Fiscal & Contracts Specialist

George Mason University•Fairfax, VA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Fiscal & Contracts Specialist serves as the dedicated programmatic fiscal operations specialist within the Global Education Office’s three-person fiscal and administrative team. The role is responsible for managing a broad spectrum of program-related financial operations, including, but not limited to: account reconciliation, preparing and processing faculty contracts, procurement coordination, and fiscal compliance with university policy. The individual also acts as the primary liaison between GEO and central administrative units such as Purchasing, Accounts Payable, Provost Personnel Management Office, Student Accounts, and General Accounting. This coordination is vital to maintaining timely program payments, accurate student charges, and audit-ready documentation for both domestic and international study abroad programs. This position is open to current employees only. External applicants will not be considered.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in International Education, International Studies, Higher Education Administration, Business, Accounting, Finance, or a closely related field; or the equivalent combination of education and experience;
Typically, a minimum of three (3) years of progressively responsible experience in an International Education or higher education administrative office;
Experience in fiscal processing, financial reconciliation, student billing, contract administration, and vendor payment processing;
Experience interpreting and applying university, state, and federal fiscal policies and internal control standards;
Experience analyzing financial data and identifying discrepancies or compliance risks;
Experience supporting faculty or academic directors with financial documentation, post-trip expense reconciliation, and contract-related processes;
Knowledge of accounting principles, fiscal processing, reconciliation procedures, and internal control standards;
Knowledge of Banner, eVA, Mason Finance Gateway, MicroStrategy, ChromeRiver, TouchNet, and other financial systems used in higher education;
Knowledge of procurement processes and state regulations including vendor registration, purchase requisitions, invoicing standards, and P-card compliance;
Knowledge of contract administration requirements, compensation procedures, and Electronic Personnel Action Forms (EPAFs);
Knowledge of state and institutional policies governing student billing, revenue allocation, and financial recordkeeping;
Knowledge of FERPA and data privacy requirements related to student financial records;
Skill in analyzing financial data, identifying discrepancies, and determining appropriate corrective actions;
Skill in designing, improving, and documenting financial or administrative workflows and processes;
Skill in interpreting and applying complex fiscal policies, regulations, and compliance requirements;
Skill in performing financial reconciliations, preparing journal vouchers, and analyzing discrepancies;
Skill in managing vendor payments, contract documentation, and financial transactions with a high degree of accuracy;
Skill in using Microsoft Excel at an intermediate to advanced level for financial reporting and analysis;
Skill in providing consultative fiscal guidance to faculty and academic directors regarding post-trip expense reporting and documentation requirements;
Skill in organizing work, managing multiple cyclical deadlines, and maintaining audit-ready financial documentation;
Ability to exercise independent judgment when evaluating financial documentation and resolving discrepancies under general supervision;
Ability to support internal and external audit processes through strong documentation, compliance adherence, and internal control awareness;
Ability to maintain strict confidentiality related to fiscal, personnel, and student financial matters;
Ability to collaborate effectively with Purchasing, AP, Student Accounts, Fiscal Services, HR, and other administrative units; and
Ability to work independently in a high-volume financial environment with competing deadlines.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in International Education, Higher Education Administration, Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, or a closely related field;
Graduate-level coursework in budgeting, financial analysis, accounting, or organizational process improvement;
Experience assisting with budget formulation, financial forecasting, variance analysis, and fiscal reporting in a higher education environment;
Experience supporting study abroad or international program operations, including faculty contract processing and program financial reconciliation;
Experience designing, developing, and implementing electronic workflow systems (e.g., Dynamic Forms or similar platforms);
Experience preparing or reviewing Electronic Personnel Action Forms (EPAFs) and coordinating with central HR or personnel management offices;
Experience supporting internal or external financial audits;
Experience working with international vendor payments, wire transfers, and IRS documentation requirements;
Experience serving as a fiscal resource to faculty or academic leaders in a consultative capacity;
Knowledge of international education regulatory and operational cycles (e.g., program budgeting timelines, faculty-led program financial structures);
Knowledge of advanced Excel functions (pivot tables, lookups, financial modeling tools);
Skill in conducting financial variance analysis and presenting findings to leadership;
Skill in documenting and improving financial workflows to increase efficiency and compliance;
Ability to identify emerging fiscal risks and recommend preventive controls;
Ability to contribute meaningfully to budget planning discussions and financial strategy conversations under managerial guidance; and
Ability to adapt quickly to evolving financial systems and regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

Independently interprets and applies Commonwealth of Virginia, university, and GEO fiscal policies to ensure accurate and compliant processing of all vendor payments;
Serves as the primary liaison to Purchasing and Accounts Payable, overseeing vendor registration, purchase requisitions, invoice routing, P-card transactions, reimbursements, and international wire transfers;
Reviews and validates supporting documentation to ensure compliance with state procurement regulations and internal financial controls; and
Exercises independent judgment in resolving vendor payment discrepancies, correcting documentation errors, and ensuring accurate financial processing.
Conducts monthly reconciliations of GEO accounts in Banner, MicroStrategy, and internal systems, ensuring accuracy of revenue, expense, and liability records;
Prepares journal vouchers and account corrections, applying internal control standards and state fiscal regulations to ensure accuracy of the university’s official financial records;
Investigates financial discrepancies, independently determines root causes, and implements corrective actions in collaboration with central finance offices;
Provides financial analysis and supports budget monitoring to assist with forecasting, reporting, and decision-making;
Responsible for processing Labor Distribution/Re-Distribution Requests; and
Provides consultative support to Academic Directors regarding post-program expense reconciliation and financial reporting requirements.
Processes and posts student program charges and adjustments in Banner each semester, ensuring compliance with student financial policies and accurate revenue allocation;
Coordinates with Student Accounts, Financial Aid, and the Registrar to resolve complex billing discrepancies and ensure timely placement of program fees;
Reconciles TouchNet and Banner student payments, refunds, and cancellations, ensuring accurate reporting and alignment with state revenue guidelines; and
Maintains audit-ready documentation of billing activity and prepares summary reports for leadership.
Manages the full lifecycle of faculty contracts for GEO programs, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and adherence to university and state HR and compensation rules;
Coordinates closely with the Provost’s Personnel Management Office and central HR to ensure alignment with academic calendar timelines and compensation structures;
Prepares and submits EPAFs for study abroad instructors, reviewing documentation to ensure compliance with HR requirements, pay structures, and internal control standards; and
Maintains secure, organized digital records of faculty compensation actions for audit, compliance, and reporting purposes.
Supports fiscal operations during peak cycles, audits, and program surges by performing specialized financial tasks requiring interpretation of policy and independent judgment;
Assists with documentation updates, internal control improvements, and coordination with central administrative units;
Performs related financial, compliance, and contract administration duties as needed to support GEO’s operational and regulatory requirements; and
Develops and maintains Dynamic Forms and other digital workflow tools to streamline fiscal and contract processing across GEO programs.