Business and Finance Specialist

Financial Operations

College of Veterinary Medicine

Job Summary

The Business and Finance Specialist provides critical support to the College by performing day-to-day business service activities and financial transaction processing.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Purchase goods and services using iBuy, purchase order requisitions, and P-card. As needed, consult with Senior Procurement Coordinator for guidance and to ensure compliance with college and university policy.
• Make travel arrangements and related business purchases for faculty, staff, students, and visitors as necessary using the university purchasing (P-Card) or travel card (T-Card) as appropriate. Make carpool and other reservations as appropriate.
• Serve as the primary backup for processing specific financial support or payments to outside organizations, student scholarships and awards, and other payments as necessary through the Departmental Award Web System (DAWS).
• Serve as the primary backup for processing reimbursements for faculty, staff, students, and visitors in accordance with university policies and procedures.
• Act as a delegate for cardholders (P-Card and T-Card), prepare expense reports, reconcile P-Card and T-Card charges for cardholders within the college, and assist cardholders with preparing expense reports and with reconciling transactions according to university policy, procedures, and deadlines.
• Collaborate with the Senior Procurement Coordinator to track receipts required reports, complete payment processing, track standing purchase orders to ensure they reflect realistic dollar amounts for departmental purchasing and budgetary purposes, and track and resolve vendor issues to ensure payment.
• Independently research and resolve problematic purchases, reimbursement, vendor billing and payment, routing vendor invoices, and other transactions.
• Consult with University Payables, Purchasing and Contract Management, and OBFS units to resolve problems with purchase orders, P-Card transactions, T-Card transactions, and accounts payable, following up as needed to ensure purchasing requests and payments are processed successfully and timely.
• Along with other members of the Business Services Center, 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, provide customer service to faculty and staff by answering phone calls, reviewing, and responding to service requests via TeamDynamix (TDX), assisting with UPS and FedEx shipping, and general inquiries.
• Performs other related office duties as assigned or when other staff members are absent, including financial transactions for employee and non-employee reimbursements, vendor and other payments, and submitting purchasing requisitions.

Additional Physical Demands

Normal office Setting. Persons allergic to animal dander, dust, pollen, hay, etc. may experience discomfort in this position.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, management, or a field related to the position.

• Two (2) years of professional business, financial, and/or managerial work experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Working knowledge of Banner, iBuy, Chrome River, EDDIE MyUI-Financials, and Microsoft 365 tools.
• Demonstrated knowledge of OBFS policy and procedures.
• A thorough understating of University of Illinois administrative operations, organizational structure, fund sources, accounting system, policies, and procedures.
• Ability to act with initiative and make independent decisions with minimal direct supervision, decision-making ability and resourcefulness.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills; and strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to work effectively with a broad array of internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong customer service skills. Knowledge of management principles, practices, methods, and techniques.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and meet deadlines with accuracy.
• Experience acquired in a higher education environment, preferably at the University of Illinois.

Appointment Information

This is a 100% full-time Civil Service 5010 - Business/Administrative Associate position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after 5/31/2023. Salary is commensurate with experience.

For more information on Civil Service classifications, please visit the SUCSS web site at https://www.sucss.illinois.gov/pages/classspec/default.aspx.

Application Procedures & Deadline Information

Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (CST) on May 31, 2023. Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. In order to be considered as a transfer candidate, you must apply for this position. Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered. If required by the position, transcripts or other documentation of credentials are to be provided no later than the first day of employment. For further information about this specific position, please contact Vivian Gray vgray@illinois.edu. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, COVID-19 vaccination requirement, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing accessibility@illinois.edu.

Requisition ID: 1017870
Job Category: Administrative
Apply at: https://jobs.illinois.edu