Financial Specialist III

Job Summary:

The Associated Students of Madison (ASM) is the shared governance body representing the over 50,000 students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. ASM strives to create an inclusive workplace environment. This position requires a strong commitment to student shared governance, an understanding of student organizations, a dedication to working with a diverse student and staff team, and a commitment to continually engaging in financial best practices to support General Student Service Fund (GSSF) student groups. The ASM office consists of 6 professional staff members whose roles range from Financial Specialists, to the Leadership & Advocacy Program Manager. The General Student Service Fund (GSSF) Advisor will work closely with the Director and the Financial Services Team within ASM.

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.

• 20% Monitors financial transactions and fund balances and generates and reconciles complex reports and statements in accordance with established rules and regulations
• 10% 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
• 15% 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
• 5% May train staff on financial processes and best practices
• 10% Advises GSSF groups on the financial policies of ASM, UW-Madison and the Universities of Wisconsin System
• 10% Assists GSSF groups with the purchasing, expensing, reconciliation of programming supplies and materials; as well as hiring student leaders through HRS Payroll System

Tasks:

• Advises ten (10) General Student Services Fund (GSSF) Registered Student Organizations on financial purchases and expenditures.
• Meets weekly with GSSF Groups to provide guidance on GSSF policies, ASM bylaws and Segregated Fees.
• Attends SSFC meetings during the academic year which may take place outside of normal working hours.
• Facilitates payments, which requires utilizing a purchasing card, setting up profiles and later paying through ShopUW, and UW's e-reimbursement system.
• Provides financial guidance to GSSF groups regarding tax ID numbers, adding suppliers in ShopUW to receive payments, as well as logistical travel and event planning.
• Expenses ASM's "Bus Pass Program", which funds the Metro Transit, the local Madison bus system.
• Maintains expertise of UW purchasing and accounting policies and procedures, Universities of Wisconsin System, GSSF, ASM, and segregated fee policies.
• Works collaboratively with Student Affairs Central Finance to audit, troubleshoot, and improve financial process for students.
• Develops on-going training for the GAC on policies, ASM bylaws and Segregated Fees, and how to apply these policies to a wide array of event and travel specifications.
• Assists with onboarding student employees within the HRS Payroll System and ensures compliance with student employment requirements such as I-9 forms.
• Uses electronic tools and data systems to develop processes to organize financial records and provide timely and accurate reports to ASM leadership and student groups receiving funding.

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
Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university.

Qualifications:

Required:
* At least 1 year of experience in a financial or customer service role (e.g. bookkeeping, accounts payables/receivables, accounting, purchasing, auditing, customer service representative).
* Experience interpreting and analyzing financial policy and procedure.
* Excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage and prioritize tasks/projects in a fast-paced environment.
* Ability to provide a positive customer experience and communicate with clarity and precision.
* Proficiency with computer software/applications, automated data analysis, and data entry techniques.
* Ability to take initiative, work independently, and have creative problem-solving skills.
Preferred:
* Knowledge of University, State, Federal, and/or Non-federal rules and regulations.
* Familiarity with UW-Madison Purchasing, fiscal, travel, and/or administration procedures is preferred but not required.
* Advanced Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite is strongly preferred.

We are committed to fostering a work culture that values all backgrounds and experiences. With this in mind, if you meet only some of the above qualifications but have comparable experiences, we still want to see your application!

Work Type:

Full Time: 100%
This position may require some work to be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location. Some work may be performed remotely at an offsite, non-campus work location upon supervisor and department/Student Affairs division approval.

Appointment Type, Duration:

Ongoing/Renewable

Salary:

Minimum $47,700 ANNUAL (12 months)
Depending on Qualifications
The expected starting salary range for this position is $47,700 up to $52,700 for highly experienced candidates. Actual pay will depend on experience and qualifications. This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off, competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund. For a summary of benefits, please see https://www.wisconsin.edu/ohrwd/benefits/download/fasl.pdf  

Additional Information:

The Associated Students of Madison (ASM) serves as the official student shared governance body at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, representing a population of over 50,000 students. Wisconsin statutes empowers ASM to review and allocate over $45 million of segregated fee dollars each year and advise the Chancellor regarding decisions and policies concerning student life, services, and interests. The ASM office consists of 6 professional staff members whose roles range from Financial Specialists, to the Leadership & Advocacy Program Manager. The GSSF Advisor will work closely with the Director and the Financial Services Team within ASM.
ASM is part of Student Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison , led by the vice chancellor for student affairs. Our staff is dedicated to serving students and to helping them succeed in and out of the classroom in areas including health and well-being, identity and inclusion, leadership and engagement, and student advocacy. Student Affairs includes departments led by the dean of students; departments that provide identity-based spaces and leadership resources; the Wisconsin Union; University Health Services; and University Recreation and Wellbeing.
Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of an employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.

How to Apply:

Please click on the "Apply Now" button to start the application process. As part of the application process, you will be required to upload a current resume, a cover letter addressing your experience and qualifications related to this position, and a list with the contact information of at least three professional references. The application must be completed and submitted by the deadline to be considered for this position.

Contact:

Angel Cartagena
[email protected]
608-890-2570
Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Official Title:

Financial Specialist III(FN008)

Department(s):

A04-STUDENT AFFAIRS/ASM/ASM

Employment Class:

Academic Staff-Renewable

Job Number:

295885-AS

 
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence through diversity and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.
If you need to request an accommodation because of a disability, you can find information about how to make a request at the following website: https://employeedisabilities.wisc.edu/disability-accommodation-information-for-applicants/
Employment will require a criminal background check. It will also require you and your references to answer questions regarding sexual violence and sexual harassment.
The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).
The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department .