Accounting Associate IV

Montana State University

(Bozeman, Montana)
Full Time
Job Posting Details
About Montana State University
Montana State University, the state's land-grant institution, educates students, creates knowledge and art, and serves communities by integrating learning, discovery and engagement.
Responsibilities
The College of Education, Health & Human Development (EHHD) operates a centralized Finance/HR structure comprised of the Dean’s Office and associated Centers, and two departments with multiple grant and designated funded units. This position shares the financial and budgetary functions related to EHHD’s mission with a second Accounting Associate IV position. Key areas of responsibility include finance and budgeting; data collection; interpretation, development, implementation of and compliance with policy and procedure; reporting; and other duties necessary to promote a data-rich environment designed for efficiency, effectiveness, and data-driven decision making College-wide. This position is an integral part of the Dean’s Office Staffing Team, advising and assisting in envisioning, establishing and implementing appropriate and efficient business and management practices. The person in this position also represents the College and MSU at meetings and events related to his/her duties. Duties and Responsibilities 1. Analyze and interpret current fiscal and budgetary policies, procedures, laws and historical budget information. Offers input and consultation regarding College finance to the Dean, Associate Deans, Department Heads, Assistant to the Dean, Program Leaders, Principal Investigators, and others as required. Meets regularly with relevant individuals working with budgets. Responsible for facilitating a linkage between strategic planning and financial expenditures. 2. Responsible for day to day management fiscal and budgetary operations. Includes projecting EHHD budget for the upcoming fiscal year, interpreting overall budget and expenditure activity and providing recommendations to the Dean, Department Heads, and Assistant to the Dean. Provides “at a glance” balance information and other consultation to all interested parties. Works with the second Accounting Assoc IV and the Assistant to the Dean to devise appropriate reporting methodologies. 3. Interprets University, MUS, Office of Sponsored Programs and individual sponsor rules and regulations. Instructs interested parties regarding financial policy compliance; provides consultation and advice to Department Heads and PIs regarding budgeting, accounts payable and allowable expenses, reporting requirements; short term and long term budget planning for salary, subcontract, and known expenses encumbered for budget planning; compiles budgetary spreadsheets (and expense reports in the case of PI and sponsor reporting purposes); quarterly and annual budget analysis; determines appropriate income/expenditure data for inclusion in analysis; interprets resulting data and provides financial projections; manages P-Card accounts, interprets policy and instructs P-card reporting requirements; facilitates travel and hospitality, accounts payable, BPAs, travel, makes appropriate recommendations to interested parties regarding balance of funds available. Runs and reviews monthly Banner Finance reports and reconciles all appropriate indexes. 4. Is responsible for fiscal operations relating to EHHD’s human resources, including budget planning and reconciliation of state-, grant-, and designated-funding positions; monitoring and reporting tuition waiver usage. Stays abreast of all HR budget tracking details (fringe benefits, salaries, additional compensation, etc), including centralized and auxiliary benefits allocations and costs; offers strategies to free up and better allocate budgetary resources (to transfer funds; develop programs, etc in the personnel aspects of strategic planning) in an effort to use funds in a more efficient and effective manner; projects the HR budget for the upcoming fiscal year; interprets budget and personnel expenditure activity, and provides recommendations to the Dean, Department Heads, Assistant to the Dean, and others as appropriate. 5. Oversees OSP’s Proposal Clearance Forms for prospective Principal Investigators. 6. Disseminates information. Keeps Leadership Team, Principal Investigators, faculty, and administrative staff abreast of fiscal policy and procedural changes. Regularly liaises with Budget and Business Office personnel, and OSP fiscal managers to meet requirements, monitor reporting and closing deadlines, to ensure compliance, and to monitor budget allocations. Is available for consultation by EHHD employees with grant or financial involvement. 7. Is a key member of the Dean’s Office Staffing Team. Participates in group and individual meetings for the purpose of brainstorming, sharing best practices, cross training and inter-team job duties awareness. Works as a Team member to progress the College and University mission, goals and objectives.
Ideal Candidate
Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills 1. Bachelor’s Degree in business, finance, or appropriate area or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience. 2. Extensive accounting experience including managing, monitoring and reconciling fiscal records and budgets. 3. Demonstrated ability and experience working independently, exercising sound judgment and making consistent decisions with minimal supervision 4. Demonstrated competence to maintain, process, and verify detailed information with a high degree of accuracy, while paying close attention to detail and confidentiality. 5. Demonstrated competence to organize and prioritize workloads, perform work-related tasks in an organized manner, and meet deadlines in a busy office setting. 6. Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, in both verbal and written form, including the ability to accurately and courteously explain policies and procedures. 7. Demonstrated ability gathering, compiling, analyzing and interpreting financial information and generating financial reports with a high level of accuracy and the ability to identify and correct errors. 8. Demonstrated ability to work as member of a larger team as well as ability to work independently. 9. Demonstrated competence using personal computers and software, such as word processing, spreadsheets, electronic calendars, and e-mail. Microsoft Office Suite preferred. (Please list equipment and software used, and types of documents produced). Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills 1. Familiarity with SCT Banner Budget Systems and/or SAIS. 2. Experience using and reconciling the University credit card charging system. 3. Experience offering consultation and strategic advice to unit managers and supervisors. 4. Experience successfully interpreting and disseminating business policies and procedures. The successful candidate will also have the following abilities: consistently exercise initiative and good judgment; effectively operate work-related equipment; establish and maintain effective working relations with co-workers and the public in a team-oriented environment; maintain confidentiality of records and information; represent MSU to others in a professional and courteous manner.
Compensation and Working Conditions

Working Conditions

Normal office setting.

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