Senior Financial Analyst - 138098

The Senior Financial Analyst reports to the Assistant Director of Finance and Accounting and works in close partnership with the Assistant Dean and the Chief Financial Officer. This senior-level analyst brings a seasoned, professional perspective and a full mastery of UC San Diego's accounting policies, industry best practices, and organizational procedures. The role solves a wide variety of moderate to complex financial challenges-ranging from core-fund accounting to multi-source grant administration-by applying sound judgment, imaginative problem-solving, and rigorous data analysis.

This position is heavily involved in the School of Biological Sciences accounting, audit, and transaction support for core and operations funds within the School Dean's Office and departments. This position is responsible for a wide variety of financial analysis, including: providing accounting, audit, and transaction support; policy development and implementation; automation and process improvement; strategic fiscal planning; grant and program finance; faculty salary administration; recharge and self-supporting facilities oversight; leadership and training; reporting and communication. The Financial Analyst 3 is a pivotal bridge between finance, academic leadership, and research administration. By ensuring accurate accounting, robust policy frameworks, and proactive fiscal planning, the analyst safeguards the School's financial health while enabling faculty and program directors to focus on their core missions.

After thorough research and analysis, the incumbent is responsible for developing, reviewing, presenting, and implementing internal administrative policies and procedures with regard to personnel, programs, financial, and recharge facilities within the scope of accounting, accounting structure, and transactions. This position participates in the automation processes of internal financial accounts payable, AR, and payroll processes. Participates in strategic fiscal planning, analysis, budgeting to provide expert guidance around accounting transactions, structure and functionality. Works with Principal Investigators (PI) and program directors with multiple, complex sources of funding to ensure program goals match available resources to accounting structure and functionality for core and operations funds. Audits and ensures faculty have adequate resources for salary support. This includes continuous assessment of resource requests for personnel, budget, and monetary needs and presenting the recommendations.

The Senior Financial Analyst is responsible for auditing and faculty salary analysis to ensure all faculty salary support, including GCCP plans, are correct for payroll entry. Acts as primary department contact on faculty salary construction utilizing knowledge expertise of the FTE, NSP, FSEP, and NIH cap gap to gain optimal results. Partners with Academic Personnel as appropriate to obtain/confirm approvals, verify faculty eligibility for different programs, and process actions in payroll. In addition, this position monitors and updates salary profiles to reflect the constant changes of funding sources and levels to avoid retro pay activity as much as possible. Conducts complex fiscal analysis involving multiple sources (Federal, State, Unrestricted, etc.) with different salary caps, other research funds and recommend funding distributions in partnership with the Contracts and Grants Manager and fund managers to maximize the use of available funds. Reviews changes for accuracy, and audit pay distributions for correct pay and negotiated pay where applicable, including contingency funds. Provides consultative services and trains department personnel on faculty compensation construction as necessary to ensure availability of funding for all school faculty and staff. Maintain strong knowledge of and comprehension of Negotiated Salary Program (NSP) and serve as the expert in faculty salary issues providing advice, instruction and policy interpretation to Assistant Dean, Faculty, COO, Director and Contracts & Grants Manager and staff.

The Senior Financial Analyst identifies problems early and works with the Assistant Director to resolve. May act in place of the Assistant Director in their absence for accounting and audit related matters. Participates in the School's annual budget preparation, sharing information, problem-solving and developing better business practices. Synthesize data, prepare formal and informal presentations, reports, and statistical analyses using spreadsheets, charts, and other graphical displays that summarize complex concepts in ways that are understandable to various audiences. Generates reports providing history, for present and projected salary data, listing all funding (including contingency funds) and report effort issues of concern. Provide salary projections based on "what if" scenarios. Audit and/or prepare cost transfers where applicable ensuring all supporting documentation is prepared for backup purposes.

This position also provides oversight of accounting, accts payable and AR for self supporting facilities. Utilizing in-depth knowledge of the BioSci billing system, the Financial Analyst 3 manages the recharge billing, reconciliations and tracking of accounts receivables. Analyzes and interprets guidelines on recharge activities, informing executive management and their staff of allowable costs and any restrictions of recharge accounts. Oversees the development and maintenance of all depreciation schedules and equipment maintenance reserve for each facility. Oversees the analysis and maintenance of revenue accounts including differential income to assure accurate transfers of the differential income to the various campus central offices and recharge reserve. Coordinates fiscal closing procedures, ensuring compliance with University and agency requirements and prepare financial close-out reports. Oversee existing recharge facilities for the School with regards to accounting transactions, including billing/AR and purchasing/accounts payable.

The Senior Financial Analyst may perform other duties as assigned.

• Thorough knowledge of finance policies, practices, and systems. Thorough knowledge of general financial policies, practices, and systems. Knowledge of accounting principles, theory and practice, and knowledge and experience in applying fund accounting principles. Experience analyzing and summarizing accounting data, experience producing financial reports. Demonstrated proficiency in the use of business computer applications including word-processing, spreadsheets, databases, electronic mail, presentation software and statistical applications.

• Ability to independently gather required information to organize, and perform financial analysis assignments.

• Proven ability to effectively present information verbally and in writing in a clear and concise manner.

• Proven ability using spreadsheet and database software for complex financial analysis, fiscal management, and financial reports. Skill in analyzing financial and budget data, extracting pertinent data, compiling relevant information in a variety of formats. Strong, demonstrated fiscal/accounting skills. Demonstrated experience with and knowledge of finance, general accounting practices, business management, fund accounting, audit trails, and use of cost-centers.

• Proven interpersonal skills with peers throughout the organization; strong service orientation and critical thinking skills; and attention to detail. Proven ability using organizational skills to multi-task in a high volume environment.

• Ability to adapt to changing priorities. Strong organizational skills, including the demonstrated ability to develop objectives and appropriately set priorities that effectively balance short- and long-term needs while dealing with competing demands and constant requests for changes in priority from various sources.

• Ability to function as a member of a team. Proven leadership skills with the ability to act independently and exercise sound judgment, with the acumen and sensitivity to identify those decisions and activities that require confidentiality and/or higher level consultation.

• Thorough knowledge and understanding of internal control practices and their impact on protecting University resources.

• Ability to independently analyze and prepare complex multi-million dollar budgets, to identify spending patterns, project future expenditures based on available data, identify financial issues, recognize potential impact, and identify creative and alternative solutions by utilizing innovative strategies to identify and recommend solutions within existing program.

• Strategic Planning and Management Capabilities. Ability to think strategically and creatively, to anticipate business and financial trends and to transfer that thinking into School business needs. Budgetary management skills with ability to analyze financial operating data to determine costs, remain within budget and ensure cost-effectiveness.

• Demonstrated experience in projecting salary, benefits & accruals, indirect costs with knowledge of payroll and personnel regulations including the impact of salaries, merits, range adjustments, social security cap and accompanied benefit costs and leaves where applicable.

• Ability to perform and participate in internal audits of procedures to ensure compliance to campus, systemwide, state and federal policies and standards

• Willingness and ability to continually update skills and keep abreast of job related changes in policies, practices, regulations, technology, etc.

• Bachelor's degree in related area such as finance or accounting and/or equivalent experience/training.

If employed by the University of California, you will be required to comply with our Policy on Vaccination Programs, which may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

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The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

For the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy, please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination

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Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts an offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer.

a. "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies governing employee conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, or discrimination, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:

• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
• Abusive Conduct in the Workplace