Senior Associate Director

Department

Crown Administrative Office

About the Department

As one of the first schools of social work in the United States, the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice has shaped the field for more than 100 years. As part of the University of Chicago, the Crown Family School shares the University's core values and distinctive intellectual culture. Crown Family School faculty, staff, and students focus on identifying solutions to complex social problems through research, training, and direct community engagement. Guided by an interdisciplinary tradition, Crown Family School scholars conduct innovative research to address interconnected social challenges such as educational inequality, health disparities, crime and violence, poverty, and child and family welfare—working at multiple scales, from individual to policy-level interventions. More than 10,000 Crown Family School graduates in the US and globally hold leadership positions in academia, at nonprofits, in business, and at governmental agencies The Crown Family School is the home of several academic centers. These include the Susan and Richard Kiphart Center for Global Health and Social Development, the Kersten Institute for Urban Education, the Center for Climate, Health and Society, the Smart Decarceration Project, and the Employment Instability, Family Well-being, and Social Policy Network (EINet). More information may be found at https://crownschool.uchicago.edu/.

Job Summary

Reporting to the Senior Associate Dean of Administration, the Senior Associate Director, Administration uses UChicago financial knowledge and applicable skills, methods, and practices in support of financial operations and budgeting functions. The Senior Associate Director provides comprehensive financial management support for internal departments (including Kersten Institute), monitoring operating, gift and grant budgets, revenues, and expenses. The incumbent collaborates with other members of the finance team to develop long and short-term financial goals, strategies/plans, and provide input for financial forecasts. The position also manages quarterly and year-end reporting for the operating budget.

The Senior Associate Director is responsible for processing and reconciling day-to-day financial transactions in university systems, ensuring sound fiscal management for department purchases and payments. The role ensures financial transactions and activities comply with University and Unit policies and procedures. As a member of the administrative operations team, the incumbent will also perform administrative tasks for student jobs, student reimbursements, and GEMS expense reports.

The ideal candidate will have strong knowledge and demonstrated capability with using and transacting in the University’s financial and HR systems – Oracle ERP, UC Plan, Smart View, Service Now and Workday. The successful candidate will also have expertise in managing discretionary funds, gifts, and endowments.

Responsibilities

• Researches, identifies, anc reconciles payments and income; processes and ensures timely payment of invoices; tracks deposits, gifts, payments, pledges to ensure proper allocation and reconcile stale dated checks and monthly wire transfers.
• Processes, reviews and/or approves invoices, partner billings, payment and reimbursement requests, and cost corrections in Oracle and Service Now to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Oversees and supports vendor setup and payment processing in Oracle and Concur; streamlines procurement processes and educates stakeholders on procurement procedures. Oversees and supports processing of GEMS reports.
• Ensures financial transactions comply with University, Crown, and other federal financial regulations, policies, and reporting standards.
• Assists with student worker hiring, job setup and job changes for designated departments.
• Processes student reimbursements in Workday and Service Now for designated departments.
• Assists with inputting and updating budgets in Oracle UCPlan, preparing budget packets, developing internal tracking mechanisms, and extracting reports for leadership analysis.
• Monitors and reconciles actual expenditures and revenue against budgets; prepares and reviews monthly, quarterly, and annual variance and financial reports for accuracy and consistency, investigating discrepancies as needed.
• Contributes to the development of unit financial policies, tools, and templates that support effective management and compliance.
• Keeps abreast of and communicates updates and changes in University financial systems, policies, regulations, and guidelines to internal stakeholders.
• Proposes process efficiency improvements and manages deadlines.
• Provides research, reporting, and analytical support as directed.
• Works within the financial accounting system to allocate, authorize, monitor, and control expenses.
• Develops strong working relationships within the school and across University offices.
• Works independently to maintain and support the planning and execution of financial strategy.
• Reviews estimated expenditures. Develops expenditure projections and periodic budget variance reports. Prepares forecasts as well as analyses.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications
 

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, business administration, or a related field of study.

Experience:

• Experience with Oracle Cloud ERP and UChicago account structure and financial policies/processes strongly preferred.
• Experience with student employment and Workday.
• Experience with budgeting and handling financial transactions.
• Experience within an academic or higher education administrative environment.

Preferred Competencies

• High proficiency with UChicago’s Oracle ERP, UC Plan, Smart View and Workday.
• Strong financial and analytical skills, including best practices in data analytics.
• Knowledge of UChicago student employment policies and procedures.
• Ability to communicate financial information clearly and concisely.
• Exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Can independently develop and analyze alternative solutions and make recommendations.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, discretion, and tact.
• Time management skills and the ability to handle multiple, concurrent tasks within deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to interact professionally and diplomatically with individuals across the division and university.
• Commitment to providing a high level of service and working in a team environment.
• Demonstrated administrative, critical thinking and problem-solving capabilities.
• Flexible and adaptable to changes in workflow and procedures.
• Strong computer skills and high proficiency with Microsoft Office/365 applications, especially Excel, and other business systems (Box, Service Now, etc.).

Working Conditions

• Hybrid work schedule, on-site at the Hyde Park campus in Chicago

Application Documents

• Resume (required)
• Cover Letter (optional)
• References (when asked)

Job Family

Financial Management

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

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FLSA Status

Exempt

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Pay Range

$95,000.00 - $120,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu. Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.