"Finance Specialist I"

Position Summary

The School of Engineering and Computing is seeking a part-time Finance Specialist to support financial operations across its departments. This role performs moderately complex finance functions, including data analysis, reconciliation of accounts, report generation, and budget support. The Finance Specialist ensures accurate financial tracking and compliance with applicable policies and procedures through regular reporting, reconciliation, and data review.

This is a 20-hour-per-week position ideal for candidates who are detail-oriented, comfortable working with financial data, and able to manage recurring tasks and ad hoc assignments in a collaborative academic environment.

Ideal Candidate Statement

The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented finance professional with strong Excel skills and a solid understanding of financial processes. They learn new tools quickly, communicate clearly with both finance and non-finance colleagues, and manage a part-time workload independently while meeting deadlines and maintaining accuracy.

Workplace Requirements

This is an in person, on campus position. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

Hiring Range

$36,000 annually (.5 FTE, 20 hrs. per week)

*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree
• One or more (1+) years of relevant experience in finance + In lieu of either the education or experience requirement, additional related experience or education, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year-for-year basis may be substituted.

Skills

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
• User knowledge and demonstrated experience in financial systems
• Understanding and ability to apply basic accounting skills and concepts
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including ability to communicate information across stakeholder groups
• Attention to detail and accuracy in reconciling complex data sets across multiple sources
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage deadlines across recurring and project-based assignments.
• Ability to work independently and problem-solve within established university policies and procedures.

Preferences

• Prior experience in a higher education, research, or non-profit finance setting
• One or more years of relevant experience in finance is strongly preferred

Essential Functions

• Performs structured analysis; conducts data mining; identifies, clarifies, and investigates discrepancies and exceptions; proactively develops solutions and processes
• Maintains, reconciles, reviews, combines, and validates financial data sets and accounts
• Contributes to development of budget, forecasting, and analyses
• Runs and analyzes financial reports; assists in preparation of management information reports
• Performs preliminary analysis, recognizes exceptions and recommends solutions that may require policy changes or the development of new processes
• Ensures work complies with complex internal policies and external regulations which may require interpretation
• Serves as a first line resource to client groups on matters in work unit
• Performs other duties as assigned

Rice University HR | Benefits

Rice Mission and Values

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact Rice University's Disability Resource Center at 713-348-5841 or adarice@rice.edu for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at jobs@rice.edu. Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.