Description

POSITION OBJECTIVE

This position requires the Financial Manager to exercise discretion and independent judgment with respect to financial business operations. Working under minimal supervision, the financial manager will provide expertise in account reconciliation, procurement, reimbursements, travel, billing, analyzing variances, forecasting expenses, grants management and trending financial patterns in various departments for Office of the Provost and its departments. The financial manager will advise and manage a systematic approach to review expenses, project/program financial development, review salary and all compensation, prepare reports and analyze the financial position of any department at the request of the management center. The financial manager will oversee a budget area of at least ten departments which report up within the provost¿s area, varying in size and scope. The financial manager will meet with the directors monthly for budget review and planning.  

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Work with the directors of multiple departments to translate their goals and objectives into yearly budgets. Create and maintain a financial tracking system that fosters the analysis of yearly trends. In coordination with the department directors, detect issues or trends with spending, recommend next steps to best utilize financial resources, and implement. Maintain and prepare financial statements, such as quarterly forecasts and other ad-hoc financial reports. Initiate and submit correcting financial entries (journals), identify status of accounts and resolve discrepancies. Evaluate the adequacy of current reports and processes and develop new reports or processes as needed. Exercise oversight for operating, agency, sponsored program, and endowment funding totaling over 144 million in approximately 2,900+ accounts. Ensure the compliance of applicable federal requirements, regulations, resolutions and grant requirements. Conduct financial research, cost analysis and reporting as necessary. Identify inconsistencies in internal control procedures and make recommendations for improvements. Resolve issues in conjunction with the university¿s Offices of Research Administration, Budget, and Controller. (30%)
Serve as Grant Specialist for the Office of the Provost (inclusive of Student Affairs and Financial Aid). Provide expertise working with grants, from proposal submission (including budgeting and document review) to annual reporting and final close-out. Meet with principal investigators on a regular basis to assure compliance with grant terms and conditions and advise on appropriate financial direction. In coordination with other university offices, provide financial reports to granting agencies, donors, or various internal parties. Provide routine or special financial analysis on various accounts or units as necessary. Assist departments in understanding protocol, processing paperwork and coordinating and communicating with appropriate offices (e.g., Research Administration and Grants Accounting). Serve as subject matter expert in the use of Sparta (the university¿s grants management software) and provide training and support to departments. Responsible for effort reporting process. Monitor all sponsored programs under the Office of the Provost. (30%)
Campus Groups and Student Group AGY Financial Management. Provide expertise working with the Campus Groups and Student AGY financial areas. Set up and maintain budgets, financial workflows, logic and access settings within Campus Groups. Manage the processing and recording of Stripe transactions within Campus Groups and PeopleSoft. Review PeopleSoft transactions that relate to Campus Groups and address any issues. Create, manage and update Campus Groups documentation and training materials related to this function and present to department and student group leaders. Provide financial reports to various internal parties as requested, both routine and ad-hoc. Coordinate with staff members who maintain the Campus Groups system. Advise the Director of Finance and other leaders in matters related to Campus Groups financials for possible improvements. (30%)
Advise and train the department administrators and department leaders in budget preparation, purchasing, invoicing, P-Card and D-Card use and reconciliation and budget set up, reconciliation and forecasting. Assure the proper and timely resolution of budgetary issues, including fiscal year-end closing and recommend steps to resolve or prevent year-end deficits. Reconcile financial transactions and investigate any discrepancies, involving department or division leadership as necessary. Review and provide resolutions for issues concerning procurement services, travel, accounts receivable, grants and endowment accounting. (10%) 
 

NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Perform other duties as assigned. (<1%)

CONTACTS

Department: Daily contact with the Director of Finance and the finance team for the provost division. Regular contact with business managers of designated departments to maintain workflow, address concerns and make adjustments.

University: Regular contact with all directors and department finance personnel in all departments under the Office of the Provost to resolve issues or facilitate joint action. Contact with the Controller's Office, the Budget Office, General Accounting, Procurement, Travel, Research Administration and Development to exchange information and address concerns. 

External: Infrequent contact with external constituents for limited work outside the university. 

Students: Occasional contact with students to exchange information.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

This position has no direct supervision of staff. 

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience: 3 to 5 years of experience in budgeting/financial planning and efficient business operations (preferably in a nonprofit setting) required.

Education: Bachelor's degree required, preferably in accounting, finance, or business administration.

REQUIRED SKILLS

Knowledge and understanding of accounting principles and financial analysis. 
Excellent oral and written communication skills. 
Good interpersonal skills: ability to work and communicate with various individuals within various departments within the university and out. 
Ability to interact with colleagues, supervisors and customers face to face.
Ability to meet consistent attendance.
Demonstrated history of successful support, education, and advocacy for all students, aligned with the values, mission, and messaging of the university, while adhering to the staff policy on conflict of commitment and interest. 
Good organization skills: ability to multi-task, prioritize and give attention to detail in order to complete tasks and meet deadlines. Ability to follow protocols, budget time effectively and work on several projects simultaneously.
Ability to work effectively independently and within a team.
Must be highly motivated.
Ability to work in a fast-paced, changing environment and conform to shifting priorities, demands and timeline. Must be flexible in order to respond to project adjustments and alterations promptly and efficiently. Must be able to adapt to varying workloads and respond appropriately to stressful situations.
Ability to use advanced Excel applications to create efficient financial models and procedures for budgets, forecasting, reconciliation and for programs/events within the divisions. Intermediate to advanced knowledge and skills with Word and PowerPoint. 
Proven problem-solving skills.
High integrity and strong professional standards. Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive information.
Knowledge of and experience with financial software (PeopleSoft Financials preferred).
 

WORKING CONDITIONS

Typical office environment. The employee will perform repetitive motion using computer mouse and keyboard to type. The employee will be required to walk outdoors to visit various departments on campus. 

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience: 3 to 5 years of experience in budgeting/financial planning and efficient business operations (preferably in a nonprofit setting) required.

Education: Bachelor's degree required, preferably in accounting, finance, or business administration.