Nancy E. Laird has been appointed as an Associate Dean of the College and Director of Budgets and Finance, according to an e-mail sent to the College staff late last week.

Laird, the current director of budget and financial planning in executive education at the Harvard Kennedy School, will start at the College on March 21.

Faculty of Arts and Sciences spokesperson Jeff Neal wrote in an e-mail that Laird will be filling the shoes of Patricia B. Harrington, who vacated the post in order to serve as director of finance and administration in the office of the University President and Provost.

Laird will be responsible for managing the budget of the College and working closely with D. E. Lorraine Sterritt, the College’s dean for administration, to allocate financial resources, according to Neal.

She will also oversee the work of the College’s financial analysts.

Laird said in an e-mail that she will coordinate with College units such as the Office of Student Life and the Freshman Dean’s Office.

Laird also wrote that she will serve as a liaison to the FAS, which includes the College in its budget.

Coming from the Kennedy School, Laird wrote that, “I was most attracted to the opportunity to work at the College, which is the ‘heart’ of the university.”

Earlier in her career, Laird worked as a senior financial and planning administrator at Harvard Medical School.

Prior to her time at Harvard, Laird held positions in financial planning and budgeting with the State of New York and the New York City Housing Authority.

—Staff writer Stephanie B. Garlock can be reached at sgarlock@college.harvard.edu.                                                             —Staff writer Julie M. Zauzmer can be reached at jzauzmer@college.harvard.edu.