Senior Financial Specialist

Summary

VCU Enterprise Marketing and Communications is seeking to hire a senior financial specialist.

As VCU's integrated communications and marketing office, the Division of Enterprise Marketing and Communications is energized by diversity and inclusion and thrives on collaboration and innovation. In our work, we reflect the culture of the university and health system community. We leverage the power of our institutional knowledge to deliver results, foster an equitable and supportive work environment to empower our talent and work hard to tell impactful stories about VCU and VCU Health.

The senior financial specialist position is part of the EMC administration team and reports to the director for strategic initiatives. In this role, the senior financial specialist will provide fiscal and budgetary operations support to multiple units in EMC. This position performs fiscal duties, including procurement functions, vendor management, and Banner Finance journal entries; utilizes purchase cards and associated systems, executes travel preauthorizations and reimbursements, and reconciles multiple indexes with different funding sources. Intentional communication is a critical part of this position.

The role serves as the purchasing trainer for other division purchase cardholders and shares fiscal policy and process updates with various units. This position also certifies monthly reconciliation reports, maintains and provides transactional details, and proactively seeks ways to support the division's day-to-day fiscal needs. Other responsibilities include serving as backup to the other division purchasers and supporting the implementation of new processes.

Essential duties and responsibilities:

• Serve as primary liaison between the Office of Procurement, vendor, and division and ensures timely payments on all purchases.

• Serve as the primary point of contact for division members for questions on fiscal transactions and provide a high level of proactive customer service related to fiscal coordination.

• Create requisitions in RealSource and share PO details with the appropriate division members and vendors.

• Manage the division's memberships and subscription payments.

• Manage EMC check deposits.

• Make and reconcile approved purchasing card transactions.

• Manage encumbrance removals for purchase orders and travel authorizations.

• Execute expense transfers and internal charges in Banner.

• Lead Agency Risk Management and Internal Control Standards ( ARMICS) testing.

• Train day-to-day departmental purchasers.

• Perform daily purchasing duties.

• Provide guidance and training for ChromeRiver transactions.

• Serve as EMC's fixed assets custodian and inventory all fixed assets annually

• Demonstrate a commitment to risk assessment (considering cost, benefit and impact) and risk management.

• Perform monthly reconciliations for all Banner indexes, including payroll, and review with appropriate directors and senior leaders for approval

• Determine and execute appropriate Banner journal entries to appropriately fund operations.

Minimum Hiring Standards:

• Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience

• Experience in an administrative support role, preferably with financial experience

• Experience with accounts payable, corporate purchasing cards, and travel reimbursements

• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail and ability to accurately execute financial transactions and review data

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google Suite applications

• Demonstrated ability to independently problem-solve using sound judgment and professional discretion

• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and cooperatively in a large complex organization and diverse work environment

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills that facilitate collaboration across a wide range of individuals at varying administrative levels within the university

• Ability to work both independently and as a contributing member of a team

• Ability to function well in a complex, fast-paced, multi-task work environment that regularly includes a variety of projects with multiple deadlines

• Ability to respond quickly to requests with a professional and positive demeanor and the desire to create a positive and enthusiastic environment

• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.

Preferred Hiring Standards:

• Accounting experience, including demonstrated management of end-of-month financial reports, and budget reconciliations

• Working knowledge of state and university procurement policies and procedures

• Experience with RealSource and Banner Finance

• Experience with VCU's travel policies

• Experience in a higher education environment

• Intermediate to advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Google Suite.

Please note that this position is on a hybrid schedule.

All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU's generous benefits package that includes: competitive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, Virginia Retirement System (VRS), professional development & certifications, tuition waiver, parental leave, caregiving leave and community service leave. Learn more about VCU's benefits here: https://hr.vcu.edu/careers-at-vcu/why-work-at-vcu/.