Job Summary:
The Business Services Office at the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) is looking for a motivated and team-oriented person to join our finance team. This person will provide financial support in the areas of purchasing, travel, expenses, accounting journal entries, accounts receivable, billing, etc. The finance team supports many different departments/units within the division and serves as back-up support for any department/unit in need of temporary assistance. The person who joins this team will function independently, as a member of the CALS finance team, and will work closely with their assigned departments/units.

This position is entrusted with overseeing complex financial transactions, monitoring fund balances, and ensuring compliance with campus and UW Foundation policies, state law, and related rules and regulations. Responsibilities will include transaction processing, employee reimbursement, and other accounting functions. The position will enter, review, and assign funding strings, and approve and advise on a variety of financial transactions. In addition, they will reconcile transactions, maintain financial records including retention, and provide administrative processing support and customer services for faculty and staff. The position will serve as a key point of contact for financial inquiries related to campus policies and procedures while offering support and guidance. The ideal candidate will have strong communication skills, be detail oriented, and exercise sound financial judgement. They will thrive in a collaborative environment, and exercise initiative.

The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) is committed to maintaining and growing a culture that embraces diversity, inclusion, and equity, believing that these values are foundational elements of our excellence and fundamental components of a positive and enriching learning and working environment for all students, faculty, and staff. At CALS, we acknowledge that bias, prejudice, racism, and hate have historically occurred in many forms that cause significant and lasting harm to members of our community. We commit to taking actions each day toward a college that is inclusive and welcoming to all.

Responsibilities:
Primarily reviews, approves, and advises on a variety of complex financial transactions. Reconciles transactions. Maintains financial records, provides administrative processing support, and provides customer service for staff and customers in an assigned program area to support program financial management. Recommends controls and process improvements and troubleshoots complex financial errors. May be a lead or resource for others in the unit.
10% Monitors financial transactions and fund balances and generates and reconciles complex reports and statements in accordance with established rules and regulations
30% Reviews and approves complex transactions and assigns funding codes in accordance with established rules, regulations, and policies
10% Reallocates expenses to appropriate funding strings
10% Drafts communications and reports and maintains organization of varied records to provide administrative support within a specified work unit
20% Answers complex fiscal questions and provides information based on set materials and standards to various audiences
5% Reviews transaction processing internal controls and recommends policies and procedures
5% Serve as a unit liaison to leadership providing financial advice, recommendations, and financial status updates
10% May train staff on financial processes and best practices
Institutional Statement on Diversity:
Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion

Education:
Preferred
Associate's Degree

Qualifications:
Required Qualifications
- Effectively managing a high volume of varied tasks (e.g., organizing, prioritizing, consistently meeting deadlines, managing multiple tasks, etc.)
- Providing customer service to a variety of audiences (e.g., responding to inquiries, providing technical support, transparency, guiding customers through a transaction, follow-up / follow-through, etc.)
- Demonstrating attention to detail (being thorough, accurate, and consistent in completing tasks, etc.)
- Experience working in the area of finance, accounting, or closely related field

Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working with any of the following: procurement, purchasing, travel reimbursements, accounts receivable/billing, tracking and reporting of financial accounts
- Computer skills (e.g., creating correspondence using word processing software, creating and maintaining spreadsheets, utilizing Outlook/similar software to perform email correspondence, participated on virtual platforms such as Zoom or Teams)
- Demonstrated working knowledge of any of the following UW financial systems and tools: PeopleSoft financial and human resources software (UW SFS and HRS), Workday financial and human resources software, Jaegger procurement software (Shop UW+), UW-Madison Journal Entry Tool (JET), UW-Madison Cost Transfer Tool