Finance Operations Coordinator

$47,000 - $47,000/Yr

The University of Texas System - Dallas, TX

Full-time - Entry Level

Onsite - Dallas, TX

Educational Services

About the position

The Finance Operations Coordinator position is a vital role within the Bioengineering department at the University of Texas at Dallas, located at the Texas Instruments Biomedical Engineering and Sciences Building on the East Campus. This position will collaborate closely with both UT Southwestern and UT Dallas to provide comprehensive budgeting, finance, and procurement support for a medium to large department within the School of Engineering and Computer Science. The successful candidate will work alongside department faculty and staff to manage financial and research administration, ensuring that the department's financial operations align with its goals and comply with all relevant regulations and university policies. In this role, the Finance Operations Coordinator will be responsible for overseeing the financial aspects of sponsored research accounts, providing guidance on agency-specific policies, university rules for spending, re-budgeting, and financial reporting. The coordinator will conduct monthly reviews and reconciliations of all transactions, ensuring accuracy and compliance with budgetary constraints. This includes meeting with faculty and cost center managers to discuss spending and projected expenses, thereby preventing over or under-spending based on available budgets. Additionally, the coordinator will handle day-to-day purchase requests for sponsored projects, prepare purchase requisitions, and coordinate travel arrangements for faculty and staff. This involves booking airline tickets, making hotel reservations, and processing reimbursements in accordance with university guidelines. The role also requires maintaining departmental Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and staying updated on university, state, and federal financial regulations. The Finance Operations Coordinator will be expected to engage in professional development to remain competent in their role and may be required to perform other duties as assigned.

Responsibilities

• Assist faculty with managing the financial aspect of sponsored research accounts by providing guidance regarding agency, program-specific policies, and university rules for spending, re-budgeting, reporting, and financial closing at the end of project performance periods.
• Monthly review and reconciliation of all transactions, including expenses, revenue, and fund equity or cash, posted to cost centers for management's approval to ensure all transactions are correct.
• Meet with faculty and other cost center managers to discuss the current state of spending on their accounts and projected expenses to avoid over or under-spending based on the annual or project budget available for the period.
• Oversee the day-to-day purchase requests for sponsored projects and the department needed by obtaining the necessary quotes and preparing purchase requisitions and vouchers or using purchasing cards.
• Coordinate travel arrangements such as booking airline tickets, making hotel reservations, securing the necessary travel documentation and authorizations, and processing direct pay or reimbursement for travel expenses that are allowable and necessary under the applicable sponsored project and university guidelines.
• Keep abreast of University, State, and Federal purchasing and financial regulations and maintain communication with the University's financial and purchasing departments to ensure that duties in this area are performed correctly and in keeping with all applicable rules.
• Maintain departmental Standard Operating Procedures (SOP's), which incorporate the University policies and procedures for conducting the day-to-day duties in the current position.
• Remain competent and current by attending professional development courses, software training classes, and courses and/or training sessions as directed by the supervisor or required by the University.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree and four years of general office, accounting or business related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• At least 1 year of sponsored grant management, preferably in Higher Education.
• Knowledge and understanding of university policies and procedures and campus resources.
• Demonstrated knowledge of applicable business practices, laws and regulations related to public fiscal administration, including procurement, travel, reimbursements, use of public agency credit card.
• Possess strong interpersonal communication skills (verbal and written).
• Strong ability to work on multiple projects/tasks and be able to prioritize.
• Must be able to work independently and as part of a team.
• Experienced in PeopleSoft, eProcurement, Microsoft (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams), and Adobe.

Benefits

• Competitive Salary
• Tuition Benefits
• Internal Training
• BCBS PPO Medical insurance - 100% paid for full-time employees
• PPO and DHMO Dental Insurance Plan - PPO plans include ortho benefits for both children & adults
• Vision Insurance
• Long and short-term disability
• TRS Retirement Plan - defined benefit plan offering lifetime annuity upon retirement
• Option Retirement Program (ORP) - in lieu of TRS for eligible employees
• Voluntary Retirement Plan Options - additional savings opportunities with Tax-Sheltered Annuity Plans and Deferred Compensation Plans
• Free Dental/Vision/AD&D - for eligible employees who waive UTD medical & have outside group medical coverage
• Paid time off
• Paid Holidays
• Paid Winter Break
• Fertility Benefits