Summary
Overview
Work History
Skills
OTHER LEADERSHIP ROLES
Languages
Timeline
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Maria (Mary) Tays

Manor,TX

Summary

Hardworking, highly motivated Senior Financial Business Manager in higher education at a private University. Very dependable professional with years of experience supporting senior management. Exceptional ability to execute in a fast paced environment. Possess the highest degree of integrity while maintaining confidentiality. Adaptable to changing situations.

Diligent with strong background in managing business operations and enhancing efficiency. Proven track record of leading teams and implementing process improvements that align with company goals. Demonstrated ability to manage financials and foster collaboration across departments.

Overview

45
45
years of professional experience

Work History

Senior Financial Business Manager

Southern Methodist University
06.2017 - Current
  • Provide oversight and direction as the financial/strategic advisor to the Dean of the Cox School of Business
  • Manage and ensure that the Business School is following the University financial policies and procedures
  • Assist in managing the daily operations of the Business School
  • Monitor and track expenses to ensure the Business School is within budget
  • Collaborate with University leadership to ensure the Business School is on target to reach financial goals
  • Prepare quarterly forecast and monitor monthly; advise leadership if budget targets will be met
  • Oversee and guide in planning and preparing the annual budget and merit process for upcoming year
  • Support human resource activities including job description updates and review, compensation decisions for both faculty and staff, review employment agreements and management of position budgeting
  • Respond to questions from the University Administrative Offices such as the Tax Department, Internal and External Audit and the Controller.
  • Management and monitor of overall purchases for the Business School
  • Handle routine/special reporting needs
  • Work closely with Institution(s) Leadership to ensure they are aware of what they have available to use and what their expected earnings will be for the upcoming year(s)
  • Maintain endowments and ensure that we are spending these funds as requested by our generous donors
  • Work closely with Grad Team to ensure tuition and fee increases will help sustain the raising costs we are seeing with some of these programs
  • Participate in leadership meetings
  • Serve as the Financial Business Manager for Administrative Offices which include the President’s Office, Office of Legal Affairs, Investment Office, Chief Financial Officer and VP for Business and Finance – assists with issues regarding our travel policies, processing all invoices, requesting PO’s when required and preparing their departmental budgets including merit process. Prepare annual specialized reports required for year-end Board of Trustees meetings. Ad hoc reports as required; monitor and review budget throughout the year.
  • Control and maintain position management for the entire University ensuring all positions are fully funded and any new positions are approved during the budget cycle
  • Mentor other financial business managers as well as team members as needed
  • Provide excellent customer services to all levels of administration helping to resolve problems and issues
  • Continue to perform many of the duties listed under the Budget Analyst section as no one was hired into this position when I was promoted

Budget Analyst

Southern Methodist University
06.2003 - 06.2017
  • Leadership for budget preparation, formulation, presentation and execution
  • Develop training tools that are user-friendly
  • Provide training regarding budget procedures
  • Update, maintain and distribute new fiscal year allocations at the beginning of each new budget cycle
  • Develop and distribute merit pool calculations for all staff/faculty
  • Manage and maintain position budgets ensuring there are adequate funds in each position
  • Provide quarterly projections/forecast
  • Throughout the year, evaluate and adjust budgets to adapt to needs determining variances and recommending solutions
  • Prepare and review necessary processes to implement the decisions of the CFO on fiscal activities relating to the University budget
  • Identify opportunities that can help the University (capturing lapse funds on open positions)
  • Prepare ad hoc financial reports
  • Develop, design, produce and maintain reporting tools for our budget system
  • Prepare reliable and specialized reports
  • Prepare monthly/quarterly/annual financial and statistical reports
  • Provide detailed analysis of expense accounts
  • Assist HR in the development of weekly reports on new hires, terminations, replacements, mid-year promotions and temporary employment
  • Serve as the accountant for Summer Conferences
  • Knowledge of the policies and operating procedures of the University
  • Scheduled quarterly meetings with Deans and Senior Management for the Associate Vice President and Budget Director
  • Maintained calendar for Associate Vice President and Budget Director
  • Coordinated all travel arrangements for Budget group

