Semel Director of Finance

FINANCIAL ANL MGR 1 (000212)

UCPath Position ID: TBD_941009

Position Description History/Status

Approved Date:

4/10/2026 11:55:39 AM

Date Last Edited:

4/10/2026 11:55:09 AM

Last Action Effective Date:

Organization Details

Business Unit (Location):

LACMP

Organization Code:

3200O

Organization:

SEMEL INSTITUTE

Division Code:

3210D

Division:

NEUROPSYCHIATRIC INST DIV

Department:

200000 - SEMEL INSTITUTE

Position Details

UCPath Position Number:

TBD_941009

Position Description ID

252338

UC Payroll Title:

FINANCIAL ANL MGR 1 (000212)

Personnel Program

Management and Senior Professional (MSP)

Salary Grade:

Grade 25

Job Code FLSA:

Exempt

Union Code (Collective Bargaining Unit):

99: Non-Represented (PPSM)

Employee Relations Code:

A: Manager - Not Confidential

Employee Class (Appt Type):

2 - Staff: Career

Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)

1

SUPERVISION

UCPath Reports to Position Number:

40044833

Reports to Payroll Title:

FINANCIAL ANL MGR 2

UCPath Department Head Position Number:

41207292

Department Head Payroll Title:

ACT/INTERIM DIRECTOR

GENERAL DIRECTION - Indicates that the incumbent receives guidance in terms of broad goals and overall objectives and is responsible for establishing the methods to attain them. Generally the incumbent is in charge of an area of work, and typically formulates policy for this area but does not necessarily have final authority for approving policy.

005891

ACCOUNTANT SUPV 2 GF

1

007123

FINANCIAL ANL SUPV 2

1

007734

GEN ACCOUNTANT 4

1

007735

GEN ACCOUNTANT 3

1

007736

GEN ACCOUNTANT 2

5

004722

BLANK AST 3

1

POSITION SUMMARY

Under the direction of the Semel Institute Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), the incumbent serves as the Director of Finance for the Semel Institute. The incumbent is responsible for developing, monitoring, and justifying operating budget in excess of $208 million(M) supporting the faculty and staff in the Institute and affiliated entities (plus $139M of endowment market value and other faculty compensation funds). Administer all fund types in the Institute including oversight of 19900 Funds - $24M, Opportunity (ICR) Funds - $9M, Gifts and Endowments (available balance) $28M, Sales and Service Funds - $8M, Policy 913 and Other Funds - $2M, LAC-DMH contract $23M. Additionally, provides analyses, financial models, and recommendations to Institute, as well as division/center directors, faculty members, principal investigators (PIs), administrative staff in three divisions, and more than twenty research centers.

The Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA is a world leader in human neuroscience research, education, clinical care, and wellbeing. The Institute provides a collaborative home for preeminent researchers and faculty across many disciplines to study complex human behavior. Their research includes the genetic, biological, behavioral, and sociocultural underpinnings of behavior and the causes and consequences of neuropsychiatric disorders. This transdisciplinary work leads to breakthroughs and developments of new and effective interventions that improve the lives of those around us and across the world.

Accounting & Reporting Leadership

• Serve as fiscal advisor to Institute leadership, faculty, and administrative staff. Make recommendations and identify optimal solutions for effective fund management and fiscal integrity.

• Oversee the preparation of financial reports, financial analysis, and financial projections to provide faculty and administrative staff adequate financial tools for their business management.

• Lead timely review of financial reports and variance analysis to ensure effective application of funding resources and to prevent fund overdraft.

• Identify, design, and implement proper internal control to ensure compliance.

• Prepare responses to all financial operational inquiries, financial analyses, and reports requested by the Semel Director’s Office, the CAO, the campus, as well as outside organizations.

• Serve as the liaison with corporate financial offices (Planning and Budget Office, Corporate Financial Services, Audit & Advisory Services, etc.) campus, and affiliated entities regarding budgeting and accounting matters.

• Coordinate Semel financial portfolio with the Semel CAO and Director of Research Awards.

• Direct special projects and evaluation efforts.

35%

Annual Budget Process

• Lead the administrative team to support the Institute’s annual faculty salary negotiation and budget process.

• Perform analysis of data on salary equity by academic rank and step and establish compensation benchmarks to achieve more equitable compensation plans.

• Direct the preparation and submission of Institute annual Consolidated Budget (including input into the Faculty Compensation Plan Budget).

• Direct the preparation and submission of annual Sales & Service Fund rate review and budget submission to Corporate Financial Services.

• Assist the Institute Director/CAO in preparing budget and operational presentations to the affiliated entities and campus leadership.

20%

People Management

• Identify and recruit effective people, develop and retain staff.

• Manage employee work assignments. Strategize to support balanced portfolios.

• Motivate staff, provide effective coaching, direction, and feedback to manage performance. Establish clear departmental goals and expectations. Monitor and ensure goals are achieved in a timely fashion.

• Lead staff meetings to discuss priority areas, update team members of progress, and brainstorm new initiatives.

• Encourage cooperation, teamwork and facilitate constructive conflict resolution.

• Meet with team leads on a weekly basis.

