Senior Financial Specialist

Department: MCC Biomedical Engg
Salary/Grade: NEX/11

Job Summary:

The Senior Accounting Specialist in the Department of Biomedical Engineering (BME) manages the sponsored (grant) and non-sponsored finances for several BME faculty members. This position also manages the finances for a highly funded research center within the department. The Senior Financial Specialist helps with complex problem solving and provides financial policy interpretation and guidance. Due to the large amount of research performed in the department, this role manages a high volume of transactions including but not limited to lab orders, reimbursements, invoice payments, using and managing a department corporate card, transfer journals, account reconciliations and expense projections.

Accounting policy & procedure

Accounts payable

Accounts receivable

Analysis

Appropriation charges

Balancing

Budget

Cash receipt

Chart &/or account coding

Cost accounting

Creating new accounts

Endowment and gift accounting

Expense reimbursement

Financial Statements

Forecasting

Grants &/or awards

Journal &/or ledger

Procurement card program

Purchase orders

Recharge

Reconciliation

Reporting

Transfer charges

Wire transfers

Please note: Supervisor provides objectives & deadlines. Work is reviewed for fulfillment of objective & deadlines & overall compliance with policy & procedures. EE completes some activities without direction, informing supervisor only of potentially controversial matters, &/or far-reaching implications.

Specific Responsibilities:

Budget:

• Maintains & tracks individual budget accounts.
• Coordinates annual budget process including tasks associated with the open/close processes.
• Updates calendar, spreadsheets, templates & forms; monitors submissions.
• Completes reconciliation procedures.
• Creates summary reports.
• Coordinates &/or provides information for annual salary review process.

Analysis, Statements & Reporting:

• Prepares account, budget, cost, expenditure &/or funds analysis.
• Provides reports to managers/PIs in tracking payment status & notification when balances & activities do not comply with policy, procedures or are inadequately prepared.
• Creates reports & queries; reviews for incomplete records, data entry errors, &/or accounting mistakes.
• May analyze open encumbrances that are no longer valid & recommend appropriate modifications to ensure smooth processing of financial transactions.

Transactions:

• Completes & maintains transactions in enterprise systems.
• Provides review and oversight of all types of financial transactions some of which may be complex in regard to size or duration of account.
• Reviews; ensures approval based on alternatives regarding practice & policy.
• Troubleshoots problems.
• Performs vendor/account research as needed.
• Obtains additional information from or provides instruction & guidance for customers/vendors; corrects or escalates.
• Accesses multiple banking systems to process transactions, retrieve information, &/or initiate wire transfers.
• Provides financial policy interpretation to determine the validity of customer requests & ensure compliance.
• Contacts outside agencies, banks &/or banking systems to obtain clarification of rules &/or regulations.
• Enters information into database.

Grants &/or Awards:

• Provides assistance regarding grant financial administration such as preparing financial information for grant submission.
• Completes post award accounting.
• Sets-up sub-contracts &/or start-up research accounts.
• Modifies grant budgets.
• Closes grants.
• Approves expenditures on travel, consulting &/or equipment, along with various forms, such as Intra Institutional Vouchers, Requests for Accounting Corrections, the Research Assistant and Scholarship Appointments, &/or payroll adjustments, in accordance with granting agency guidelines & University policies & procedures.
• Processes subcontract payments according to rules & regulations of granting agencies.
• Reconciles subcontract payments.
• Verifies payroll funding entries.
• Corrects charges to various accounts.

Administration:

• Provides excellent customer service, over the phone and in person answering standard questions regarding status of requests, policies and procedures for processing transactions, &/or instructions for completing paperwork.
• Instructs & advises regarding options and appropriate courses of action & follows-up inquiries to ensure customer satisfaction.
• Provides administrative support in regard to HR matters such as hiring, onboarding, benefits, compensation, etc.
• Completes other administrative &/or clerical activities such as organizing meetings; reserving AV equipment.
• Coordinates office, lab &/or building repairs & maintenance.
• Maintains inventory.

Training:

• Assists with training of new staff members
• Creates & provides financial training on practice, procedure, policy &/or laws & regulations to customers.

Supervision:

• Supervises or leads temporary, part-time or work study students.
• Provides guidance to junior employees.

Miscellaneous

Performs other duties as assigned.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree
• Three or more years managing grant funding and processing transactions in an academic department

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Proven communication, interpersonal and analytic skills.
• Ability to work under pressure, prioritize and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated competency in financial stewardship.
• Demonstrated ability to perform duties and responsibilities with accuracy and attention to detail and support for organizational policies, as well as the ability to anticipate demands/pressures of assignments and adjust accordingly;
• Ability to take a common sense approach, be proactive and work independently.
• Excellent customer service skills;

Target hiring range for this position will be between $19.89 - $27.97 per hour. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern strongly recommends COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters for people who can obtain them as a critical tool for minimizing severe illness. More information can be found on the COVID-19 and Campus Updates webpage.

The Northwestern campus sits on the traditional homelands of the people of the Council of Three Fires, the Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa as well as the Menominee, Miami and Ho-Chunk nations. We acknowledge and honor the original people of the land upon which Northwestern University stands, and the Native people who remain on this land today.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Click for information on EEO is the Law.

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