Manager Financial Accounting - Budget

About the job

The Budget Manager supports the financial planning, stewardship, and long-term sustainability of the Houston Methodist Academic and Research Institutes by leading the development, management, and oversight of annual operating and capital budgets. This position is responsible for coordinating budget planning processes, forecasting financial performance, monitoring expenditures, and providing timely financial analysis to support strategic decision-making across the Institutes.

Working closely with research, academic, operational, and executive leadership, the Budget Manager oversees the financial management of faculty recruitment packages, institutional funding commitments, and strategic investment initiatives. The role provides guidance on resource allocation, grant and institutional funding utilization, capital planning, and multi-year financial projections to ensure alignment with organizational priorities and growth objectives.

The Budget Manager develops and maintains financial models, analyzes budget variances and performance trends, and delivers actionable insights that support research administration, academic program expansion, and operational effectiveness. This position collaborates with stakeholders to identify opportunities for process improvement, enhance financial reporting and budgeting tools, support audit and compliance requirements, and promote sound financial management practices. The role also supervises budget staff and helps ensure the financial viability of the Institutes' mission to advance research, education, and innovation..

 FLSA STATUS
Exempt

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION • Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance or related field

EXPERIENCE • Five years of experience in accounting, of which one year must have been in a people management role; for internal employees, four years of experience in accounting with HM performance that demonstrates leadership responsibility

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS
Preferred • CPA - Certified Public Accountant - State Licensure

SKILLS AND ABILITIES • Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations

• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

• Ability to effectively communicate through a variety of channels with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles; engages the recipient(s) and helps them understand and retain the message

• Demonstrates the ability to interact with others in a way that gives them confidence in one’s intentions and those of the organization

• Ability to use appropriate interpersonal styles and techniques to gain acceptance of ideas or plans; modifying one’s own behavior to accommodate tasks, situations and individuals involved

• Demonstrates leadership qualities and critical thinking through self-direction initiative and effective interpersonal skills and oral/written communication skills

• Ability to identify and understand issues, problems and opportunities, comparing data from different sources to draw conclusions; using effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions; taking action that is consistent with available facts, constraints and probable consequences

• Ability to work effectively in a fast paced environment

• Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability in the workplace

• Thorough understanding of the system of internal control and general ledger interfaces and ability to trouble shoot issues

• Strong knowledge of general software applications

• Knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles

• Advanced knowledge of hospital operations and systems

• Strong accuracy, attention to detail and time management skills

• Strong knowledge of general ledger applications

• Proficient in personal computer based spreadsheet and software applications

• Excellent oral and written communication skills and ability to communicate with all levels of the organization

• Strong analytical and research skills

• Strong project management skills

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS • Performs management responsibilities of selection, scheduling, supervision, retention, and evaluation of employees in the department. Provides development and mentoring of staff. Meets or exceeds threshold goal for department turnover. Develops direct reports to perform these same functions.

• Provides fair and consistent leadership and communication to maintain a competent and engaged employee group by conducting regular department meetings to review policies and procedures and operational matters, rounding on all employees, completing performance appraisals, conducting new hire feedback sessions, coaching/corrective counseling, and providing recognition/commendations to achieve desired outcomes. Provides timely guidance and feedback to help others strengthen specific knowledge/skill areas needed to accomplish a task or solve a problem.

• Facilitates and promotes effective team dynamics and teambuilding strategies within and between departments; participates and/or leads and facilitates department process improvements as needed.

• Meets or exceeds threshold goal for department and/or system metrics on employee engagement indicators.

• Participates in meetings with hospital and entity executives and provides input to financial results discussions.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS • Plans and organizes day-to-day department operations, schedule and activities. Sets priorities and functional standards, giving direction to staff as necessary to ensure the best possible delivery of service and high customer/patient satisfaction.

• Drives department service standards and activities to impact department and/or system score for patient/customer-based satisfaction, through role modeling and fostering accountability. Serves and actively participates on various entity committees as a voice for the department.