• Develop communication strategy to disseminate time-sensitive information in a clear, concise manner to Semel leadership, Center Directors, administrators, and other constituents.

• Direct staff in providing support to PIs without administrators or those working on complex initiatives. Assess incoming requests and negotiate assignments.

• Ensure requests are responded to in a timely manner and provide training for wide range of tasks this position will support.

• Deploy team members strategically in order to have high impact and increase institutional competitiveness.

15%

Performance and process Improvement / Department Training & Education

• Lead the development and implementation of tools, resources, and workshops that strengthen the Institute’s research administration infrastructure, engaging researchers, administrators, and staff in the process.

• Define clear expectations and success metrics for team and department initiatives.

• Support organizational performance improvement priorities and ensure alignment with institutional goals.

• Collaborate with managers and staff to achieve department and organizational objectives.

• Collect, analyze, and report data for quality studies and dashboards.

• Recommend and implement improvements to systems, structures, and outcomes.

• Guide and support staff participation in campus-wide research initiatives.

• Represent the department and communicate key information to stakeholders clearly and effectively.

• Establish performance metrics and develop data collection tools to monitor progress toward goals.

15%

Department Operations, Training & Education

• Oversee planning, operations, and direction of the Semel Institute’s operations core facility, ensuring strong administrative and technical support.

• Ensure full compliance with HIPAA, confidentiality policies, campus policies, and all applicable regulatory and accreditation standards (e.g., DPH, The Joint Commission).

• Develop, coordinate, and enforce standard operating procedures to ensure compliance with all regulatory and university requirements for sponsored research.

• Attend campus Finance Manager meetings hosted by CFS and APB.

• Other ad hoc reporting and finance support as necessary.

15%

•

Performs other duties as assigned.

•

Complies with all policies and standards.

•

Complies with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Principles of Community.

•

This position description is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties or skills required for the job and is subject to review and change at any time, with or without notice, in accordance with the needs of the organization.

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor's Degree

in accounting, finance, economics, or business administration and / or equivalent experience / training

Required

Master's Degree

in accounting, finance, economics, or business administration and / or equivalent experience / training

Preferred

Financial Management

10 years’ experience in financial management leadership role with demonstrated ability to run the day to day of a fiscal management office.

Required

Financial Management

12 years’ experience in financial management leadership role with demonstrated ability to run the day to day of a fiscal management office.

Preferred

Financial Management

5 years’ experience in UC financial management, preferably in UCLA health sciences departments.

Preferred

CPA (Certified Public Accountant)

Preferred

Demonstrated knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

Required

Demonstrated skills in performing advanced accounting and financial management functions, including budget preparation, account reconciliation, financial analysis, financial report preparation, fiscal projection, variance analysis, internal control, compliance audit, fiscal and strategic planning.

Required

Ability to lead, supervise and mentor a mid-size professional staff.

Required

Analytical skills to assess personnel and financial information practices and procedures, define problems, formulate logical solutions, develop alternative solutions, make recommendations, and initiate corrective actions.

Required

Ability to making budgetary assumptions, developing accounting treatments, determining financial trends, creating business breakeven models, and applying technical knowledge in problem solving.

Required

Demonstrate in-depth comprehension of various UCLA financial and payroll systems, database, processes and applications.

Preferred

Solid knowledge and experience in managing various funding categories from State, ICR, clinical operations, compensation plans, gift & endowment, sales & service funds.

Preferred

Working knowledge of UC health sciences faculty compensation plans and salary components. 

Preferred

Ability to serve as the financial advisor for departmental leadership, division/center leadership, faculty members and administrative teams.

Preferred

Demonstrated knowledge of grant and contracts fund management. 

Preferred

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS AND/OR CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Background Check: Continued employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background investigation.

Live Scan Background Check: A Live Scan background check must be completed prior to the start of employment.

Age Requirement: Candidate(s) must be 18 years or older to be eligible to be hired.

LOCATION AND PHYSICAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, MENTAL (PEM) REQUIREMENTS

Environment and Work Location Information

Environment Type:

Non-Clinical Setting

Location Setting:

Campus

Location:

Semel Institute

Standing/Walking

X

Sitting

X

X

Bending/Stooping

X

Squatting/Kneeling

X

Climbing

X

Lifting/Carrying/Push/Pull 0-25 lbs

X

X

Lifting/Carrying/Push/Pull 26-50 lbs

X

Lifting/Carrying/Push/Pull over 50 lbs

X

Physical requirements other

X

Chemicals, dust, gases, or fumes

X

Loud noise levels

X

Marked changes in humidity or temperature

X

Microwave/Radiation

X

Operating motor vehicles and/or equipment

X

Exposures other

X

Sustained attention and concentration

X

X

Complex problem solving/reasoning

X

X

Ability to organize & prioritize

X

X

Communication skills

X

X

Numerical skills

X

X

Mental demands other

X

X

Classification 3:  Position in which exposure to blood, body fluids or tissues is not part of the position description. The normal routine task involves no exposure to blood, body fluids or tissues and the employee can decline to perform tasks which involve a perceived risk without retribution.