Assistant Director of Finance

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule: Hybrid Schedule (3 Days On-site)
• Salary Range: $87,000-$97,000

Position Summary

Reporting to the Director of Finance, the incumbent will assist in managing all aspects of the financial operations of the Columbia School of Social Work. The Assistant Director will administer a variety of budget, accounts payable and purchasing activities for the School. The Assistant Director is responsible for project forecasting, processing, monitoring, reconciling, analyzing, and reporting. The incumbent will work closely with Social Work departments to ensure that budgets and financial transactions are submitted in accordance with relevant policies and procedures, that they are processed efficiently, recorded accurately in school and university financial systems and reported in a timely manner.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate processing of a variety of non-salary departmental expenditures.
  
  
  
  • Review expenses to ensure that they are consistent with approved budgets and are in accordance with the school's and university's business expense policy.
  • Troubleshoot problems and issues with Concur and ARC transactions submitted by school officials.
  • Evaluate, approve, and deny expense requests.
  • Train CSSW faculty, administrators and staff on policies and procedures governing business expenses.
  
  
  
  
• Provide budget training to Associate Deans, Assistant Deans, and Directors.
  
  
  
  • Generates and evaluates reports for senior management and departments.
  • Develop and prepare specific analysis reports based on observations of trends or as requested by the Director of Finance.
  • Assist with a variety of special projects as needed including gathering and analyzing historical data, examining external trends in higher education, and generating ad hoc reports.
  
  
  
  
• Ensure accuracy and validity of charges to various school projects including reconciling internal reports with University financial reports (unrestricted, gifts, endowments, and sponsored projects).
  
  
  
  • Investigate discrepancies and collaborate with school departments and university offices such as the Controller's Office and Purchasing to resolve the discrepancies.
  • Review reports, assess results and make recommendations for improved allocation of resources.
  
  
  
  
• Assist the Director of Finance with preparation of the annual budget submission, quarterly variance analysis reports, and other monthly, quarterly, annual, reports.
  
  
  
  • Prepares for year-end closing.
  • Updates Budget Tool on a daily basis if needed.
  • Run and monitor Suspense payroll reports.
  • Assist with processing cost transfers and salary distributions.
  
  
  
  
• Serves as the primary cardholder of the School's Travel and Purchasing Cards.
  
  
  
  • Review and authorize the use of the Travel and Purchasing cards.
  • Act as a Concur Travel Arranger.
  • Train faculty and staff on Concur travel polices.
  • Ensure that requests are in accordance with University and School policies, have the necessary approvals, and that funding is available.
  • Reconcile all charges and maintain complete documentation for all charges.
    
  
  
  
  
• Supervise a Financial Assistant.
• Represent the Director at University meetings when assigned.
• Perform related duties and responsibilities as assigned/requested.

Minimum Qualifications

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  A bachelor's degree in business, finance, accounting, or in a related area is required. Must have 3-5 years of related experience.

  
  

Preferred Qualifications

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  Familiarity with Columbia University's Concur, ARC and PAC financial reporting systems.

  
  

Other Requirements

• Must have demonstrated financial experience in budgeting, accounting and compliance.
• Must be highly organized and detail-oriented. Excellent analytical and quantitative skills are a must. Demonstrated experience in exercising independent judgment and decision-making is essential.
• Broad and expert-level computer skills including spreadsheets and accounting/financial management software is mandatory.
• Must be skilled at building and maintaining relationships, enhancing and maintaining customer-service orientation, and working with multiple constituencies within an academic setting.
• Must be a skilled problem solver who can meet deadlines and work well under pressure.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.