Department: Temp Center
Salary/Grade: TMP/01

Position: Temporary Financial Assistant
Hours: This is a full-time position (37.5 hours per week/ 8:30am-5pm /1-day WFH)
Pay: $21.00 per hour
Campus: Chicago
Approximate start date: 4/22/2024
Approximate end date: 10/1/2024

Northwestern University is seeking a temporary full-time Financial Assistant for the Chicago campus.

Temporary Job Description:

Provides day-to-day financial & accounting support using an advanced knowledge of applicable skills, methods & practices & some innovation, analysis, & reasoning to choose appropriate alternatives from among pre-defined policies & procedures to complete work that includes successive steps & involves some non-routine problems &/or decisions. Applies industry and professional standards, university policy and procedure, federal and state laws and other regulations. Provides administrative &/or clerical support.

The NITMB is led by Northwestern University and the University of Chicago. The mission of the NITMB is to create a ground-breaking hub of interdisciplinary research, with mathematical research that advances our knowledge of biology, and biology research that catalyzes new mathematics. NITMB will realize this vision via an innovative research program involving 80 faculty from Northwestern University and the University of Chicago. The research done by NITMB will support advances in areas as diverse as the environment, medicine, and technology development. Geographically co-located NITMB members share space in downtown Chicago at the John Hancock center. NITMB will engage in a broad array of education, workforce development, and broadening participation activities that will include diverse communities. Its education initiatives will reach students from the K-12 level. NITMB will also develop training for undergraduates, graduates, and post-baccalaureate students and teachers with community partners in a highly diverse city. A wide variety of scientific long programs, workshops, and conferences will enhance international collaboration between mathematics and biology and ensure that the scientific outcomes of the NITMB's research impact wide-ranging sectors of basic and applied research.

• Accounts payable
• Accounts receivable
• Balancing
• Cost accounting
• Expense reimbursement
• Financial StatementsGrants &/or awards
• Journal &/or ledger
• Purchase orders
• Reconciliation
• Reporting
• Transfer charges

Please note: 4 days in person, 1 day remote. 8:30a - 5:00p Chicago campus. Will interact with department customers daily, in person and online.

Budget

• Completes reconciliation procedures
• Analysis, Statements & Reporting:
• Provides reports to managers/PIs in tracking payment status & notification when balances & activities do not comply with policy, procedures or are inadequately prepared.
• Creates reports & queries; reviews for incomplete records, data entry errors, &/or accounting mistakes.
• May analyze open encumbrances that are no longer valid & recommend appropriate modifications to ensure smooth processing of financial transactions.

Transactions:

• Completes & maintains transactions in enterprise systems.
• Provides review and oversight of all types of financial transactions some of which may be complex in regard to size or duration of account.
• Reviews; ensures approval based on alternatives regarding practice & policy.
• Troubleshoots problems.
• Performs vendor/account research as needed.
• Obtains additional information from or provides instruction & guidance for customers/vendors; corrects or escalates.
• Provides financial policy interpretation to determine the validity of customer requests & ensure compliance.
• Enters information into database.

Grants &/or Awards

• Corrects charges to various accounts.

Administration:

• Provides excellent customer service, over the phone and in person answering standard questions regarding status of requests, policies and procedures for processing transactions, &/or instructions for completing paperwork.
• Instructs & advises regarding options and appropriate courses of action & follows-up inquiries to ensure customer satisfaction.
• Completes other administrative &/or clerical activities such as organizing meetings;

Other duties as assigned

Qualifications Required:

• Bachelor's degree or the equivalent.
• 3 years accounting &/or bookkeeping or other relevant experience.
• Excellent computer skills including proficiency in the use of spreadsheet, database and word processing software.
• Familiarity with financial reporting.
• Bachelor's degree or the equivalent.
• Familiarity with grants management.
• Familiarity with academic environment.
• Excellent customer service.
• Ability to work quickly and effectively.
• High attention to detail.

Northwestern University seeks to employ a varied and diverse range of dynamic people who understand the importance of our mission and vision. When you consider a temporary opportunity at Northwestern University, you know that you are joining an institution with a deep history of academic, professional and personal development.

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 webpage.

The Northwestern campus sits on the traditional homelands of the people of the Council of Three Fires, the Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa as well as the Menominee, Miami and Ho-Chunk nations. We acknowledge and honor the original people of the land upon which Northwestern University stands, and the Native people who remain on this land today.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Click for information on EEO is the Law.