Job Description Library

See CU Denver Salary Grades for specific salary amounts and ranges by grade.

Principal Professional

Career Family: Finance & Accounting Professional Level: Principal Professional
Career Family Job Summary: Can supervise students. No cap on # of students. May supervise no more than one (1) 1.0 FTE. If the position has supervision exceeding one (1) 1.0 FTE the department should be able to provide a clear justification as to why the org. structure cannot support a higher level position
Professional Level Job Summary: Principal Professionals are responsible for exercising discretion, analytical skill, personal accountability and responsibility in a wide range of areas including academic, administrative, managerial and student services functions. Work involves creating, integrating, applying and sharing knowledge directly related to a professional field. Work is performed at an advanced or expert level.� Principal Professionals are either work leads over others or are considered a subject matter expert in a particular area.
Minimum Qualifications:
  • A bachelor’s degree in business administration, business, finance, accounting, payroll, fiscal reporting, fiscal management, financial forecasting, or a directly related field from an accredited institution
  • Three (3) years in business administration, business, finance, accounting, payroll, fiscal reporting, fiscal management, financial forecasting, or a directly related field. 
  • Optional Substitution: Related technical/paraprofessional experience may be substituted for the bachelor’s degree on a year for year basis.
Preferred Qualifications:
  • Master's degree or terminal degree in business administration, business, finance, accounting, payroll, fiscal reporting, fiscal management, financial forecasting, or a directly related field from an accredited institution and additional certifications, licensures, and/or trainings. Professional certifications are often necessary and vary by sector. 
  • Four (4) years in business administration, business, finance, accounting, payroll, fiscal reporting, fiscal management, financial forecasting, or a directly related field
  • Related professional experience as manager, supervisor, work leader, staff authority or project/program administrator
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
  • Ability to communicate effectively, both in writing and orally. 
  • Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees at all levels throughout the institution. 
  • Demonstrate a commitment to providing outstanding customer service skills. 
  • Demonstrate an exceptional understanding of access and engagement with a commitment to developing equitable practices. 
  • Ability to perform duties independently without guidance and direction from other professionals. 
  • Ability to articulate the University's mission and the importance of the strategic plan 
  • Ability to manage ambiguous situations and/or information and translate them into results 
  • Ability to demonstrate exceptional management and leadership qualities
  • Ability to manage multiple projects and tasks simultaneously while maintaining a high attention to detail 
  • Ability to effectively plan and establish program goals and objectives 
  • Demonstrate progressive supervisory qualities.
Supervision Exercised:

Can supervise students. No cap on # of students supervised (should not supervise permanent staff. Temporary staff supervision is rare and should be closely reviewed with justification). 

Note: Since temporary appointments can be at many levels a "temp" SME should not report to a Principal Professional

Salary: Grade 7
FLSA Status: Exempt or Non-Exempt
CMS Login