"Finance Specialist – Reporting and Accountant"

SCHOOL/UNIT DESCRIPTION

Vice Provost and Dean of Research / Office of Technology Licensing: The Office of Technology Licensing (OTL) was established in 1970 to manage the intellectual property assets of Stanford University. OTL evaluates, markets, and licenses technology owned by the University. OTL's mission is to encourage effective technology transfer for the public benefit as well as generating royalty income for Stanford to benefit research and education. OTL is one of the country's most active offices in the field of technology transfer from the university to industry. Our staff, most of whom are professionals engaged directly in licensing, manages over 3,000 active dockets.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Office of Technology Licensing at Stanford University seeks to fill one Finance Specialist – Reporting and Accountant position. This role supports the Office of Technology Licensing (OTL) by managing the accuracy and integrity of licensing-related financial records, with primary responsibility for reviewing and entering fully executed license agreements into OTL’s database (4D), configuring license terms that trigger downstream billing and compliance actions, and supporting the creation and maintenance of Royalty Sharing Agreements (RSAs) to ensure accurate and timely distributions to inventors, schools, departments, and other recipients. The position works collaboratively across OTL Finance, Licensing, and Operations teams and serves as a key point of contact for resolving questions and escalating complex reconciliation issues to senior finance leadership as needed.

In addition, this role produces high-quality reports used for operational decision-making and stakeholder communications. The position supports technical reporting and analytics as well as core accounting execution, including building and maintaining reports sourced from multiple systems (e.g., Tableau, 4D, Oracle, and SeRA), producing royalty distribution and financial management reports, and supporting month-end close through Oracle journals and interdepartmental transfers.

The position is open to remote options. Remote roles are open to candidates located anywhere in the United States.

This is a 100% FTE, benefits-eligible position. For consideration, please submit resume. All final candidates must complete a background check.

CORE DUTIES

• Review, process, gather, and compile accounting transactions and documents for completeness, accuracy, and compliance. Contribute to development of analyses to be used for key activities or decision making.
• Identify, prioritize, and resolve accounting issues; probe beyond stated situation; identify underlying issues; recognize exceptions; perform preliminary analysis.
• Run, maintain, reconcile, review, combine, analyze and validate financial data sets, utilizing financial reports, financial databases, and key financial information often from multiple systems. Assist in the preparation of basic management information reports.
• Identify and resolve incorrect journal entries, data anomalies, deviations from established procedures, and unusual issues.
• Collect data and perform research on details of transactions. Ensure work complies with complex internal policies and external regulations which may require interpretation.
• Participate as a member of a project team and contribute to change management strategy through communication and collaboration with others.
• Recommend, assist, test, or implement process streamlining, system improvements or work flow changes.
• Contribute to development and maintenance of desktop procedures and process documentation for area of responsibility.
• Serve as a liaison to other departments to resolve accounting-related issues.
• May train, coach, and review the work of other staff, as needed. Contribute primarily through applying individual expertise.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Education & Experience

Associate degree plus two years of applicable experience, or combination of education and relevant work experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Proficiency in basic business applications, such as Microsoft Office; user knowledge of Excel.
• Basic knowledge of accounting systems and the internet; computer literacy.
• Understanding of and ability to apply accounting skills and concepts.
• Ability to draft professional e-mails, memos, business letters, and reports, and to clearly and effectively communicate information to internal audiences and client groups.
• Ability to learn project management skills and to participate as part of a project team.

Strongly desired Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Financial Accounting Knowledge: Understanding of accounting principles, financial statements, and relevant regulations.
• Analytical Skills: The ability to analyze financial data and trends is crucial for identifying areas of improvement, making informed financial decisions, and ensuring accurate financial reporting.
• Attention to Detail: Given the precision required in financial work, a high level of attention to detail is necessary to avoid errors in financial statements and reports. This includes a thorough review of transactions and documentation.
• Software Proficiency: Proficiency in accounting software and financial management tools is important. Ability to learn and adjust to new software preferred.
• Communication Skills: Effective communication skills, both written and verbal, smooth interacting with team members, presenting financial information to non-finance stakeholders, and ensuring clear and transparent communication within the organization.
• Comfort with Non-Accounting Finance Admin Tasks: In addition to traditional accounting duties, a finance specialist should be comfortable and adept at handling non-accounting finance administrative tasks.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Frequently stand/walk, sit, perform desk-based computer tasks, and use a telephone.
• Occasionally write by hand, twist/bend/stoop/squat, reach/work above shoulders, grasp lightly/fine manipulation, grasp forcefully, lift/carry/push/pull objects that weigh up to 10 pounds, sort/file paperwork.
• Rarely kneel/crawl, operate foot and/or hand controls.

Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Travel on campus to schools/units, out of town.

COMPENSATION

The expected pay range for this position is $71,129 to $87,717 per annum for remote positions.

The expected pay range for this position is $81,192 to $101,964 per annum for Stanford Work Locations.

Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of the salary or hourly wage the university reasonably expects to pay for a position upon hire. Cardinal at Work website provides detailed information on Stanford’s extensive range of benefits and rewards offered to employees.