Travel & Expense Operation Lead (Accounts Payable Technician IV, Range 1) - San Francisco Bay Region Network

San Francisco State University•San Francisco, CA

11d•Onsite

About The Position

The SFBRN provides back-office administrative and transactional functions to CSUEB, SFSU, and SSU and their auxiliaries through a single, effective, and cost-efficient structure. The Network’s Financial Services unit delivers essential financial and administrative support for the Network community, ensuring timely payments, efficient expense management, and effective sourcing of goods and services. Financial Services collaborates with Network university Presidents, Provosts, and other university leadership to drive financial transformation, foster operational excellence, and enable exceptional outcomes. By streamlining financial operations, Financial Services helps the Network universities focus on their core missions while maintaining appropriate standards of service, compliance, financial integrity, and operational excellence. The Procurement and Accounts Payable team within Financial Services manages the Network’s acquisition of and payment for goods and services, ensuring purchasing and payment activities are conducted efficiently, strategically, and in compliance with applicable requirements. The team oversees requisitions and purchase orders, contracts and supplier relationships, invoice and payment processing, employee and student reimbursements, travel and expense transactions, and University and Auxiliary card programs. Through close collaboration with Network stakeholders, the team supports each university’s operational and financial needs through efficient and compliant procurement, accounts payable, and travel and expense processes. This is a one year probationary position. This is a Full Time (1.0) position. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Reporting to the Director of Travel & Expense and working independently under general supervision, the Travel & Expense Operational Lead performs highly complex and challenging travel and expense work and provides day-to-day technical and operational leadership for Travel & Expense (T&E) activities within the San Francisco Bay Region Network (“SFBRN” or “the Network”). The Travel & Expense Operational Lead provides expert-level guidance and hands-on support for travel requests, expense reports, procurement card transactions, employee and student reimbursements, and related financial transactions for California State University, East Bay (CSUEB), San Francisco State University (SFSU), Sonoma State University (SSU), and their auxiliaries. The position also provides operational oversight of the university card programs, including Procurement (ProCards). Travel Cards, Instant Cards and Ghost Cards and related transaction review and reconciliation activities. The position applies comprehensive knowledge of travel and expense practices, policies, procedures, guidelines, financial recordkeeping requirements, and applicable Network, California State University (CSU), university, state, and federal requirements to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant operations. The position serves as a working lead and subject matter expert, providing technical guidance to T&E staff; training staff and end users; delegating and reviewing work; performing quality control reviews; Concur reporting and scheduling to various departments; and addressing escalated or complex inquiries. This includes providing technical guidance and operational support for university card program activities and ensuring university card transactions are accurately and timely reconciled in accordance with applicable policies, procedures and interval controls. The Travel & Expense Operational Lead independently researches, analyzes, and resolves complex transactional and operational issues requiring interpretation and application of policies, regulations, standards, and guidelines to circumstances that may not have direct prior precedent. The position collaborates with the Director of Travel & Expense and other Financial Services stakeholders to evaluate and improve T&E procedures, internal controls, systems, and service delivery. The Travel & Expense Operational Lead serves as a technical expert on system upgrades, implementations, testing, process enhancements, and other operational initiatives and may develop, revise, and implement T&E procedures, guidelines, training materials, and related documentation.

Requirements

Expert knowledge and understanding of travel and expense practices, principles, policies, procedures, processes, and standards, including comprehensive knowledge of financial recordkeeping principles and internal control practices applicable to travel, expense reimbursement, and procurement card activities.
Expert knowledge and demonstrated skill in interpreting and applying policies, regulations, standards, guidelines, and procedures to challenging and complex travel and expense situations, including circumstances without direct prior precedent.
Demonstrated ability to independently research, analyze, troubleshoot, and resolve highly complex transactional and operational issues, identify alternatives, exercise sound judgment, and determine appropriate courses of action.
Thorough knowledge of applicable CSU, state, and federal requirements related to travel, expense reimbursement, procurement cards, financial recordkeeping, and associated tax and reporting requirements.
Advanced analytical and organizational skills, including the ability to evaluate complex information, identify trends and issues, establish priorities, coordinate competing assignments, and organize work to achieve unit goals and deadlines.
Advanced written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to explain and interpret complex financial processes, policies, regulations, and requirements to diverse audiences and communicate effectively on matters of significance.
Demonstrated ability to lead, train, mentor, delegate work to, and review the work of other employees while fostering accountability, collaboration, consistency, and effective team performance.
Advanced proficiency with travel, expense, procurement card, financial, and ERP systems and relevant software applications, including the ability to troubleshoot system and transactional issues and contribute technical expertise to implementations, upgrades, testing, and process enhancements.
Demonstrated ability to evaluate, develop, document, and improve T&E procedures, workflows, training resources, and internal controls.
Exceptional attention to detail and demonstrated commitment to accuracy, compliance, financial integrity, internal controls, and effective customer service.
Ability to work independently under general supervision, exercise sound judgment, and take appropriate action within established policies and delegated authority.
A combination of education and experience that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for the position. This background typically includes the equivalent of seven years of progressively responsible travel and expense, accounts payable, or closely related financial recordkeeping experience, including experience performing complex transactional work and providing technical guidance, training, or lead support to others.
Must pass a background check.
Position may require travel among Network universities, as needed, to support operational and collaborative needs.
This position may occasionally require work outside standard business hours to address emergencies and critical service needs.
Applicants must be able to provide proof of US Citizenship or authorization to work in the United States, within three business days from their date of hire.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in higher education, multi-campus systems, shared-services environments, or similarly complex public-sector organizations.
Experience serving as a working lead or technical subject matter expert in travel and expense, accounts payable, procurement card administration, or a closely related financial operation.
Experience interpreting and applying complex travel, expense reimbursement, procurement card, tax, and financial policies and regulations.
Experience developing or revising T&E procedures, workflows, training materials, or internal controls.
Experience participating in financial or travel and expense system implementations, upgrades, testing, or business process improvement initiatives.
Advanced knowledge of relevant travel and expense software, financial tools, and enterprise resource planning systems, including Concur or comparable travel and expense management systems.

