The Role
Lead annual and multi-year financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis. Provide strategic financial insights, oversee project/program financials, manage sponsored programs and federal grant compliance, and apply advanced analytics and AI-enabled tools to support leadership decision-making and Board reporting.
Summary Generated by Built In
Looking to take your finance career to the next level?
Our Mission & Values
At Keck Observatory, our work is driven by a shared commitment to advancing scientific discovery while honoring our responsibility to people, place, and community.
Key Responsibilities
Skills, Knowledge & Expertise
About
At the W. M. Keck Observatory, we approach our work with wonder about the mysteries of the universe and with deep respect and care for Maunakea – a mountain revered in Hawaiʻi and unlike any other in the world. For more than three decades, astronomers using Keck Observatory’s twin 10-meter telescopes have vastly expanded our understanding of the cosmos through astonishing findings about our solar system, exoplanets, supermassive black holes, the evolution of the universe, and more. We are dedicated to the values of service and stewardship, while advancing the frontiers of astronomy, sharing our discoveries, and inspiring the imagination of all.
We’re looking for a Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) Manager who wants to do more than just manage budgets—you’ll help shape the future of the Observatory.
In this role, you’ll partner closely with leaders across our organization to connect financial insight with strategy. You’ll help us understand where we are, where we’re going, and how we get there—ensuring our resources are aligned with our mission and long-term goals.
If you enjoy translating complex data into meaningful stories and actionable decisions, this is a chance to make a real impact.
Our Mission & Values
At Keck Observatory, our work is driven by a shared commitment to advancing scientific discovery while honoring our responsibility to people, place, and community.
We are guided by core values rooted in:
- Stewardship – We care for our people, facilities, environment, and community with integrity and long-term responsibility.
- Service – We prioritize collective impact, supporting one another, the global astronomy community, and our local Hawaiʻi community to achieve shared goals.
- Collaboration & Inclusion – We work across disciplines and perspectives to solve complex challenges and advance discovery together.
- Excellence & Safety – We deliver high-quality work while maintaining a strong commitment to operational excellence and safety in everything we do.
- Competitive starting annual compensation ranging from $124,924 to $152,091.
- Generous benefits package, including 4 weeks of annual paid vacation.
- Robust 403(b) retirement plan featuring an 8% employer contribution with a 4% mandatory employee contribution.
- Tuition assistance for dependent children grades K-12 attending private school on Hawai’i Island.
- Comprehensive employer-provided health insurance, with a variety of coverage options available to employees.
- Opportunity to be part of a dedicated team advancing the frontiers of astronomy
Key Responsibilities
- Lead development of the annual operating budget in coordination with senior leadership and department manager.
- Partner with internal planning groups to develop and maintain multi-year (5-year) financial plans aligned with organizational and scientific priorities.
- Oversee financial forecasting and reforecasting processes, including variance analysis and scenario modeling.
- Lead the various instrument, infrastructure and technical project and program financial planning, including budget development and resource allocation analysis.
- Provide financial analysis and strategic insights to support decision-making by senior leadership.
- Partner with the Controller to ensure consistency between financial plans and actual results.
- Administer the Sponsored Programs function, including pre-award and post-award.
- Ensure compliance coordination for federal awards and grants, including alignment with regulations and sponsor requirements.
- Emphasis on the application of advanced analytical tools and AI-enabled technologies to support financial modeling, forecasting, and scenario analysis for strategic decision-making.
- Collaborate with Business Systems to ensure planning and reporting tools support financial analysis needs.
- Support CFO and leadership in Board and committee reporting related to budgets, forecasts, and financial strategy.
Skills, Knowledge & Expertise
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, business, or related field
Experience
- 7–10+ years of experience in financial planning, budgeting, or related roles.
- Experience in complex organizations with multiple funding sources or programs
Skills
- Experience in complex organizations with multiple funding sources or programs
- Effective leadership and team development skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.
- Strong collaboration and communication across functions.
Technical Competencies
- Strong fluency with MS Excel (specifically, advanced formulas, pivot tables, dashboards, and charts), presentation software, and integrated financial systems.
- Advanced financial modeling and analytical skills.
- Strong financial planning and analytical capability.
- Ability to translate financial data into strategic insights.
About
At the W. M. Keck Observatory, we approach our work with wonder about the mysteries of the universe and with deep respect and care for Maunakea – a mountain revered in Hawaiʻi and unlike any other in the world. For more than three decades, astronomers using Keck Observatory’s twin 10-meter telescopes have vastly expanded our understanding of the cosmos through astonishing findings about our solar system, exoplanets, supermassive black holes, the evolution of the universe, and more. We are dedicated to the values of service and stewardship, while advancing the frontiers of astronomy, sharing our discoveries, and inspiring the imagination of all.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, business, or related field
- 7-10+ years of experience in financial planning, budgeting, or related roles
- Experience in complex organizations with multiple funding sources or programs
- Advanced fluency with MS Excel (advanced formulas, pivot tables, dashboards, charts)
- Experience with integrated financial systems and planning/reporting tools
- Advanced financial modeling and analytical skills
- Experience administering sponsored programs (pre-award and post-award) and federal awards/grants compliance
- Effective leadership and team development skills
- Strong collaboration and communication skills and ability to manage multiple priorities
- Familiarity or experience applying AI-enabled technologies and advanced analytical tools to financial modeling and forecasting
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The Company
What We Do
The W. M. Keck Observatory telescopes are among the most scientifically productive on Earth. The two 10-meter optical/infrared telescopes atop Maunakea on the Island of Hawaiʻi feature a suite of advanced instruments including imagers, multi-object spectrographs, high-resolution spectrographs, integral-field spectrometers, and world-leading laser guide star adaptive optics systems. Keck Observatory is a private 501(c) 3 non-profit organization operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation. We wish to recognize and acknowledge the very significant cultural role and reverence that the summit of Maunakea has always had within the Native Hawaiian community. We are most fortunate to have the opportunity to conduct observations from this mountain
