Manager Financial Admin

Northwestern University • Chicago, IL

73d • $78,482 - $98,000

About The Position

Manages a university accounting-related area or program. Manages financial operations &/or analysis in support of area/unit's mission & in coordination with central offices such as HR, Budget, Financial Aid, Facilities, Purchasing, IT, Provost, etc. Reviews a portfolio of multiple schools/depts' financial operations comprised of work that involves some extremely difficult problems &/or decisions. Manages daily, monthly, quarterly and annual financial processes for the area or program. Applies industry and professional standards, interprets university policy and procedure, federal and state laws, granting agency guidelines, and other regulations (as applicable); recommends accounting policy for the university. Represents &/or guides business area on internal & external financial affairs by recommending alternatives & suggestions. Leads and performs all aspects of post-award financial management for sponsored projects.

Requirements

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in a major such as social or health science or related; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.
• Must complete NU's IRB CITI training before interacting with any participants & must re-certify every 3 years.
• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Finance or related field; equivalent combination education and experience where similar knowledge, skills, and abilities may be acquired.
• 5 years financial, budgeting &/or preparing account reconciliations or financial statements along with financial analysis experience.

Nice To Haves

• CFE-Certified Fraud Examiner
• CIA-Certified Internal Auditor
• CISA-Certified Information Systems Auditor
• CPA-Certified Public Accountant

Responsibilities

• Serves a primary role in the development & implementation of annual budget including fiscal resource allocation of appropriated, discretionary, endowment & gift revenues & expenses.
• Manages budget & provides timely, accurate financial status for the current fiscal & future plan.
• Guides units of responsibility through university budgeting and forecasting processes, reviews budget and forecasting submissions.
• Acts a Budget Office expert on units and functions within portfolio of responsibilities.
• Coordinates & completes all associated fiscal year close/open processes.
• Reviews & reconciles actual expenses to budget per NU Audit guidelines.
• Approves funds reallocation within budget as necessary & appropriate.
• Measures individual net performance of all areas/units as well as consolidated area/unit income statement & balance sheet with the use of pre-defined analytical financial tools.
• Recommends changes to tools to improve analysis, forecasting, modeling & reporting & ultimately quality of financial information & analyses provided to management for planning, evaluating & controlling operations.
• Establishes proper accounting & audit trails for revenue & expenses related to programs & initiatives.
• Oversees monthly reconciliation & reports on current financial performance, impact on year-end forecast & opportunities & risks.
• Prepares area or program financial statements and regulatory reports.
• Acts as the key contact for external auditors; prepares financial statement and audit workpapers.
• Prepares sections of the university's annual financial report.
• Performs complex financial account reconciliations, statement analysis, and transaction research.
• Builds, maintains, and updates financial models and associated financial analysis.
• Oversees accurate, efficient and compliant workflow of all transactional processes across areas/units.
• May serve as primary Level III school approver for NU Financial transactions.
• Provides optimal customer service and financial guidance to areas/units.
• Oversees processing of all daily financial transactional activity.
• Reviews exceptions forms and reimbursements that require special attention.
• Requests new chart strings.
• Prepares faculty salary recovery & summer salary.
• Creates & monitors recharge centers.
• Monitors open encumbrances & deficit chart strings; &/or stop an expense that is inappropriate or against deficit chart string.
• Reviews status of related university unit accounts and processes; troubleshoots issues as needed.
• Leads and provides support for internal &/or granting agency audit requests.
• Typically involved in the budget management of numerous research grants.
• Oversees &/or completes pre- & post-award research administration.
• Utilizes established systems (effort reporting, direct cost charging/SDA, & financial reporting) to ensure compliance with all applicable regulations.
• Interacts with Principal Investigators (PIs) to build relationships, transfer knowledge & advise on research policies & procedures.
• Oversees payroll for research appointments.
• Ensures faculty completion of effort certification.
• Provides appropriate training for staff & PIs.
• Monitors commitments and expenditures to ensure compliance with granting agency guidelines.
• Verifies accurate set up of sponsored project accounts.
• Identifies current & future resource planning & allocation issues & develops, leads, & supervises complex studies & analyses that will assist senior staff in reaching resource planning and allocation decisions.
• Processes & presents associated data & information through the application of sophisticated database, graphic & spreadsheet tools.
• Negotiates with vendors for purchases & leases.
• Acts act as project manager for design and implementation of regulatory and system changes.
• Manages operation of a computer system or system processes that support the area or program.
• Ensures that service level goals are met.
• Provides training and support to related university units or program participants.
• Develops and maintains website content and training materials.
• Supervises employees.
• Trains employees.
• Hires employees.
• Evaluates employees' performance.
• Provides work direction to other employees.
• Performed other duties.

Benefits

• Meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans
• Retirement benefits
• Tuition discounts
• Flexible work arrangements
• Programs to help locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care
• Career development resources

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Industry: Educational Services
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree