The Financial Administrator in Electrical and Computer Engineering oversees a variety of sponsored and non-sponsored financial functions including managing the ECE financial team, processing payroll funding and appointments, payroll reconciliation, and assisting with the faculty salary planning and effort reporting. In addition, the Financial Administrator is the primary backup to the ECE Business Administrator and approves financial transactions. This role assists the ECE BA in staff hiring, annual budget planning and annual space survey. The ideal candidate will have a strong management and financial background, experience with sponsored funding and a focus on excellent customer service.

• Supports 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 complex problems &/or decisions.

Specific Responsibilities:

Budget:

• Participates in determination of budget including fiscal resource allocation of appropriated, discretionary, endowment &/or gift revenues.
• Prepares analysis & reports.
• Provides account research.
• Assists with budget projects.
• Updates budget estimates & provides commitment tracking support for all financial activity.
• Ensures lead schedules are prepared.
• 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 &/or provides information for the annual salary review process.
• Reviews & reconciles actual expenses to budget per NU Audit guidelines.
• Approves funds reallocation within budget as necessary & appropriate.

Analysis, Statements & Reporting:

• Creates daily, monthly, annual, &/or project end analysis & reports regarding area/unit, grants &/or awards, accounts, funds, payroll, expense &/or revenue allocation, customer service activity, etc.
• Prepares financial analysis and lead schedules for supplies, equipment, &/or personnel decisions.
• Records journal entries and creates reports.
• Performs financial account reconciliations, statement analysis, and transaction research.
• Provides support for annual audit workpapers and quarterly financial statement workpapers.
• Maintains, and updates financial models and analysis.

Transactions:

• Provides review and oversight of all types of financial transactions some of which may be complex in regard to size or duration of account.
• Enters individual &/or summary of transactions into journals &/or general ledger or other NU enterprise system.
• Reviews; ensures approval based on alternatives regarding practice & policy; analyzes and classifies transactions in accordance with established chart or coding of accounts; creates new accounts; prepares, processes, reconciles & provides receipts (as appropriate) for transactions.
• Processes transfer &/or appropriation charges & may balance &/or close accounts.
• Troubleshoots problems; performs vendor/account research as needed; obtains additional information from or provides instruction & guidance for customers/vendors; corrects or escalates.
• Maintains Chart of Account lists.
• Prepares & delivers bank deposits
• Accesses multiple banking systems to process transactions, retrieve information, &/or initiate wire transfers.
• Provides financial policy interpretation to determine the validity of customer requests & ensure compliance.
• Contacts outside agencies, banks &/or banking systems to obtain clarification of rules &/or regulations.
• Controls account availability for all chart strings.
• Provides support for internal &/or granting agency audit requests.
• Reviews status of related university accounts, transactions and processes; troubleshoots issues as needed.

Grants &/or Awards:

• Reviews PI funding status on a monthly basis.
• Works with Dept &/or Research Administrator regarding financial grants management issues.
• Provides data for grant proposals; submits proposals
• Develops &/or administers budgets; coordinates IRB/IACUC, OSR/ASRSP transactions, &/or effort reporting.
• Interacts with faculty, staff &/or funders to build relationships, transfer knowledge, &/or advise on research policies & procedures.
• Monitors commitments and expenditures to ensure compliance with granting agency guidelines.
• Verifies accurate set up of sponsored project accounts.

Administration:

• Processes & presents data & information through the application of database, graphic & spreadsheet software.
• Obtains data by downloading from enterprise systems; develops and runs queries.
• Identifies sources for data & information to be used & completes special financial projects such as (enter in explanation of special projects):
• Performs general office support activities
• Manages operation of or interaction with a computer system or system processes that support the area or program.
• Ensures that area service level goals are met.

Training:

• Provides training and support to related university units or program participants; maintains website and training materials

Supervision:

• Supervises temporary, part-time or work study students
• Provides work direction to others
• Supervises 2 other employees
• Assists with hiring employees
• Serves as backup to department Administrator

Miscellaneous

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 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 accounting, business administration, finance, or related; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.
• 2 years financial, budgeting &/or preparing account reconciliations or financial statements along with financial analysis or other relevant experience.

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life’s challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you’re interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern strongly recommends COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters for people who can obtain them as a critical tool for minimizing severe illness. More information can be found on the COVID-19 and Campus Updates webpage.

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