Director of Finance

Illinois Institute of Technology • Chicago, IL, United States • $200k - $250k / year • 1m ago

Under direction, the Director of Finance performs daily processing and tracking of financial, budget and payroll transactions for various College accounts including faculty managed discretionary and research accounts, maintains files and records, reports and documentation related to the transaction activity of the Armour College of Engineering. This person is responsible for general knowledge of all University and College policies and procedures related to finance, budget, payroll processing, hiring etc., and is expected to provide authoritative information to academic department faculty and staff concerning related policies and procedures.

COMMUNICATIONS

Duties are performed in collaboration with other administrators and staff.

Written Communication: forms, letters, special reports.
Verbal Communication: communicate with mostly internal faculty and staff regarding payroll and budget; communicate with students regarding tuition and stipends.
Electronic Communication: internal e-mail correspondence; update budget, payroll and voucher information in databases.

CUSTOMER SERVICE

Provides customer service for internal customers, especially students and faculty.

Special Schedule Requirements

Participation in some College level events is expected.

EEOC Statement

Illinois Institute of Technology is an EEO /AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ ADA / ADEA employer dedicated to building a community of excellence, equity, inclusion and diversity. It is committed to fostering an inclusive environment and actively seeks applications from individuals of all backgrounds and identities regardless of race, color, sex, marital status, religion, national origin, disability, age, unfavorable discharge from the military, status as a protected veteran, sexual orientation including gender identity and expression, order of protection status, and/or genetic information. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

Bachelor’s degree in related field with a minimum of three years (+) professional work experience in accounting, bookkeeping, financial or budget planning, budget oversight, budget administration, business management, and/or related field (preferably in higher education); degree requirements may be substituted with an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Experience with the university’s relevant financial systems (PeopleAdmin-HR, Banner Finance, Cognos).

Experience in a work setting that demands high quality, flexibility, and excellent customer service.

Excellent communication (oral and written), and interpersonal skills as applied to interactions with coworkers, supervisor, faculty, student, etc. sufficient to exchange or convey information and to give and receive work direction.

Excellent computer proficiency including advanced Microsoft Excel skills.

Knowledge & Skills

Superior organization, planning, and account management skills. Demonstrated knowledge of budgeting concepts, policies, and regulations for financial management. Ability to handle and process detail-oriented documentation and meet designated accounting and budget deadlines as required. Knowledge of and experience with Banner Finance System or similar software; Cognos experience a plus. Possess the ability to be flexible, work independently and effectively within a team environment. Good writing skills and excellent oral communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively with individuals at all organizational levels.

SUPERVISION & BUDGET AUTHORITY

No supervisory or budget authority.

Physical Environment and Requirements

Ability to use all normal office equipment and spend 6 – 8 hours per day at the computer. Routine travel between engineering departments and laboratories on the main campus may be necessary.

Certifications and Licenses

List any certifications or licenses that are either required or helpful in performing the job, designating whether required or preferred. N/A

Key Responsibilities

Process budget transfers, cost transfers, payroll reallocation and track their impacts on departmental budgets. Assist the Dean in the development of the College’s Operating and Auxiliary budgets. Review, verify budget and approve reimbursements, check requests, purchase order requisitions and related financial transaction requests from faculty and department staff. Review and approve monthly RAF forms for procurement card statements, reconciliation of research grant procurement cards held by faculty and staff in the six ACE academic departments and programs.
Process payroll forms for undergraduate and graduate students, postdocs and other research personnel under both university and external research grant funding. Process graduate student stipend and tuition payments on both departmental and research accounts including but not limited to collecting graduate student support forms from departments, entering into University’s system for processing graduate financial support.
Work closely with Grants Administrator and principal investigators to administer existing research grants; confers with investigators and Grant Administrator as needed to problem solve issues in the accounts: contact Grants and Contract Accounting and/or Office of Sponsored Research Programs regarding questions and problems.
Monitor financial account transactions for research and discretionary faculty accounts, review and reconcile discrepancies, variances and deficits; ensures expenditures are posted properly. Gather and prepare data and assist in preparation of periodic reports summarizing budget utilization, financial projections, etc. in the six academic departments/programs and at college level. Assist with tracking usage of graduate student support (stipend and tuition) used for analysis and planning.