Spanish)

NEIU•Chicago, IL

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Under the direction of the Executive Director of the TRIO Student Support Services Access, Achieve and Teacher Preparation grant projects, the Financial Analyst/Planner Specialist coordinates data management, assessment, reporting, compliance, and administrative operations. The position serves as the department’s primary coordinator for student data systems, federal reporting, program evaluation, institutional assessment, grant compliance, and operational support. It develops and maintains data collection systems for federal reporting, institutional decision-making, continuous quality improvement, and strategic planning, in collaboration with Institutional Research and campus partners. Full professional proficiency in written and spoken English and Spanish, including reading, is required. The position monitors and analyzes budgets and expenditures across three federally funded TRIO Student Support Services grant projects; maintains financial records; prepares budget reports, analyses, projections, and forecasts; and supports budget adjustments and reconciliations. It also maintains audit-ready documentation and supports grant reporting, compliance, audits, monitoring visits, continuation applications, and renewals. The role oversees standardized processes for collecting, validating, reconciling, and reporting program data; analyzes student and program outcomes; and produces reports, dashboards, and data summaries. It coordinates financial and administrative operations, purchasing, inventory records, student intake and participant records, enrollment monitoring, and communications and outreach. The position also coordinates office operations and supervises student employees supporting departmental administrative functions. This is an in-office position at Northeastern Illinois University’s Main Campus in Chicago and is not eligible for remote work. The posted salary is $60,232.28. Applicants must be legally authorized to work for any U.S. employer; visa sponsorship is not available. A background check is required.

Requirements

Any combination totaling four years (48 months) of qualifying college coursework in a related field and/or work experience developing financial or economic analyses, research designs, strategic plans, or data models. Coursework credit is defined in the posting: 30 semester hours equals 12 months; an associate degree equals 18 months; 90 semester hours equals 24 months; a bachelor’s degree equals 36 months; and a master’s degree equals 48 months.
One year (12 months) of professional-level, progressively responsible financial work experience.
Full professional proficiency in English and Spanish, including written and verbal communication and reading.
Ability to manage financial and program records accurately and maintain audit-ready documentation.
Ability to collect, validate, reconcile, analyze, and report data.
Strong organizational and project-management skills, including managing multiple priorities and meeting deadlines.
Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
Ability to collaborate with university offices and stakeholders.
Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, identify problems, recommend solutions, and maintain effective working relationships in a deadline-driven environment.
Legal authorization to work for any employer in the United States; the position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.
Ability to complete a required background check.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, economics, statistics, data analytics, public administration, higher education administration, or a closely related field.
Experience with federally funded grant programs, preferably U.S. Department of Education TRIO or other higher education grant-funded programs.
Knowledge of federal grant administration, fiscal compliance, and reporting requirements, including audit and monitoring documentation, continuation applications, and federal or institutional reviews.
Experience in budget management, financial analysis, reconciliation, and forecasting, including expenditure monitoring, discrepancy identification, spending-trend analysis, projections, and budget adjustments.
Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel or comparable spreadsheet or data-analysis software, including organizing large datasets, performing calculations and analyses, and developing reports and dashboards.
Experience developing reports, dashboards, and data visualizations to monitor performance indicators, program outcomes, financial activity, and organizational goals.
Experience with student information, financial management, database, or grant-management systems.
Knowledge of assessment and program evaluation practices and ability to analyze performance, identify trends, and assess progress toward objectives.
Experience preparing or supporting federal, state, institutional, or grant-related reports, preferably U.S. Department of Education Annual Performance Reports or similar reports.
Strong attention to detail and experience maintaining complete, accurate financial and program records.
Experience collaborating with university offices such as Institutional Research, Grants Accounting, Finance, Procurement, Human Resources, and Student Affairs.
Experience developing, documenting, and improving administrative processes involving financial transactions, student records, data collection, reporting, or compliance.
Commitment to serving diverse student populations and working effectively in a Hispanic-Serving Institution and Minority-Serving Institution environment.
Experience coordinating or supervising student employees.

Responsibilities

Monitor and analyze budgets and expenditures for three federally funded TRIO Student Support Services grant projects.
Maintain financial records for expenditures, purchases, payroll, invoices, commitments, and available balances.
Prepare routine budget reports and financial analyses for the Executive Director.
Review financial data for discrepancies, spending trends, potential cost savings, and operational efficiencies.
Reconcile departmental records with university financial systems and coordinate the resolution of discrepancies.
Develop budget projections and expenditure forecasts, analyze program needs, and assist with budget amendments, reallocations, and revisions.
Monitor grant expenditures for compliance with university, state, federal, and U.S. Department of Education requirements and approved budgets.
Maintain financial and supporting records for grant reporting, audits, monitoring activities, continuation applications, and reviews.
Assist with financial portions of grant reports, Annual Performance Reports, continuation reports, grant renewals, and other required submissions.
Serve as a liaison with university financial and grants offices on budget monitoring, reconciliation, documentation, and fiscal processes.
Develop and maintain standardized procedures for collecting, validating, reconciling, and reporting program data.
Oversee the transition of student records and related tasks to a more streamlined process.
Produce dashboards and reports on retention, persistence, GPA, graduation, FAFSA completion, and post-graduation outcomes.
Analyze enrollment, retention, persistence, academic standing, graduation, FAFSA completion, service participation, and other grant performance indicators.
Conduct periodic data audits and coordinate corrections to missing, inconsistent, or inaccurate information.
Collaborate with Institutional Research and campus offices to obtain and reconcile data for federal reporting, assessment, and program evaluation.
Compile and analyze financial, participation, and outcome data to support assessment and evaluation of program performance and progress toward grant objectives.
Support preparation for U.S. Department of Education monitoring visits, institutional audits, and other grant compliance activities.
Coordinate purchasing, procurement, travel, contractual services, memberships, and other grant-funded administrative processes.
Track purchasing and financial documentation and maintain records supporting departmental expenditures.
Coordinate inventory records for grant-funded equipment and supplies and assist with documentation and reconciliation.
Provide TRIO SSS staff with guidance on financial procedures, documentation requirements, and purchasing processes.
Coordinate assigned office operations and supervise student employees supporting administrative functions.
Coordinate and monitor the electronic student application and intake process for the three TRIO Student Support Services programs.
Maintain electronic participant records and assist with verification of application and eligibility documentation.
Monitor program enrollment and provide reports to help leadership meet federally funded participant targets.
Coordinate applicant information and interview scheduling as needed and ensure participant information is accurately recorded in departmental systems.
Provide additional financial, data, records-management, and operational support related to departmental functions.
Coordinate newsletters, website updates, recruitment campaigns, promotional materials, and social media communications.
Communicate and conduct visits with stakeholders through departmental communications.
Use English and Spanish to support the TRIO SSS student population and university community.