Assistant to the Controller

Southern Methodist University
06.2000 - 06.2003
  • Prepared quarterly Board of Trustees meeting material
  • Assistance to the CFO’s direct reports as needed
  • Prepared, reconciled and maintained Controller’s area budget
  • Provided analytical reports based on our peer universities tuition and fees
  • Managed year-end reports
  • Performed internal audits per Controller’s request
  • Ensured the University was compliant with 1099 requirements
  • Collaborate with several areas of the University in the preparation of the annual tuition, fees, room and board schedule for Board approval
  • Completed year-end surveys
  • Maintained Controller’s calendar
  • Coordinated all travel arrangements for Controller and his direct reports
  • Organized and planned employee relation events such as retreats, award ceremonies and celebrations
  • Developed a quarterly newsletter for Controller’s area
  • Prepared and distributed annual 1099’s
  • Prepared and distributed quarterly 941, 941C Workers Compensation report and several other Tax reports
  • Researched Unclaimed Property and Deferred Income
  • Recorded bond activity and reconciled general ledger accounts to bank statements
  • Managed and maintained documentation related to the purchase of property adjacent to the University that now houses our freshmen sophomore dorms as well as the George Bush Research Center
  • Supervised and trained student workers

Executive Assistant

NCH Corporation
04.1984 - 06.2000
  • Coordinated quarterly and annual meetings with executives which included preparing required documentation, booking conference rooms, requesting AV equipment, taking minutes and coordinating luncheons and after hour events for our executives
  • Provided support during quarterly and annual meetings to executives and board
  • Prepared and distributed minutes from quarterly and annual meetings
  • Prepared timelines associated with follow-up issues and distributed to the appropriate Vice President and/or District Executive
  • Provided support to new executives including familiarizing our new executives with upper management and department heads in the Corporation
  • Scheduled flights, organized and prepared itineraries for our executives attending quarterly review meetings
  • Provided all units with the documentation required to produce new fiscal year budgets
  • Consulted with budget managers to ensure budgets were on target
  • Collaborated with IT and Accounting to confirm budgets were accurately input into the general ledger for the new fiscal year
  • Supervised support staff
  • Held different positions during my tenure with NCH in several departments including - International Accounting, Tax Department, Assistant Controller’s Office, Regulatory Affairs and the Travel Department

Executive Assistant

Laredo National Bank
06.1980 - 04.1984
  • Supervised and trained a team of eight account representatives to enhance performance.
  • Delivered exceptional customer service to VIP clients under guidance of Vice President.

Skills

  • Implementing new software packages
  • Oracle Hyperion budget package
  • IBM Cognos reporting package
  • ImageNow – Perceptive
  • Excellent knowledge of PeopleSoft Financials and Human Resource Modules
  • Concur Expense and Travel management
  • Advanced MS Office suite
  • Knowledge of management principles, concepts and techniques
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Solid analytical and technical skills
  • Problem solver
  • Strong account reconciliation experience
  • Projections/forecasting
  • Budget Development
  • Train and support financial constituents
  • Able to prioritize and handle multiple tasks
  • Work well independently and under pressure
  • Coordinate meetings and major events
  • Presentation skills, graphs, charts, spreadsheets
  • Self-motivator
  • Financial management
  • Customer service
  • Project management
  • Employee management
  • Analytical thinking
  • Documentation and reporting
  • Business development
  • Customer relationship management
  • Decision-making
  • Negotiation
  • Customer relations
  • Issue resolution
  • Client relationship management
  • Team building and leadership
  • Business planning
  • Budget creation
  • Operational oversight
  • Employee motivation
  • Strategic planning
  • Financial administration
  • Cross-functional communication
  • Budget administration
  • Financial oversight

OTHER LEADERSHIP ROLES

  • United Way (serve as treasurer during SMU campaign) 2015 - Present
  • LGC Ministries Treasurer 2009 – Present
  • Somos SMU Treasurer 2024 - Present
  • SMU Staff Association Treasurer 2012-2019

Languages

Spanish
Native or Bilingual

Timeline

Senior Financial Business Manager

Southern Methodist University
06.2017 - Current

Budget Analyst

Southern Methodist University
06.2003 - 06.2017

Assistant to the Controller

Southern Methodist University
06.2000 - 06.2003

Executive Assistant

NCH Corporation
04.1984 - 06.2000

Executive Assistant

Laredo National Bank
06.1980 - 04.1984

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Maria (Mary) Tays