Accountant II

University of Wisconsin Madison • Madison, WI

8d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Department of Mechanical Engineering is a large, research-intensive department with over 55 faculty, 1,800 students, and more than $36M in annual operational and research expenditures. The department is supported by an innovative and collaborative administrative team of 15. Under general supervision of the Academic Department Manager, Accountant II provides financial management and support for the department working closely with Accountant III, four Research Administrators and two Financial Specialists. The Accountant II organizes, prepares, and updates financial statements, monthly and year-end journal entries, accounts, ledgers, and reports for various financial needs within an automated financial system to ensure accurate recording and reporting of financial transactions. The position prepares and analyzes financial data, reports and records, identifies discrepancies, investigates, recommends, and implements solutions as needed. Assists with accounting and reviewing reconciliations, journal entries, schedules, and reports. Provides and prepares budgets and projections based on existing data and established policies and procedures, and answers questions and provides accounting related information to internal and external stakeholders according to established policies and procedures. This position also helps train and support two Financial Specialists.

Requirements

• Extensive professional experience processing invoices, travel payments/ reimbursements, allocating expenses to appropriate funds, using and/or managing an employer credit card and other financial transactions.
• Moderate experience using Excel or other spreadsheet applications (comfortable with basic navigation, data entry, simple functions and formatting)
• Moderate experience in a role responsible for interpreting and adhering to regulatory frameworks, including state statutes and organizational policies.
• Extensive experience providing customer service (internal or external customers) in an administrative setting
• Ability to create, manage, and coordinate financial spreadsheets and reports, projects, and programs.
• Excellent organizational skills, a propensity for detailed accuracy, and the ability to organize and coordinate diverse activities.
• Ability to make a wide variety of decisions, analyzing situations, and exercising good judgment.
• Excellent interpersonal human relations, and oral/written communication skills.
• Excellent customer service and professionalism.
• Courteous, respectful, responsive, cooperative.
• Ability to adapt to and apply new and changing methods, requirements, and priorities.
• Excellent time management skills and ability to work quickly and accurately with strict time deadlines and under pressure.
• Ability to work independently with limited supervision and manage multiple priorities at the same time.
• Interest in working in a cohesive team environment, contribute, and learn with others.
• Eligibility for employment in the United States on or before the effective date of the appointment.

Nice To Haves

• Experience using Workday to process financial transactions and generate reports
• Experience working collaboratively on process improvement initiatives
• Experience supporting non-finance employees and students with financial transactions
• Experience working in a professional position higher education

Responsibilities

• Provides and prepares budgets and projections based on existing data and established policies and procedures
• Assists with accounting and reviewing reconciliations, journal entries, schedules, and reports
• Develops and maintains automated financial systems, recommending controls to ensure system reliability and data integrity
• Prepares and analyzes financial data, reports and records, identifies discrepancies, investigates, recommends, and implements solutions as needed
• Organizes, prepares, and updates financial statements, monthly and year-end journal entries, accounts, ledgers, and reports for various financial needs within an automated financial system to ensure accurate recording and reporting of financial transactions
• Prepares and/or approves financial transactions and payments
• Answers questions and provides accounting related information to internal and external stakeholders according to established policies and procedures

Benefits

• The starting salary for the position is $65,000, but is negotiable based on experience and qualifications.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree