Financial Specialist II: Office of Budget and Finance - UTK

University of Tennessee • Knoxville, TN

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Division of Finance & Administration/Office of Budget & Finance at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) invites applications for the Financial Specialist II. Reporting to the Director of Accounting and Financial Compliance in the Office of Budget and Finance, the Financial Specialist II provides support for the administrative, analytical, budgetary and accounting functions for the campus. This position manages restricted state appropriations and supports the Facilities Space Survey as well as preparation of the Facilities & Administrative (F&A) Rate Proposal. The Financial Specialist II approves establishment of new expenditure and revenue accounts in compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB), UT policies and procedures, and National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) guidelines and assists in facilitating a successful fiscal year-end closing process.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or directly related field
• 5 years of professional accounting or finance experience, including at least 2 years of higher education experience; emphasis on research compliance and related governmental policies and financial management.
• Highly proficient with DASH accounting system and demonstrated experience in using Microsoft Office products to prepare spreadsheets, databases, and word processing documents.
• Strong planning, organizational and decision-making skills.
• Strong analytical skills related to examining and evaluating data and reporting.
• Financial and project management skills.
• Strong interpersonal, oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to exercise independent judgement on complex financial research programs to make sound, justifiable recommendations to affected stakeholders
• Ability to communicate effectively with internal and external management.
• Knowledge of fund accounting, cost accounting and governmental policies, including GASB, GAAP, Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Uniform Guidance
• Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment-based visa status.

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated experience working with complex financial analysis and reporting of research-intensive areas such as research oriented academic units, research centers and institutes and national laboratory environments is highly desirable.
• Experience with Excel Pivot Tables.
• The Knoxville campus of The University of Tennessee is seeking candidates who have the ability to contribute in meaningful ways to the diversity and intercultural goals of the University.

Responsibilities

• Campus oversight of UTK and UTSI research programs, including UTK and UTSI restricted state appropriations: State of Tennessee's Governor's Chairs program, THEC Centers of Excellence and Chairs of Excellence program. These programs involve unique and diverse budgeting and funding processes depending upon the program and faculty appointment base including shared appointments with ORNL.
• Establish new funds for the research programs that involve complex funding arrangements; approve budgets and monitor expenditures; determine budget redistributions as needed and oversee reporting to stakeholders.
• Assists departments with ORNL Joint Faculty research program, working with ORNL to obtain updated FFY fringe rate and resolve any invoice issues; monitor weekly unpaid ORNL non-sponsored dunning report to ensure invoices are paid timely. Complete annual UT-B independent financial statement audit of non-sponsored outstanding invoices.
• Assists with the annual Facilities Space Survey that requires verification of 22,000+ rooms.
• Monitors Sponsored Project Matching clearing fund 2199999, supporting departments as needed by providing training, assisting with analysis and journal entries to clear after each month-end close. Fund must be zero by FYE to be in compliance with Controller’s Office guidelines.
• Instrumental in the development and preparation of the Facilities and Administrative (F&A) proposal, this position applies research related knowledge to accurately analyze and classify research expenditures across various functions and pools to determine the indirect cost recovery rate applicable to sponsored projects.
• Central support to UT Systems Administration (UTSA) for internal funding programs including Grand Challenge Grants, Wellness Grants, and other UTSA funded internal grants awarded to faculty. Work with departments on budget updates and extensions and provide FYE funding requests to UTSA as needed to distribute funding to College Reserve funds.
• Facilitate year-end close by: reviewing program budgets and expenditures to ensure compliance; updating budgets and processing corrections as needed; monitoring non-sponsored deficit gift funds, research program funds and UTSA internal grants awarded to UTK, coordinating corrections with multiple campus departments; processing funding entries to balance revenue and expenditures; coordinating advances for excess expenditures on continuation funds in the upcoming year; and processing receivable and payable entries on responsible programs.
• Adhere to reporting deadlines and provide training as needed

Benefits

• Generous paid leave , accruing up to 24 days of vacation and 12 days of sick leave annually, plus 14 paid holidays and administrative closing days
• Education benefits for employees and their dependents at UT System campuses
• Retirement and deferred compensation plans, including 401(k), 403(b), etc.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans
• Employee discounts to attractions, services, and goods

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level