Michele Beckford, MPA

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Senior Business Manager

Newark

ACK 348

(973) 353-3693

  • Finance

Michele Beckford currently serves as the Senior Business Manager at Rutgers School of Nursing.

Ms. Beckford began her professional career as Budget/Management Analyst for the City of Hollywood, Florida before becoming a Senior Accountant at East Orange General Hospital, New Jersey.  There she assisted in the development of the annual operating budget; prepared budget and financial analysis, cost and variance analysis; financial forecasts and financial trends of various data.

Ms. Beckford began working for UMDNJ-School of Nursing in 2006 and held several roles as Financial Analyst, Budget Analyst and Senior Financial Analyst.  She has monitored grants and grant reporting; analyzed student tuition and student fees data; managed other sources of revenue including gift, endowment and designated funds; managed salary & FTE reporting; and managed finances of now defunct Rutgers Community Health Center. 

Ms. Beckford became Assistant Manager of Finance after the UMDNJ-School of Nursing and Rutgers College of Nursing merged in 2014.  She became instrumental in the merge and quickly learned and operated in three different Financial Systems all at the same time. Responsibilities included assisting CFO in coordinating, managing, reconciling the School of Nursing annual operating budget; analyzed and reviewed financial information and prepared financial statements and reports with variance explanations; assisted in preparation of cost benefit analysis for SN graduate specialty programs; prepared budget and financial analysis, cost and variance review and financial forecasts for various initiatives including renovation projects, program expansion, accreditation requirements and other financial related projects.

In her current role as Senior Business Manager, Ms. Beckford is fully responsible for managing the overall annual budget process. Assist CFO in providing training to finance dept. staff on financial recording and system navigation.  Oversee monthly reconciliation and reporting; review and evaluate expenses and revenue streams across all funds.  Reviews and approves purchase orders, check requests, travel expenses, journal entries, project adjustments and HR transactions including commitment accounting and position budgetary approval.  Prepare and conduct comprehensive cost benefits analysis of SN Programs.

Ms. Beckford holds a bachelor’s of science degree in Public Health from Rutgers University, New Jersey, and a master’s degree of public administration in Finance from Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta, Georgia.

Duties of the Business Manager:

  1. Fully responsible for coordinating, managing, reconciling and submitting the School of Nursing Annual Operating and Strategic Budget as well as Quarterly Projections across all Units and Funds to the University’s Finance Dept.  
  2. Supervise and develop finance department staff. Provide training for University Oracle Financial Management System and Reporting and Enterprise Planning and Budgeting Cloud Service (EPBCS)-the University’s Budget System. Provides financial oversight and internal control on financial and business processes and procedures.     
  3. Review and oversee monthly tuition and fee revenue, monthly salary reconciliation and FTE reporting. Reviews and oversees the management of other funding sources including endowment awards, gifts, scholarship and designated funds to ensure timely recording and disbursement.  
  4. Collaborates with Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) staff to ensure proper recording and reporting of State funded EOF Funds and EOF matching support from the School.
  5. Reviews and approves purchase orders, check requests, travel expenses, journal entries, project adjustments and HR transactions including commitment accounting and position budgetary approval. Interacts and resolves various financial matters and inquires with Purchasing, Accounts Payable and Payroll in relation to funding availability, charge accuracy and other related issues.   
  6. Prepare and conduct comprehensive cost benefits analysis of SN programs; review and evaluate expenses and revenue streams; provide budget and financial forecast analysis for new initiatives including renovation projects, program expansion, accreditation requirements and other financial related projects.