• Performs one or more of the following as assigned:
• Ensures accurate financial and consolidated financial statements free of audit adjustments.
• Ensures accurate annual budget statement.
• Prepares executive and HM Board actual or budget presentations.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS • Ensures a safe and effective working environment; monitors and/or revises the department safety plan and/or any specific accreditation/regulatory required safety guidelines, including infection control principles. Monitors and confirms staff maintain their required credentials that demonstrate competency per accrediting agency or department guidelines as applicable.

• Uses and optimizes information systems to enhance operations; supports entity-specific performance improvement and data management/analysis functions.

• Employs a proactive approach in the optimization of safe outcomes by monitoring and improving the department workflow, using peer-to-peer accountability, reporting accidents, near misses, and/or adverse events immediately per department protocol and identifying solutions via collaboration. Adopts lean principles in driving process improvements. Role models situational awareness, using teachable moments to improve safety.

• Monitors self and employee compliance with policies, procedures, and System HR Standards of Practice and performs associated actions upon non-compliance (i.e., focal point review requirements, disaster plan, in-services, influenza immunization, wage and hour, standard hours, timely termination submission, timely timecard approval, etc.).

• Ensures accurate balances for monthly and year-end closings through ongoing review and analysis of general ledger accounts.

• Ensures the timely and accurate processing of one or more of the following:
• Capital invoices into the fixed asset subsidiary systems for appropriate useful life, receiving timely notification of completed projects, reviewing the roll forward of property, plant and equipment and ensuring timely payment of advalorem taxes.
• Timely and accurately filing of annual and quarterly tax returns and deposits.
• Leads the coordination and completion of various surveys.

• Researches governmental regulations including Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), IRS, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Health and Human Services (HHS), FEMA rules to resolve complex issues

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS • Assists in the development of department budget and ensures that the department operates in a cost effective manner. Manages/audits department expenses within approved budget parameters, ensuring that the department meets the budgeted/flex revenue and/or expense targets on a monthly and annual basis. Develops staffing plans and schedules to meet department/patient needs that reflect understanding of the importance of cost-effectiveness.

• Implements department strategies to achieve financial target and staffing needs, developing others to do the same, through optimizing productivity, supply/resource efficiency, minimizing incidental overtime and overtime percentage, and other areas according to department specifications.

• Ensures account reconciliations adhere to internal deadlines and monitors internal and external compliance with general ledger closing schedule.

• Updates and reviews interim cash reconciliation procedures and ensures timely clearance of reconciliation items according to policy.

• Supports the coordination of external audits and review of audit schedules to ensure optimal efficiency.

• Performs timely and accurate hospital Medicare cost report filing and serves as subject matter expert of certain Medicare reimbursement area.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS • Identifies and implements innovative solutions for practice or workflow changes to improve department operations or other department-specific measures by leading unit projects and/or other department/system directed/shared governance activities. Supports change initiatives, maintaining effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work responsibilities or environment; adjusts effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements or cultures.

• Proactively evaluates processes; recommends and implements action plan(s) for change; follows through to ensure effective, sustainable change. Participates in the development and implementation of new procedures and the review and revision of existing procedures.

• Identifies opportunities and takes action to build strategic relationships between one’s area and other areas, teams, departments, and units to achieve business goals.

• Seeks opportunities to identify developmental needs of self and staff and takes appropriate action. Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates My Development Plan (MDP) on an on-going basis. Conducts conversations with staff on their development.

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
WORK ATTIRE • Uniform: No

• Scrubs: No

• Business professional: Yes

• Other (department approved): No

ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. Disaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below. • On Call* No

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department** • May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes

• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area Yes
• 
 Work Shift :
• 1 - Day (United States of America)

 Job Category :
• Non-clinical

Houston Methodist is one of the nation’s leading health systems and academic medical centers. The health system consists of eight hospitals: Houston Methodist Hospital, its flagship academic hospital in the Texas Medical Center, seven community hospitals and one long-term acute care hospital throughout the Greater Houston metropolitan area. Houston Methodist also includes a research institute; a comprehensive residency program; international patient services; freestanding comprehensive care clinics, emergency care and imaging centers; and outpatient facilities. Come lead with us!
 Houston Methodist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.