Business & Finance Specialist

Business and Finance: 50% Oversee end to end procurement process including purchase orders, p-card, t-card purchases, sole source purchases, solicitations, contracts, change orders, and vendor information utilizing IBuy, Banner, and other OBFS applications. Purchase supplies and equipment on various types of funds according to departmental and university protocols and document receipt upon arrival. Review internal and vendor invoices, statements, transactions, and expenditure documents and records for completeness, accuracy, proper account coding, fund availability and appropriateness, and conformity to policies Make travel arrangements for faculty and staff when attending meetings and conferences, including but not limited to flights, hotels, rental vehicles, meeting space reservations, meal arrangements. Also prepare and submit travel and employee reimbursements in Emburse Enterprise to ensure compliance with corporate card and reimbursement policies. Provide detailed expense justifications for all transactions. Remain updated on allowability of expenses and policies on P-Cards & T-Cards. Manage a Post-Award portfolio, maintaining files, tracking special conditions, reconciling balances, corresponding with faculty throughout the life of the award on items such as allowable expenses, personnel needs, managing deficits, and providing expenditure projections, expense transfers, subaward invoice processing, liaise with collaborators and other offices, and manage deliverables. Act as a liaison between department and SPA Post-Award Administration staff for various post award issues, required documentation, reporting and close-out activities. Assist with the management of departmental fund portfolio, maintain various reports and spreadsheets to manage the funds. Advise principal(s) on allowability of charges on distinct fund types according to department policy or sponsor guidelines. Consistently update principal(s) of portfolio status. Provide detailed transaction, encumbrance, and payroll history on accounts as needed. Assist with departmental and vendor billing for service activities. Assist in processing fund transfers via journal vouchers and identify necessary labor redistributions. Remain current with university and sponsoring agency policies, regulations, and procedures and ensure compliance by attending various meetings and trainings offered by Sponsored Programs and Research Compliance (SPaRC) and the University/campus Office of Business and Financial Services. Maintain active Illinois Certified Research Administration (CRA) designation once certified. Other Human Resource Duties 25% Primary point of contact for all department appointments, Teaching Assistants, fellowships, including but not limited to International Students/ Visiting Scholars. Including entering the appointment requests and/or fellowships into the appropriate systems for processing, as well as communicating expectations to students, faculty, staff, and visitors. This includes onboarding and making sure that all necessary training is set up and completed. Lead the departmental visa processes for all international students, faculty, staff, and visitors. This includes F-1, and H1-B, and extensions for J-1 visas. She assists with work authorization documents, and preparing new International Visitors, working with faculty on scope of work, working with the International Student and Scholar Services department on the application filing, and aiding the visitor with their social security number and new hire paperwork upon their arrival. This is not limited to new International Visitors, but also includes International Faculty, students, and Visitors currently working needing extensions, changes in visa status, and keeping an accurate log of who will be arriving/departing and when. Work as a liaison for the department between Human Resources, ISSS, and USCIS as needed. Primary contact for onboarding and monitoring training completion for grad students, visitors, fellows, and teaching assistants, as well as other personnel. Act as backup approver for timesheet submissions for hourly staff hired under supported faculty. Develop and maintain process documentation, templates, reference materials, training resources, and other tools to manage the various appointments, documentation, and operational efficiency. Other Support Duties 25% Various Support Duties Facilitate packing and shipping of domestic and international shipments. Distribute incoming and outgoing mail, submit maintenance workorders, assist in management of key inventory. Assist and coordinate yearly conference/planning for events such as the Dairy Annual Golf Outing, Transition Illinois, Department Spring Award Luncheon, Graduate Student Appreciation Week, and others. Including management of registration lists and fees paid. Update faculty and staff of upcoming events; responsible for gathering pertinent materials and information. Prepare correspondence, provide recommendations, and edit event presentation materials for faculty and provide support for teaching preparation, including formatting tests and quizzes, arranging notes, and monitoring attendance records. Serve as backup for other departmental business office personnel and assume additional related responsibilities to enhance the mission of the department.