University of Wisconsin - Madison

Position Vacancy ID: 50172
Title: FINANCIAL SPEC 3

 

POSITION DESCRIPTION Position No.Cert/Reclass Request No.Agency No.
EFFECTIVE DATE
5/5/2004
2850050172
285
NAME OF EMPLOYEE DEPARTMENT, UNIT, WORK ADDRESS
AMY ANDERSON-SCHWEPPE
L&S/UW SURVEY CENTER/LEAD SVCS
UNIVERSITY AVE 1900
1900 UNIV AV
 
CLASSIFICATION TITLE OF POSITION
FINANCIAL SPEC 3
CLASS TITLE OPTION NAME & CLASS OF FORMER INCUMBENT
 
AGENCY WORKING TITLE OF POSITION NAME & CLASS OF EMPLOYEES PERFORMING SIMILAR DUTIES
FINANCIAL SPEC 3
NAME AND CLASS OF FIRST-LINE SUPERVISOR
Julie Foertsch - Associate Director LEAD Center Services
DOES THE POSITION SUPERVISE SUBORDINATE EMPLOYEES IN THE PERMANENT POSITION? YES ___ NO ___
IF YES, COMPLETE AND ATTACH A SUPERVISORY POSITION ANALYSIS FORM
POSITION_SUMMARY - PLEASE DESCRIBE BELOW THE MAJOR GOALS OF THIS POSITION:
(See Attached)
DESCRIBE THE GOALS AND WORKER ACTIVITIES OF THIS POSITION (Please see sample format and instructions)
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 GOALS: Describe the major achievemants, outputs, or results. List them in descending order of importance.
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 WORKER ACTIVITIES: Under each goal, list the work activities performed to meet that goal.
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 Time%: Include for goals and major work activities.
TIME% GOAL AND WORKER ACTIVITIES(Continue on attached sheets)
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(See Attached)
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SUPERVISORY SECTION
a. The supervision, direction and review given to the work of this position is:
b. The statements and time estimates above and on attachments accurately describe the work
assigned to the position. (Please initial and date attachments)
Signature of first-line supervisor____________________________________________________Date_______________
EMPLOYEE SECTION
I have read and understand that the statements and time estimates above and on attachments are a description
of the functions assigned my position. (Please initial and date attachments)
Signature of employee_____________________________________________________________Date_______________
Signature of Personnel Manager____________________________________________________Date_______________
P-File Department of Employment Relations EmployeeDepartment File Cert Request Copy

 

Position Summary

The financial Specialist 3's duties involve administration of the LEAD Center's day to day financial activities, Including federal grants and internal and external contracts, purchasing and reimbursements, and assisting with personnel matters. The position, working with Research and Sponsored Programs and the College of Letters and Sciences, is also the Center's point of contact with the University's grants' administration system. In addition, the incumbent represents the Center in personal contacts with the Accounting Services at the college and university levels, with UW Purchasing, Accounts Payable, Payroll and Benefits, Inventory Control, internal and external vendors, and individuals outside the university like funding agency personnel, external vendors, travel agents, etc.

The position is integrally involved with the financial-related responsibilities associated with the Center's research mission. The LEAD Center had a $1M budget and 14 staff in 2002-03, but currently is building back up to those levels after a switch in colleges and loss of staff. The position reports directly to the Center director and assists in preparing the Center's operational budget, as well as monitoring expenditures of individual contracts and grants in order to maintain the integrity of their budgets. The position audits university records against Center records and identifies and resolves errors and discrepancies and initiates corrective actions; creates budget reports and projections as requested by the Center Director, Dean, and principal investigators; develops and maintains a computerized record system for documenting the grant and contract funding that makes up 100% of LEAD's budget; coordinates the issuance of purchase requisitions and travel reimbursements; handles all deposits of funds; resolves problems relative to Center fiscal matters; compiles data for various reports and projects; and designs and implements operational and procedural changes.

 

Goals and Worker Activities

A.35%Financial Management - Reconciliation and Reporting
1.Create, develop and maintain a computer-based budgeting and accounting system for the LEAD Center.
2.Analyze accounts and reconcile to the monthly control ledgers. Identify and resolve discrepancies in a timely manner, working with the appropriate campus offices (UW Accounting Services, Research and Sponsored Programs, L&S Dean's office, etc). Monitor transactions charged to funds (salaries, fringe benefits, overhead, travel, supplies, computing, equipment, maintenance agreements, etc.) and resolve all accounting problems initiating non-salary transfers when appropriate.
3.Develop, prepare, and provide monthly accounting reports and statements to the Center Director and to the University as required; maintain financial records.
4.Provide data for and assist in the preparation of grant proposal budgets.
5.Monitor and audit all financial transactions. Ensure expenditures and changes to budgets are in compliance with university, state, and granting agency guidelines and regulations.
6.Assist in the development of long-range multi-year budget and planning activities. Compile and categorize previous fiscal years' expenses, review and plan for projected technology and capital expenditures, compare previous year's expenses with budget projections, and circulate drafts of each project's operational budget for staff to review.
7.Meet with auditor(s) to explain, justify, and furnish documentation regarding expenditures in connection with grant activity, 101 expenditures, etc.
   