Responsibilities

Leads and participates in day-to-day T&E operations, including reviewing, verifying, and processing travel requests, travel claims, expense reports, procurement card transactions and all university card programs transactions, employee, student, non-employment reimbursements, refunds, and related financial transactions. Oversees university card programs and transactions and reconciliations. Ensures transactions are accurate, appropriately authorized, properly documented, timely, and compliant with applicable requirements.
Performs highly complex and challenging travel and expense work requiring comprehensive knowledge and interpretation of T&E policies, procedures, guidelines, financial recordkeeping requirements, and applicable Network, CSU, university, state, and federal requirements.
Independently researches, analyzes, and resolves complex transactional issues and exceptions, including disputed or noncompliant expenses, unusual travel circumstances, payment issues, procurement card exceptions, and other escalated matters. Applies and interprets policies, regulations, standards, and guidelines to complex situations, including circumstances without direct prior precedent.
Serves as a technical T&E subject matter expert and provides expert advice and guidance to staff, travelers, cardholders, approvers, campus stakeholders, and other partners regarding appropriate processes and procedures for resolving unique or complex travel and expense matters.
Reviews complex and high-risk transactions to identify errors, inconsistencies, potential compliance issues, and control weaknesses. Determines appropriate corrective action and works with staff and stakeholders to resolve identified issues.
Ensures compliance with Network, CSU, university, state, and federal travel, expense, tax, procurement card, and financial requirements. Maintains high standards for accuracy, timeliness, financial integrity, internal controls, data security, and fraud prevention.
Coordinates and completes activities supporting audits, compliance reviews, tax reporting, and other regulatory requirements, including researching, compiling, reviewing, and validating required T&E records and financial information. Runs and schedules Concur reports for various departments and stakeholders.
Reviews, evaluates, develops, and revises T&E procedures, guidelines, workflows, and internal controls in collaboration with the Director of Travel & Expense and other stakeholders. Recommends and implements improvements to promote consistency, efficiency, compliance, and effective service delivery.
Executes T&E activities for financial system upgrades, implementations, testing, process enhancements, and other operational initiatives. Analyzes impacts to T&E operations; develops and performs testing; identifies, documents, and resolves issues; updates procedures and training materials; and supports implementation and end users.
Identifies and implements opportunities for continuous improvement in T&E processes, systems, controls, and service delivery. Uses operational knowledge, transaction trends, stakeholder feedback, and issue analysis to recommend solutions and improve efficiency and consistency across the Network.
Serves as working lead for T&E staff and coordinates day-to-day workflow by delegating and prioritizing assignments, monitoring workload, reviewing completed work, and providing technical direction and guidance.
Reviews staff work for accuracy, completeness, consistency, timeliness, and compliance with applicable policies, procedures, and standards. Identifies issues and provides guidance on appropriate corrective action.
Serves as the primary technical resource for T&E staff, responding to questions and providing guidance on complex, unusual, or escalated transactions. Elevates matters requiring management action or policy decisions to the Director of Travel & Expense.
Trains and mentors new and existing staff on T&E policies, procedures, systems, standards, and operational practices. Provides ongoing technical guidance and promotes the development of staff knowledge and capabilities.
Develops and delivers training and technical guidance to travelers, cardholders, approvers, and other campus end users regarding T&E policies, procedures, systems, documentation requirements, and compliance responsibilities.
Assists the Director with workload planning, workflow coordination, onboarding, and other activities supporting effective T&E operations.
Fosters an inclusive, collaborative, accountable, and service-oriented work environment aligned with Network values.
Communicates effectively on complex and significant T&E matters with staff, management, travelers, cardholders, campus stakeholders, and other partners. Explains and interprets policies, procedures, regulations, and requirements and uses sound judgment and persuasion to facilitate resolution of challenging issues.
Develops, revises, and maintains T&E procedures, guidelines, training materials, reference resources, and operational documentation to promote consistent practices across the Network.
Promotes knowledge sharing and consistent application of T&E requirements through training, documentation, communication, and ongoing technical guidance.
Maintains regular communication with the Director of Travel & Expense and appropriate Financial Services leaders regarding significant issues, operational risks, escalations, workload considerations, compliance concerns, and process improvement opportunities.
Contributes to promoting equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging across the organization.
Promotes the organization’s core values and consistently integrates innovation, employee fulfillment, teamwork, respect, excellence, integrity, service, and accountability into all aspects of work.
Complies with Network, university, and unit policies and procedures regarding privacy and confidentiality of information, authorized use of Network resources, and security of Network systems and data.
Demonstrates safe work practices for oneself, others, and the work environment.
Performs other related responsibilities as requested and when necessary.