School of Dramatic Arts

Budget/Business Analyst

Hybrid Position (remote and in-person as needed)

Full-Time (37.5 hours per week)

Salary commensurate with experience

The USC School of Dramatic Arts seeks a Budget/Business Analyst to join its dynamic Business Office team. The position assists the Associate Dean of Business Affairs and Department Business Administrator with various accounting, payroll, and personnel matters including but not limited to working with internal/external vendors, preparing financial reports, monitoring, and maintaining department accounts, reconciling internal records, inputting financial data, supporting onboarding for new hires, and assisting in faculty contract preparation and time entry. 

The Budget/Business Analyst will expand existing knowledge through various learning opportunities - engaging in a range of projects, processes, and tasks within a small team.  Additionally, the role interfaces with numerous campus departments and offices helping to expand understanding of how accounting, human resources, and business functions interconnect to support the university’s students, faculty, and staff. 

We seek an energetic and highly motivated individual who can work well under pressure while multi-tasking in a fast-paced environment - especially during peak times of the year.  An individual in this role will show a history of success in setting goals and completing projects with a high degree of independence while exercising good judgment.  Successful candidates will demonstrate impeccable integrity, responsibility, accountability, and authenticity.  Along with strong communication skills and interpersonal effectiveness in relationship building and conflict management, the ideal candidate will have clear leadership skills to understand the “big picture” and the need for flexibility, innovation, and resourcefulness to execute work.  Individuals will display an optimistic outlook, show success in time management, collaborative approaches, thrive in a high change environment, and adapt to emergencies and last-minute changes with patience, discretion, and diplomacy.

In particular, the Budget/Business Analyst will:

• Monitor actual income and expenses
• Develop projections to authorize or extend financial commitments
• Analyze current performance for forecasting; identify and research variances and trends for discussion and resolution with leadership
• Impart university financial policies and procedures to staff and faculty
• Assist in financial transactions such as purchasing equipment and supplies and accounting for travel expenditures and reimbursements
• Reconcile account balances and activity and process budget amendments
• Prepare and process payroll/personnel documents and reports
• Assist in the research and resolution of payroll or personnel problems
• Assist with the recruitment and hiring process

The University reserves the right to add or change responsibilities at any time.

Preferred Qualifications

• 2 or more years of relevant work experience in finance, accounting, and HR/Payroll

• Bachelor's degree in business administration/accounting or related field
• University budget experience and knowledge of university financial/HR systems
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Proficiency using business application software, web-based programs, browsers, electronic mail, databases, and computerized scheduling and reservation system (calendar and meeting matrix).
• Expertise using spreadsheets and database applications to create, modify reports, charts and grids. Ability to compile data and analyze data/evaluations to recommend and implement per programmatic/operational need.

The USC School of Dramatic Arts, founded in 1945, is recognized internationally as a leader in theatre education.  The School offers innovative programs and curricula in acting, playwriting, design, critical studies, sound design, stage management and technical direction.  With a faculty of artists working at the highest level of their profession, the School offers BA, BFA and MFA degrees and has an active production program of more than 20 shows with a population of 550 undergraduate and graduate students combined.

The University of Southern California (USC), founded in 1880, is located in the heart of downtown L.A. and is the largest private employer in the City of Los Angeles. As an employee of USC, you will be a part of a world-class research university and a member of the “Trojan Family,” which is comprised of the faculty, students and staff that make the university what it is.

USC is proudly pluralistic and committed to providing equal opportunity for outstanding men and women. USC actively seeks nominations of applications from qualified individuals and from broadest possible community. The School of Dramatic Arts is interested in receiving applications from individuals who enhance the diversity of its work force.  We encourage applications from all qualified candidates who are eligible to work in the United States. However, we are unable to sponsor employment visas for this position.

The University of Southern California values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity in employment.