Temporary Financial Assistant

Department: Temp Center
Salary/Grade: TMP/01

Position: Temporary Financial Assistant
Hours: This is a full-time position (37.5 hours per week 8:30a-5:00p 1day WFH)
Pay: $21.00 per hour
Campus: Chicago Campus
Approximate start date: ASAP
Approximate end date: 10/1/2025

Northwestern University is seeking a temporary Financial Assistant for the Chicago campus.

Temporary Job Description:

The NITMB is led by Northwestern University and the University of Chicago. The mission of the NITMB is to create a ground-breaking hub of interdisciplinary research, with mathematical research that advances our knowledge of biology, and biology research that catalyzes new mathematics. NITMB will realize this vision via an innovative research program involving 80 faculty from Northwestern University and the University of Chicago. The research done by NITMB will support advances in areas as diverse as the environment, medicine, and technology development. Geographically co-located NITMB members share space in downtown Chicago at the John Hancock center. NITMB will engage in a broad array of education, workforce development, and broadening participation activities that will include diverse communities. Its education initiatives will reach students from the K-12 level. NITMB will also develop training for undergraduates, graduates, and post-baccalaureate students and teachers with community partners in a highly diverse city. A wide variety of scientific long programs, workshops, and conferences will enhance international collaboration between mathematics and biology and ensure that the scientific outcomes of the NITMB's research impact wide-ranging sectors of basic and applied research.

Provides day-to-day financial & accounting support using an advanced knowledge of applicable skills, methods & practices & some innovation, analysis, & reasoning to choose appropriate alternatives from among pre-defined policies & procedures to complete work that includes successive steps & involves some non-routine problems &/or decisions.

Apply industry and professional standards, university policy and procedure, federal and state laws and other regulations. Provides administrative &/or clerical support.

Specific Responsibilities

Budget:

• Updates calendar, spreadsheets, templates & forms; monitors submissions.
• Completes reconciliation procedures.
• Creates summary reports

Analysis, Statements & Reporting:

• Provides reports to managers/PIs in tracking payment status & notification when balances & activities do not comply with policy, procedures or are inadequately prepared.
• Creates reports & queries; reviews for incomplete records, data entry errors, &/or accounting mistakes.
• May analyze open encumbrances that are no longer valid & recommend appropriate modifications to ensure smooth processing of financial transactions.

Transactions:

• Completes & maintains transactions in enterprise systems.
• Provides review and oversight of all types of financial transactions some of which may be complex in regard to size or duration of account.
• Reviews; ensures approval based on alternatives regarding practice & policy.
• Troubleshoots problems.
• Performs vendor/account research as needed.
• Obtains additional information from or provides instruction & guidance for customers/vendors; corrects or escalates.
• Provides financial policy interpretation to determine the validity of customer requests & ensure compliance.
• Enters information into database.

Grants &/or Awards:

• Corrects charges to various accounts.

Administration:

• Provides excellent customer service, over the phone and in person answering standard questions regarding status of requests, policies and procedures for processing transactions, &/or instructions for completing paperwork.
• Instructs & advises regarding options and appropriate courses of action & follows-up inquiries to ensure customer satisfaction.
• Completes other administrative &/or clerical activities such as organizing meetings
• Maintains inventory.

Minimum Qualifications: (Education, experience, and any other certifications or clearances)

• Bachelor's degree or the equivalent.
• 3 years accounting &/or bookkeeping or other relevant experience.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Excellent computer skills including proficiency in the use of spreadsheet, database and word processing software.
• Familiarity with financial reporting.

Preferred Qualifications: (Education and experience)

• Bachelor's degree or the equivalent.
• Familiarity with grants management.
• Familiarity with academic environment.

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Excellent customer service.
• Ability to work quickly and effectively.
• High attention to detail

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.