Financial Assistant

Overview

Reporting to the Operations Manager of the Office of Environmental Health & Safety (EHS), provides high-level financial and administrative support. Evaluates, interprets, and researches complex issues, delivering effective solutions that ensure customer satisfaction and compliance with regulatory and University policies.

• Monitors, controls, and maintains financial activity of accounts.
• Creates and processes invoices, purchase requisitions, expense reports, journal entries, and check requests.
• Journal Entries (JE's), Payroll Account Adjustments (PAA's), Deposits, Check Requests, ERs, Purchase Requisitions and all other financial and HR transactions.
• Ensures expenditures are posted to proper accounts.
• Identifies, researches, and corrects questionable expenditures.
• Serves as one of the principal sources of information on financial policies and procedures and financial activity.
• Reconciles and analyzes financial statements.
• Prepares standardized and specialized financial reports and analyses.
• Oversees the maintenance of financial records and files.
• Assists with the development and implementation of systems and procedures.
• Performs clerical functions incidental to accounting activities including:
• Manages routine and non-routine inquiries on sensitive matters, including incidents, injuries, hazardous material spills, hazardous waste, restricted materials purchasing, laboratory equipment decommissioning, and ergonomics.
• Coordinates dispatch of the EHS emergency response team, communicating critical instructions and information in accordance with departmental policies, procedures, and reporting structures.
• Performs notary services for State of Connecticut human pathogen protocols and other regulatory documentation for faculty and researchers.
• Provides backup support for the review and approval of Sciquest biological and radioactive restricted materials purchase orders.
• Contributes to university-wide committees and delivers comprehensive administrative support to the Director and EHS Leadership Team.
• Coordinates department events.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Skills and Abilities

1. Excellent and proven financial skills.
2. Self-directed and ability to take initiative, problem solve, follow through, and exercise independent judgment. Well-developed interpersonal skills, including the ability to provide high-level customer service to faculty, staff, students, regulatory agencies, and others.
3. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Demonstrated ability to compose, proofread, and edit formal general correspondence, memoranda and short reports for internal or external circulation.
4. Excellent dependability and attendance. Ability to multi-task, prioritize and meet demanding deadlines, demonstrating flexibility in handling assignments while maintaining accuracy and high attention to detail. Excellent organizational skills.
5. Ability to maintain confidentiality of information. Professional and courteous manner and appearance.
6. Excellent computer skills with proficiency in MS Word, Excel, Sharepoint, Outlook email and calendar. Experience with Workday and EHS Integrator preferred.

Principal Responsibilities

1. Serves as principal source of specialized information to students, faculty, staff and vendors regarding billing and financial activities. Ensures adherence to all University policies and procedures.
2. Responsible for all inventory and billing activity including maintaining inventory and billing database, extracting and uploading financial records, performing monthly billing, and providing documentation as necessary. Review billing upload for accuracy and research and resolve exceptions.
3. Monitors, controls, and maintains financial activity of stockroom accounts. This includes ensuring proper posting of expenditures, identifying and resolving questionable expenditures, preparing JSAs, and maintaining databases and reports.
4. Responsible for all activity related to the review and processing of invoices including identifying and resolve errors, monitoring invoice holds, bounce and PCard accounts, and preparing and approving transactions. Verifies that all receipts are submitted and all charges align with both federal and university allowable costs.
5. Monitors stockroom inventory levels, analyzing buying trends and reordering to maintain proper levels. Performs periodic cycle counts of inventory to maintain accuracy.
6. Assists Manager in the preparation of the bid process, compiles data in spreadsheet view for analysis and makes changes to Inventory System based on analysis.
7. Oversees work of support staff.
8. Provides backup for customer service, receiving materials and other stockroom functions.
9. Performs incidental clerical functions.

Required Education and Experience

Six years related work experience, four of them in the same job family at the next lower level and a H.S. level education; or four years related work experience and an Associate degree; or an equivalent combination of experience and education.

Physical Requirements

Ability to lift and or maneuver up to 60 lbs.