Business and Finance Coordinator - Electrical and Computer Engineering

Business and Finance Coordinator

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Grainger College of Engineering

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) in The Grainger College of Engineering seeks applicants for a Business and Finance Coordinator position. Under the direction of the Senior Business Manager, this position is responsible for supporting the oversight and management of business and financial operations provided to faculty, staff, and students within ECE, including financial reporting, policy interpretation, account oversight, and supervision of staff.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Financial Operations

• Complete monthly, quarterly, and year-end close-out accounting activities to ensure timely and accurate financial reporting to campus, departmental administration, faculty, and staff.
• Maintain a comprehensive understanding of State of Illinois, University, campus, and departmental regulations, procedures, practices, and policies. Resolve issues and answer inquiries by providing information to faculty, staff, and students as it relates to:
  • Travel and other reimbursements.
  • Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU), stipends, and other payments through the Departmental Award Web System (DAWS).
  • Reimbursements and stipend payments to foreign nationals.
  • Other complex financial activities such as invoices, purchase orders, cash deposits, etc.
• Collaborate with University Payables, Purchasing, and other administrative units as necessary to resolve such matters.
• Assist with the oversight of ECE service center accounts, including the machine shop and electronics shop. Manage month-end billing of ECE services by completing the necessary journal entries and/or feeders and invoices for completed external work. Maintain ECE rate information in the rate database for System Government Costing.
• Design and execute complex queries in the data warehouse and prepare standard and ad hoc financial reports for department administration.
• Complete and file monthly sales tax reports including processing journal vouchers (JVs).
• Process various non-SPA agreements, including Re-grants, Revenue Generating Agreements, Service Agreements, Technical Testing Agreements (TTA)s, and Facility Use Agreements (FUAs) in the Contracts+ system.
• Prepare and process:
  • Sole source requests.
  • JVs for visas.
  • Corrective actions for miscellaneous non-grant transactions (JVs, PZAREDS).
• Serve as backup for:
  • Processing purchases via iBuy, Purchasing Card (PCard), and Banner purchase orders.
  • Processing travel and expense reimbursements.
  • Downloading monthly financial statements, reconciling monthly accounts, verifying charges to accounts, obtaining missing information and receipts, keying corrective accounting entries into Banner, and removing encumbrances and closing out purchase orders.

Administrative Operations

• Serve as primary backup approver to the Senior Business Manager as needed, including PCard reconciliation for department PCard holders, iBuy orders, employee reimbursements, and/or Travel Card (TCard) transactions using Emburse Enterprise.
• Assist with updating departmental policies and procedures to support efficient departmental business operations and alignment with University policies and procedures.
• Advise the department head, administrative staff, and faculty on accounting-related University policies and procedures and account balances.
• Supervise and train business office staff, providing comprehensive guidance and assistance with solutions for complex financial processes. Supervision includes reviewing work tasks, leave requests, performance management, etc.

Gifts and Endowments

• Process corporate unrestricted gifts, faculty research gifts, and endowments through the University Foundation and receive and process subsequent funds. Prepare gift transmittal forms for gift funds with existing accounts. Request gift and Banner fund accounts.
• Adhere to departmental procedures to establish new accounts, notify appropriate business office staff, and add account information to the department chart of accounts and Emburse Enterprise.

Perform additional appropriate business/financial duties to further the mission of the department.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, management, or a field related to the position.
• Two (2) years of professional financial, managerial, and/or business experience.
  • (Note: A Master's degree in an area consistent with the duties of the position may be substituted for one (1) year (12 months) of work experience.)
• Demonstrated supervisory experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in business administration, management, or a field related to the position.
• 1 year of demonstrated supervisory experience of professional staff, including responsibility for performance management.
• Direct experience and knowledge of University of Illinois business and accounting systems, including Banner, iBuy, Emburse Enterprise, PCard, and Enterprise Data Delivery Information Environment (EDDIE).
• Experience in business administration within a higher education setting.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of Illinois business, finance, and administrative policies and procedures.
• Decision making ability and resourcefulness.
• Strong interpersonal skills with ability to interact effectively with faculty, staff, students, and other unit stakeholders.
• Strong organizational and customer service skills.
• Knowledge of management principles, practices, methods, and techniques.
• Ability to prioritize, manage multiple tasks simultaneously, and meet deadlines with accuracy.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Ability to communicate effectively as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Proficiency in standard office technology and tools, including Microsoft Office Suite.

APPOINTMENT INFORMATION

This is a full-time Civil Service Business/Administrative Associate position appointed on a 12-month service basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after the closing date. The budgeted salary range for this position is $65,000-$75,000. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also considering internal equity. This position will be expected to work at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus on a full-time basis per the University's Workplace Flexibility policy. This position is not eligible for any type of sponsorship for work authorization.

For more information on Civil Service classifications, please visit the SUCSS web site at https://www.sucss.illinois.gov/pages/classspec/default.aspx.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES AND DEADLINE INFORMATION

Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (CST) on May 11, 2026. Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. Please upload your cover letter, resume, and names/contact information for three references. In order to be considered as a transfer candidate, you must apply for this position. Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered. If required by the position, transcripts or other documentation of credentials are to be provided no later than the first day of employment. For further information about this specific position, please contact Amy Meharry at amym@illinois.edu. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.