"Finance Specialist II"

Job Details

Special Instructions to Applicants: Please attach a cover letter and a resume in the Supporting Documents section of the application.

About Rice:

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name — RICE — Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.

About George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing

The George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing ranks among the top 20 undergraduate engineering programs (US News & World Report) and is strongly committed to nurturing the aspirations of faculty, staff and students in an inclusive environment.

We seek greater representation of women, minorities, people with disabilities, and veterans in disciplines in which they have historically been underrepresented; to attract international students from a wider range of countries and backgrounds; to accelerate progress in building a faculty and staff who are diverse in background and thought, and we support an inclusive environment that fosters interaction and understanding within our diverse community.

Position Summary:

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is seeking a detail-oriented and dependable Financial Specialist II to support departmental financial operations. This position is responsible for ensuring accurate and timely financial processing, reconciling accounts, managing departmental budgets, and maintaining compliance with university policies and internal controls. The role involves performing complex financial analyses, preparing reports, assembling data to support budgeting and decision-making, and developing recommendations for leadership. The successful candidate will collaborate with faculty, staff, and campus partners to support effective resource management and contribute to a professional, service-focused environment.

Ideal Candidate Statement:

The ideal candidate is a proactive, "hands-on" professional who excels in a collaborative, team-based environment. You should possess the organizational skills to manage day-to-day transactional work with exceptional accuracy while maintaining the analytical mindset needed to translate complex data into actionable insights. We seek a self-starter who communicates clearly and professionally with faculty, staff, and campus partners to support effective resource management.

Workplace Requirements:

This position follows a hybrid work schedule, offering one remote workday per week during the academic year and up to two remote workdays per week during the summer months. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

Hiring Range: $62,000-$70,000 annually

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

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree
  • In lieu of the education requirement, additional related experience, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year for year basis may be substituted
• Two or more (2+) years of relevant experience in an administrative financial role
  • In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year-for-year basis may be substituted

Skills:

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office suite (especially Excel)
• Demonstrated knowledge of financial systems
• Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
• Strong communication skills, including ability to prepare materials for and clearly and effectively communicate information to internal and external audiences and client groups
• Project management skills and ability to contribute to or lead part of a multi-functional team

Essential Functions:

• Performs and designs ad hoc analyses of large complex data sets; reconciles complex accounts
• Identifies and resolves complex issues
• Constructs and assembles data for budgeting and decision making; develops conclusions, and presents high-level summary of recommendations
• May develop annual budget for individual department/unit
• Executes internal control programs established by management, researches new regulations, and recommends and implements approved changes
• May manage compliance program for area of responsibility, and create complex compliance reports
• Develops reports and presentations of complex financial data and metrics for management and third parties
• Develops and maintains desktop procedures and process documentation for area of responsibility
• Defines requirements, develops and implements complex test cases, performs system testing and analyzes results
• Performs other duties as assigned

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