Financial Assistant 2

Job Posting Title: Financial Assistant 2

JOB SUMMARY

As part of the School of Fine Arts (SFA) Financial Services Office, the Financial Assistant 2 will report to the Finance Manager within the Office of the Dean. This position provides fiscal support to the academic departments within the school and is responsible for coordinating and assisting in a variety of fiscal responsibilities including GL processing, budgetary and projection analysis, payroll and procurement processing, travel processing support, ProCard reconciliation, foundation deposits and disbursements, scholarship disbursements, ad hoc analysis and internal and external reporting support. The incumbent will also participate in long range planning activities, including supporting the fiscal planning process, assisting in the development of fiscal policies and procedures and creation and development of financial reports utilizing the University’s data warehouse and reporting services tools. Further, the position will be responsible for assisting with budgetary transactions, which may include monitoring/resolving discrepancies, processing budget adjustments and/or transferring funds/expenses to appropriate accounts within designated timelines. Also, provides backup assistance to the other fiscal staff in the SFA Financial Services Office with respect to procurement, payroll and other ad hoc related procedures as necessary. 

The School of Fine Arts encompasses four academic areas including Art and Art History, Digital Media and Design, the Dramatic Arts, and Music. All of these programs offer degrees at the graduate and undergraduate levels and accommodate a full calendar of performances and exhibits on campus. Our academic programs are supported by the University's exhibiting and performing venues, which include the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry, Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts, William Benton Museum of Art, Contemporary Art Galleries, Connecticut Repertory Theatre, and von der Mehden Recital Hall.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Maintains and monitors financial records and accounts for each academic department including processing of payroll records, purchasing (all aspects, including vendor onboarding), travel, ProCard reconciliation and other disbursements; cash deposits; serves as a resource regarding fiscal matters and in resolving fiscal problems.
2. Assists in the annual preparation of department/unit budgets; acts as a fiscal steward to the approved budget, assists with the decision making related to the appropriateness of requested expenditures.
3. Prepares regular financial statements of condition for each unit or cost center and makes available timely and accurate financial information, including participation in the quarterly projection process, variance analysis to compare actual results to plans/forecasts, and participation in year-end processing procedures.
4. Develops standard set of customized financial reports utilizing the University’s financial database and report writing tool; prepares other reports as appropriate to meet University, State, Federal and Department/Division requirements. May assist in contributing to fiscal sections of surveys, grant and contract proposals and/or provide financial information to fulfill accreditation reporting requirements.
5. May supervise the work of student staff engaged in general accounting and bookkeeping functions; may train student staff and assist in selection.
6. Monitors personnel actions and supervises preparation of necessary paperwork for appointments, leaves, terminations and other personnel actions, assuring proper procedures are followed and information is accurate.
7. Participate as a member of a project team; support new initiatives; cooperate and adapt to changes and processes. Participate in change management strategy through communication and collaboration with others.
8. Contributes to development and maintenance of desk procedures and documentation for area of responsibility. Develop process flow charts to summarize work efforts.
9. Participates in cross training on core functions in work area or unit; serves as a back-up to other departments/units as required.
10. Assists with special projects or assignments, which requires a thorough understanding of fiscal and departmental procedures.
11. Maintains and develops content for SFA Financial Services Office website.
12. Performs other related duties as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance or accounting; and two to three years of experience in financial record keeping, analysis and reporting.
• Sound knowledge of budget preparation and fiscal control methods with a proven ability to maintain financial integrity with large data sets.
• Knowledge of accounting practices and procedures
• Ability to analyze and modify fiscal procedures.
• Ability to work independently and exercise sound judgment.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and other business applications, such as Word or PowerPoint.
• User knowledge and demonstrated experience within a financial ERP system.
• Understanding and ability to apply basic accounting skills and concepts.
• Demonstrated communication skills, including ability to prepare materials for and clearly and effectively communicate information to internal audiences and client groups.
• Basic project management skills and ability to contribute as part of a shared services team.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance or accounting with five to ten years of progressively responsible experience in financial record keeping, budgeting and reporting.
• Experience in working with Kuali Financial Systems, or equivalent ER; PageUp, HuskyBuy
• Previous higher education experience at a large University;
• Experience working in an arts-related field.
• Strong database development, management, report writing and querying skills; experience with InfoAssist/WebFocus reporting tools preferred.
• Familiarity with website software (i.e. WordPress) and content management.

APPOINTMENT TERMS

This is a full-time, 12-month position with an anticipated start date of December 4, 2020.  The main appointment will be at the Storrs campus with temporary remote work available during COVID-19.  Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. 

TO APPLY

Please apply online at https://hr.uconn.edu/jobs, Staff Positions, Search #494757 to upload a resume, cover letter, and contact information for three (3) professional references.

Employment of the successful candidate is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background check. 

This job posting is scheduled to be removed at 11:55 p.m. Eastern time on November 8, 2020. 

All employees are subject to adherence to the State Code of Ethics which may be found at http://www.ct.gov/ethics/site/default.asp.

The University of Connecticut is committed to building and supporting a multicultural and diverse community of students, faculty and staff. The diversity of students, faculty and staff continues to increase, as does the number of honors students, valedictorians and salutatorians who consistently make UConn their top choice. More than 100 research centers and institutes serve the University’s teaching, research, diversity, and outreach missions, leading to UConn’s ranking as one of the nation’s top research universities. UConn’s faculty and staff are the critical link to fostering and expanding our vibrant, multicultural and diverse University community. As an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity employer, UConn encourages applications from women, veterans, people with disabilities and members of traditionally underrepresented populations.