Amii Expense Advisor, Research Trust Accounts

This competition is restricted to internal applicants of the University of Alberta. Please indicate your internal status using the "Advertisement" drop down menu when applying.

This position is a part of the Non-Academic Staff Association (NASA) and offers a comprehensive benefits package which can be viewed at: Faculty & Staff Benefits .

Working for the University of Alberta 

The University of Alberta acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 6 territory, and respects the histories, languages and cultures of First Nations, Métis, Inuit and all First Peoples of Canada, whose presence continues to enrich our vibrant community.

The University of Alberta is teeming with change makers, community builders, and world shapers who lead with purpose each and every day. We are home to more than 40,000 students in 200+ undergraduate and 500+ graduate programs, over 13,000 faculty and staff, 260,000 alumni worldwide and have been recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for over a decade.

Your work will have a meaningful influence on a fascinating cross section of people—from our students and stakeholders, to our renowned researchers and innovators who are quite literally curing diseases, making discoveries and generating solutions that make the world healthier, safer, stronger, and more just.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Team Lead Amii Finance and Administration, the Expense Advisor works in collaboration with the finance team at the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii) on campus, primarily providing support and advice to Amii Fellows and their research teams with reimbursements, purchases and other expense-related requests.

The Expense Advisor is accountable for the timely processing, delivery, efficiency, and integrity of payments and ensuring expenses claimed are in alignment with university policies, procedures and applicable legislation. The incumbent identifies errors and/or critical issues and work with the Team Lead and/or Shared Services to address and create solutions which mitigate the potential for financial and/or reputational risk.

The incumbent provides guidance and recommendation on U of A policies/procedures and acts as the first point of contact for any visitors, travel, Pcard or reimbursement-related questions at the Amii Centre and manages Fellows requests in a timely and solution-oriented manner.

Duties

Travel & Expense Management

• Ensures adherence, compliance with granting agency guidelines and U of A policies and procedures;
• Acts as the first point of contact for any expense-related questions (including purchases, travel, Pcard, reimbursements etc.);
• Advises Amii Fellows and students on their specific scenarios in regards to their reimbursements;
• Reviews, approves and/or processes travel and expense claims, credit cards, and PER transactions for the Amii Centre and Fellows;
• Resolves any issues pertaining to travel and expenses, credit cards, and PER transactions;
• Maintains PCard accounts: monitors limits, collects receipts, and prepares monthly reconciliations;
• Ensures all Pcard transactions have been recorded and approved and match to the consolidated monthly statement paid to the bank;
• Ensures Pcard requests, such as card setups, change limit requests, refunds, and other ad-hoc needs are completed in a timely manner;
• Registers Amii Fellows and their research teams (students, postdocs etc.) for conferences;
• Advises on TAP & HAP submissions and helps Fellows with travel arrangements as required;
• Firmly establish themselves as a trusted subject matter expert on Amii Financial Policies & Procedures and internal controls;
• Manages the year-end processes within their area of responsibility in accordance with Financial Services time frame and requirements;
• Interprets University travel, expense and purchase policies and communicates/advises supervisor;
• Regularly monitors and updates Amii Fellows and staff on U of A policies changes;
• Plans and delivers information and training sessions to researchers and administrative staff.

Records & Data Management 

• Ensures compliance with internal and external deadlines;
• Maintains and ensures that Fellows, students and admin intranets are up to date with respect to Travel, Claims, PCards, Purchasing, and Visitors info;
• Reviews and prioritizes daily incoming ua.support requests in Asana; completes action depending on the complexity of the issue or assigns inquiries to the responsible team members;
• Designs and develops customized expense reports for management needs; creates and maintains spreadsheets and/or databases;
• Manages payment of invoices in a timely manner to appropriate speed codes;
• Advises Fellows on different policies and responds to specific inquiries about expenses;
• Assists supervisor in annual planning and reporting to external stakeholders and granting agencies;
• Anticipates stakeholder needs and proactively addresses concerns;
• Arranges invitations/arrival/stay of visiting professors, postdoctoral fellows, speakers, and other guests;
• Liaises with Immigration Office and Postdoctoral Fellows Office on behalf of the Amii Fellows;
• Assists Team Lead and Amii Fellows with metrics collection and reporting to external stakeholders;
• Maintains accurate financial records for the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute research Centre. Files hard copy and electronic documents; maintains and improves filing systems;
• Retains, distributes and destroys all documentation in accordance with agency and university records management policies and procedures;
• Maintains confidentiality with respect to personal, faculty, and financial information;
• Monitors and collaborates with Shared Services to ensure transactions meet regulations and are processed accurately in a timely and efficient manner;
• Performs other related duties and projects as assigned.

Financial Controls / Change Management

• Evaluates the Centre’s processes within own area of responsibility and recommends improvements as necessary. Assists the Team Lead with risk identification and mitigation strategies;
• Assists the Team Lead with change efforts where existing procedures create operational challenges. Supports change and innovation;
• Demonstrates resilience and positivity in an environment, which may present resistance to innovation and change;
• Identifies operational challenges and advises the supervisor of internal control risks and provides recommendations for resolution and/or resolves independently;
• Reconciles various accounts and identifies errors and anomalies; finds sources of errors and recommends action to resolve;
• Creates budget plans and forecasts scenarios within own area of responsibility;
• Participates in financial research and analysis projects to support various stakeholders areas;
• Foster internal and external relationships to capitalize on opportunities to progress work forward;
• Communicates with the department administrators and support staff to ensure accurate and timely responses and resolutions to issues;
• Monitors and escalates a system or process issues and internal control issues to the supervisor and/or Shared Services.

Qualifications

• Post-Secondary Certificate/Diploma;
• Minimum 5 years of excellent client service experience; including direct experience with T&E and PER reimbursements, purchases, and Pcard reconciliation at the University of Alberta; 
• Strong knowledge of the University of Alberta policies, processes, and research policies; knowledge of Amii’s processes would be a great asset;
• Excellent interpersonal and communication (oral and written) skills. Strong team player with the ability to effectively collaborate with diverse Amii teams, professors and students;
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision;
• Thorough working knowledge of Google docs/spreadsheets/forms and MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), PeopleSoft Financials; Asana;
• Superior problem-solving skills. Experience in investigating problems, developing solutions and applying professional judgment;
• Ability to organize and prioritize (sometimes conflicting) tasks effectively to meet deadlines;
• Superior accuracy and attention to detail;
• Ability to learn quickly and adapt in a rapidly changing environment

Please note that a cover letter is required for this position. A cover letter and CV should be submitted as one attachment.

Note: Online applications are accepted until midnight Mountain Standard Time of the closing date.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those individuals selected for an interview will be contacted.