B.30%Administration and Compliance Management of Grants, contracts and Subcontracts.
1.Work with project directors to develop grant proposal budgets, taking into consideration salaries, fringe benefits, tuition remission, and overhead in addition to administrative costs. Complete all information on the standard budget spreadsheet in order to produce a budget in the required format for submission to the grant sponsor.
2.Verify that budgets are fiscally accurate and comply with general University and customized funding agency regulations such as applicable direct and indirect costs, subcontracts, travel, and fringe benefits rates.
3.Prepare funding agency proposal forms as appropriate, i.e. transmittal form, cover sheet, certification page, current and pending support forms, etc. Obtain required signatures and ensure timely submission through appropriate University channels right through to the submission to the funding agency. Track submitted grant proposals through the University system.
4.Monitor the status of proposal submissions, including budget vevision, until the proposals are awarded, rejected, or withdrawn.
5.Create and implement procedures to track each grant award from submission to termination. This includes proper management of a computerized accounting system, reconciling University budget control sheets against the Center's accounting system, accessing WISDM records to procure information on current expenditures and day-to-day balances. Maintain a department database from which monthly reports are generated for project directors. Verify budget transfers and direct charges with University control sheets and verify that entries are complete and accurate and request necessary documentation when appropriate. Initiate corective action when necessary.
6.Act as liaison between Research & Sponsored Programs (RSP) and extramural agencies to create grant subcontracts whereby a project director is subcontracted to provide evaluation as part of an extramural institution's grant. This involves working closely with both RSP to ensure that University requirements for contracts are met and with the extramural agency to obtain appropriate contract signatures. It may also involve modifying the grant budget documents to reflect any chages or additions and providing RSP with any required supporting documentation and requisitions for payment. The incumbent is responsible for this entire process with minimal oversight from the researcher.
7.Develop and maintain networks with the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, the UW Graduate School, and funding agencies for the purpose of interpreting grant terms and assuring compliance with university and/or funding agency policies and procedures.
8.Prepare detailed monthly statements of all transactions on the grant, i.e. transfers, blanket order spending, pruchase requisitions, campus direct charges and hourly salaries. Audit grant expenditures to determine whether they conform to granting agency budget requirements.
9.Forecast expenditures in a variety of ways to maximize use of funds and eliminate overdraft spending. Advise project directors of ending balances and strategies to zero-out grants in preparation for closing.
10.Work with Research and Sponsored Programs to close out all accounts, insuring proper reports have been provided to the granting agency and all transactions are accurate.
11.Oversee the spending of the UW Hilldate Foundation gift account. Be responsible for processing budgetary transfers into Center accounts.
12.Remain knowledgeable of current policies and procedures governing the many varied granting agencies and University accounting processes, travel regulations, and purchasing regulations/contracts, to insure funds are expended in the appropriate budget category. Guide Center personnel in policy matters. Initiate any new accounting practices as needed to conform to new aor revised requirements for granting agencies and/or the University. This involves a range of extramural and intramural funding resources.
13.Participate in Letters and Sciences' Research Administrators Group monthly meetings
14.Maintain records and files of all Center financial, administrative, and budgetary activity.
   
C.20%Requisitions and Pruchasing
1.Coordinate capital equipment requests and arrange for purchase of approved equipment.
2.Prepare and process blanket orders, specific internal and external requisitions to various vendors for purchase of supplies, services, materials, and equipment. Monitor purchase orders and adjust accordingly.
3.Utilize knowledge of class codes, bid process, capital equipment purchases, required authorizations, etc. in the processing of requisitions.
4.Trace requisitions utilizing WISDM transactions.
5.Review and audit purchase orders, packing slips, invoices and other documentation for accuracy; resolve problems accordingly.
6.Act as liaison with University vendors. Resolve disputes with vendors so payments to vendors are timely while maintaining accuracy.
7.Maintain files of blanket orders and requisitions so that expenses can be efficiently researched.
8.Investigate and analyze vendor inquiries regarding payment status discrepancies.
9.Audit claims for adjustments to previous payments determine an appropriate action and negotiate a settlement.
   
D.5%Travel Expense Reports (TERs)
1.Interpret, counsel, and advise staff on University and State travel policies, procedures, and regulations.
2.Prepare and process (on a backup basis) TERs for staff and guests ensuring all expenses are allowable. Omit disallowed expenses and work with staff to document potentially questionable expenses.
3.Maintain records of travel and reimbursed expenses.
   
E.5%Salary Transfers and Miscellaneous Personnel.
1.Initiate and process salary transfers.
2.Coordinate salary allocations across Center accounts. Prepare Center staffing charts allocating each staff member's time to the appropriate project accounts. Advise Center Director on gaps in staff coverage.
3.Assist staff with miscellaneous personnel matters, advising staff on the appropriate encumbering of personnel to grants, and assisting with filing of personnel matters.
   
F.5%Miscellaneous Office Support
1.Act as second line of contact for the LEAD Center with other University and non-University contacts.
2.Sort and distribute in-coming mail, and process out-going mail as needed.
3.Supervise and conduct the hiring of student hourlies who conduct LEAD's data entry, transcription, and clerical tasks.
4.Participate in department staff meetings.
   

Knowledge and Skills

  1. Knowledge of UW Accounting policies and procedures.
  2. Experience administering Federal grant paperwork.
  3. Computer ability. Experience with accounting or spreadsheet software, Excel. Ability to effectively learn and use University based accouning software; i.e., WISDM, 3270. Ability to maneuver and locate needed information on the internet.
  4. Excellent oral and written communication skills for working with faculity, funding agencies, and staff.
  5. Exercise independent judgment and maintain accounting & grant time lines.
  6. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff at LEAD Center and the UW Survey Services staff.