Description:

Business and Finance Specialist and/or Coordinator

College of Education – Administrative Operations: Finance

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

The College of Education Administrative Operations: Finance Team is seeking three qualified candidates for Business and Finance Specialists and/or Coordinators. The Business and Finance Specialists or Coordinators will exercise professional judgement and discretion in performing and coordinating various business functions for the college. These functions include managing college fiscal operations, accounting, budgeting, purchasing, and various reporting functions. They will also ensure relevant campus/college policies are applied in all areas of finance.

The University of Illinois is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer that recruits and hires qualified candidates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability or veteran status. For more information, visit http://go.illinois.edu/EEO.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Accounting & Reconciliation

• Reconcile, prepare and distribute monthly CFOP statements to department heads/chair, administrative unit executives and faculty for all university fund types; including state, ICR, self-supporting, grant, and gift funds.
• Responsible for completing monthly, quarterly, and year-end close accounting activities to ensure timely, complete and accurate financial reporting to unit leadership, staff, and researchers.
• Resolve errors identified during reconciliations, including processing PZAREDS and journal vouchers.
• Review and approve the use of departmental funds for the following items: employee appointment requests, P-Card, i-Buy orders, and travel/expense reimbursements.
• Independently research and resolve problematic purchase, reimbursement, and other transactions. Work with University Payables, Purchasing, or other campus units as necessary to resolve such transactions.
• Monitor department internal financial awards, including Scholars Travel Fund, Research Board Funds, and Conference Travel Grants/Awards.
• Business and Finance Coordinator only: Collaborate with the Director of Budget and Resource Planning to develop and provide financial plans and reports for college activities, including expense reports and forecasts.
• Business and Finance Coordinator only: Assist Director of Budget and Resource Planning with year-end closeout process.
• Business and Finance Coordinator only: Prepare program / study abroad trip budgets for College of Education Office of International Programs.
• Business and Finance Coordinator only: Responsible for collaborating with departments on the oversight of self-supporting funds; including annual analysis of rates and year-end FACTS sheets.

Post-award

• Maintain various financial reports and spreadsheets to effectively manage sponsored project funds.
• Analyze sponsored project budgets and review actual expenditures to ensure allowability, integrity, and accuracy of all financial transactions.
• Request and monitor anticipation accounts, subaward agreements, and no-cost and other contract extensions as necessary.
• Serve as liaison to campus SPA Post-award Office.
• Business and Finance Coordinator only: Assist faculty and principal investigators with the management of their funded research projects and accounts, including preparing financial forecasts as necessary.
• Business and Finance Coordinator only: Monitor investigator and key personnel effort on sponsored projects to ensure effort obligations on sponsored projects are met.
• Business and Finance Coordinator only: Review and approve purchases on sponsored projects, making sure they comply with all relevant policies.
• Business and Finance Coordinator only: Manage the Semi-Annual Grant Confirmation process for departments. Assist faculty in completion of their review and confirmation of sponsored project expenditures by campus deadline.
• Business and Finance Coordinator only: Complete sponsored project closeout reviews and work with SPA to close completed project accounts in a timely manner.
• Business and Finance Coordinator only: Assist with the preparation of materials for audit purposes and in response to audit findings.

Pre-Award

• Business and Finance Coordinator only: Prepare and process state sponsored project annual renewal proposals.
• Business and Finance Coordinator only: Provide backup to BER pre-award team for preparation of complex proposal application packages for appropriate submission systems, including budgets, budget justifications, and other proposal documentation in accordance with sponsor guidelines.

Administrative Functions

• Responsible for completing and submitting Banner CFOPAL maintenance requests, Amazon business accounts and e-gift cards.
• Advise faculty, staff, and students on college, departmental and campus business policies and procedures, including procedures for purchasing, submitting expense reimbursements, business travel, and other related activities.
• Serve as backup to other Business and Financial Specialist(s)/Coordinator(s).
• Participate in the campus research administration community through attendance at Sponsored Program and Research Compliance (SPaRC) meetings.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, management or a field related to position.
• Two (2) years of professional-level accounting, managerial and/or business experience, including one year at an administrative level.
• Business and Finance Coordinator: Two (2) years of University budgetary experience; understanding of accounting process and procedures. Two (2) years of work experience in research administration. Familiarity with university and campus business policies and procedures. Years may run concurrently.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Working knowledge of Banner, iBuy, TEM, P-Card, EDDIE and MS Office Suite.
• Experience in sponsored project administration at the University of Illinois.
• Illinois Certified Research Administrator designation.

Highly qualified candidates will possess the following:

• Exceptional customer service skills.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, including the ability to interact effectively with academic faculty, students, support staff, and visitors.
• Ability to thrive in a team environment and actively contribute to the team’s success.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and meet deadlines with accuracy.
• Ability to plan work with changing priorities and work under pressure.
• Ability to understand written material and extract important points.
• Ability to act with initiative, make independent decisions, and prioritize with minimal direct supervision.
• Business and Finance Coordinator: Strong background in accounting principles and sponsored research pre-and post-award administration.

Salary and Appointment Information

This is a full-time Civil Service Business/Administrative Associate position appointed on a 12-month service basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after the closing date. Salary is commensurate with experience.

To Apply:

Applications must be received by October 5, 2020. Apply for this position using the "Apply for Position" button below. If you have not applied before, you must create your candidate profile at http://jobs.illinois.edu. If you already have a profile, you will be redirected to that existing profile via email notification. To complete the application process:

Step 1) Submit the Staff Vacancy Application.

Step 2) Submit the Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability forms.

Step 3) Upload the following documents:

cover letter

resume (months and years of employment must be included)

academic credentials (unofficial transcripts or copy of diploma may be acceptable) for all degrees attained

names/contact information for three references

In order to be considered as a transfer candidate, you must apply for this position using the “Apply for Position” button below. Applications not submitted through this website will not be considered. For further information about this specific position, contact Danielle Ward at dfarmer@illinois.edu. For questions about the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

The University of Illinois conducts criminal background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer.

"The University of Illinois System requires candidates selected for hire to disclose any documented finding of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment and to authorize inquiries to current and former employers regarding findings of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment. For more information, visit Policy on Consideration of Sexual Misconduct in Prior Employment."

As a qualifying federal contractor, the University of Illinois System uses E-Verify to verify employment eligibility.

College Name or Administrative Unit:College of Education Category:2-Administrative Title:Business and Finance Specialist/Business and Finance Coordinator - College of Education, Business Operations (136421) Open Date:09/21/2020 Close Date:10/05/2020 Organization Name:Education Administrative Operations