Director of Financial Process Transformation
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
Director of Financial Process Transformation
The Director of Financial Process Transformation leads enterprise-wide initiatives to simplify, standardize, and modernize financial operations across the University. Reporting to the Office of the Controller, with a dotted‑line relationship to the Office of Finance and Administration, this role operates across Financial Administration (FAD) and partners with school and central finance leadership to drive transformation priorities.
The Director sets direction, aligns stakeholders, and ensures the successful delivery of high‑impact initiatives that span organizational boundaries. The Director brings a structured, outcomes‑driven approach to redesigning financial processes—reducing complexity, improving cycle times, strengthening compliance, and minimizing administrative burden.
Success in this role requires the ability to influence and align senior stakeholders in a decentralized environment, along with a track record of leading large‑scale change from concept through implementation. The Director ensures that initiatives are not only well‑designed, but fully adopted and sustained, with measurable improvements in efficiency, consistency, and user experience.
Job Specific Responsibilities
Enterprise Transformation Leadership
Set the vision and roadmap for financial process transformation across FAD, leading a portfolio of high‑impact initiatives aligned to institutional priorities.
Cross‑Functional Leadership and Alignment
Partner with senior leaders across schools, units, and central functions to establish priorities, navigate trade‑offs, and drive alignment. Serve as a trusted advisor on financial process strategy and change.
Process Redesign and Standardization
Oversee the redesign of complex, cross‑cutting financial processes to reduce fragmentation, eliminate manual workarounds, and improve consistency while maintaining appropriate controls.
Policy and Governance Enablement
Guide the use of policy, governance, and guidance to enable effective process change, determining when formal policy is required versus when process, technology, or behavioral changes will achieve better outcomes.
Systems and Technology Partnership
Collaborate with finance systems and IT leadership to align process transformation with system capabilities and roadmaps, ensuring solutions enable automation, scalability, and long‑term sustainability.
Performance Measurement and Continuous Improvement
Establish success metrics and monitoring approaches, including cycle time, exception rates, and administrative effort, and use data and stakeholder feedback to refine priorities and improve outcomes.
Change Leadership and Adoption
Drive adoption of new processes and ways of working across a diverse stakeholder landscape, ensuring changes are effectively communicated, embedded, and sustained over time.
Basic Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required.
Minimum of 10 years’ relevant work experience.
Supervisory experience.
Additional Qualifications and Skills
MBA or master’s degree in a relevant field a plus.
Experience supporting process improvement or organizational change initiatives.
Ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities in evolving, ambiguous environments.
Agile, flexible, and iterative working mindset.
Demonstrated ability to act as a trusted advisor and influence senior stakeholders without direct authority.
Strong analytical and communication skills, including the ability to tailor messaging to different audiences.
Knowledge of advanced financial administration principles.
Strong team‑based, service‑oriented approach.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint) and other collaboration tools.
Working Conditions and Schedule
Onsite work performed in an office setting.
Standard hours: 35 hours per week.
1–2 days onsite per week on average plus additional days for ad‑hoc required meetings.
Visa sponsorship is not provided.
Hybrid location may be permissible per department discretion; must comply with University’s Policy on Employment Outside of Massachusetts.
Salary Grade and Ranges This position is salary grade level 060. The associated salary range is available through Harvard’s salary ranges.
Benefits
Generous paid time off including parental leave.
Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one.
Retirement plans with university contributions.
Wellbeing and mental health resources.
Support for families and caregivers.
Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement.
Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks.
EEO/Non-Discrimination Commitment Statement Harvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non‑discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard’s academic purposes.
Harvard has an equal employment opportunity policy that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or identified in the university’s non‑discrimination policy. Harvard’s equal employment opportunity policy and non‑discrimination policy help all community members participate fully in work and campus life free from harassment and discrimination.
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The Director sets direction, aligns stakeholders, and ensures the successful delivery of high‑impact initiatives that span organizational boundaries. The Director brings a structured, outcomes‑driven approach to redesigning financial processes—reducing complexity, improving cycle times, strengthening compliance, and minimizing administrative burden.
Success in this role requires the ability to influence and align senior stakeholders in a decentralized environment, along with a track record of leading large‑scale change from concept through implementation. The Director ensures that initiatives are not only well‑designed, but fully adopted and sustained, with measurable improvements in efficiency, consistency, and user experience.
Job Specific Responsibilities
Enterprise Transformation Leadership
Set the vision and roadmap for financial process transformation across FAD, leading a portfolio of high‑impact initiatives aligned to institutional priorities.
Cross‑Functional Leadership and Alignment
Partner with senior leaders across schools, units, and central functions to establish priorities, navigate trade‑offs, and drive alignment. Serve as a trusted advisor on financial process strategy and change.
Process Redesign and Standardization
Oversee the redesign of complex, cross‑cutting financial processes to reduce fragmentation, eliminate manual workarounds, and improve consistency while maintaining appropriate controls.
Policy and Governance Enablement
Guide the use of policy, governance, and guidance to enable effective process change, determining when formal policy is required versus when process, technology, or behavioral changes will achieve better outcomes.
Systems and Technology Partnership
Collaborate with finance systems and IT leadership to align process transformation with system capabilities and roadmaps, ensuring solutions enable automation, scalability, and long‑term sustainability.
Performance Measurement and Continuous Improvement
Establish success metrics and monitoring approaches, including cycle time, exception rates, and administrative effort, and use data and stakeholder feedback to refine priorities and improve outcomes.
Change Leadership and Adoption
Drive adoption of new processes and ways of working across a diverse stakeholder landscape, ensuring changes are effectively communicated, embedded, and sustained over time.
Basic Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required.
Minimum of 10 years’ relevant work experience.
Supervisory experience.
Additional Qualifications and Skills
MBA or master’s degree in a relevant field a plus.
Experience supporting process improvement or organizational change initiatives.
Ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities in evolving, ambiguous environments.
Agile, flexible, and iterative working mindset.
Demonstrated ability to act as a trusted advisor and influence senior stakeholders without direct authority.
Strong analytical and communication skills, including the ability to tailor messaging to different audiences.
Knowledge of advanced financial administration principles.
Strong team‑based, service‑oriented approach.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint) and other collaboration tools.
Working Conditions and Schedule
Onsite work performed in an office setting.
Standard hours: 35 hours per week.
1–2 days onsite per week on average plus additional days for ad‑hoc required meetings.
Visa sponsorship is not provided.
Hybrid location may be permissible per department discretion; must comply with University’s Policy on Employment Outside of Massachusetts.
Salary Grade and Ranges This position is salary grade level 060. The associated salary range is available through Harvard’s salary ranges.
Benefits
Generous paid time off including parental leave.
Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one.
Retirement plans with university contributions.
Wellbeing and mental health resources.
Support for families and caregivers.
Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement.
Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks.
EEO/Non-Discrimination Commitment Statement Harvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non‑discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard’s academic purposes.
Harvard has an equal employment opportunity policy that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or identified in the university’s non‑discrimination policy. Harvard’s equal employment opportunity policy and non‑discrimination policy help all community members participate fully in work and campus life free from harassment and discrimination.
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