliance reports.

• Lead and execute unit or cross functional projects and teams,make decisions regarding projects and programs affecting operationaleffectiveness, policies, or processes.

• Engage in continuous critical analysis of existing systems andprocesses; make recommendations to achieve greater efficiencies andimprove internal controls. Define requirements, develop and implementcomplex test cases, perform testing and analyze results.

• Lead and support unit and organization strategy and changemanagement initiatives.

• Provide training on new financial systems. Represent organizationto client group(s) and external partners; serve as subject matter experton matters that involve complex technical, financial, or subject matterexpertise.

• Assess client and business needs, and formulate recommendationsto determine approach to managing and completing processes.

• May supervise, train, coach, and review the work of other staff,as needed. Contribute primarily through applying individualexpertise.

Minimum Education andExperience

Bachelor’s degree and six years of relevant experience or combinationof education and relevant experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Advanced proficiency in business applications, such as MicrosoftOffice suite, especially Excel.

• Advanced knowledge of Enterprise Resource Planning and financialsystems; internet and computer literacy.

• Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles(GAAP).

• Advanced professional communication skills, including ability toprepare materials for and clearly and effectively communicateinformation to internal and external audiences, client groups, andmanagement.

• Strong project management skills and ability to contribute to orlead part of a multi-functional team.