Job Details

Operations Manager and Accounting Assistant, University Finance Office

Position Number: 7082168
Location: Santa Clara, CA
Position Type: Business - Accounting

Operations Manager and Accounting Assistant, University Finance Office

Position Title:
Operations Manager and Accounting Assistant, University Finance Office

Position Type:
Regular

Hiring Range:

$28.03 - $33.65 per hour; Compensation will be based on education, experience, skills relevant to the role, and internal equity.

Pay Frequency:
Hourly

POSITION PURPOSE

This position serves two primary roles, each comprising approximately 50% of the person's time. As Operations Manager for the University Finance Office (UFO), this person provides administrative and project support for the UFO infrastructure, operations, and staff. The incumbent reports directly and provides administrative support to the Associate Vice President for Finance. As the Accounting Assistant, this person is to provide high-level accounting support and process University cashiering transactions in a timely and accurate manner. The multifaceted nature of this position requires flexibility, efficiency, attention to detail, thoroughness, and the ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines for a wide variety of assignments.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Operations Manager -

1. University Finance Office Operations

Establish and govern the department's record-keeping, correspondence, and filing systems; administer the off-site storage account and retention/destruction protocols.
Oversee and process financial administrative transactions, including supplier invoice requests, requisitions, expense transfers, and budget submissions in the ERP system.
Organize team events, retreats, and outings: coordinate timelines, communication, invitations and RSVPs, menu, budget, facilities set up, catering, and post-event follow-up.
Organize staff meetings: assist with planning content, oversee the logistics, coordinate onsite support and media services, secure speakers, materials preparation, and follow-up.
Send office announcements and reminders to keep the office informed of important business-related items and facilities/technology issues of impact.
Work closely with managers and manage the administrative onboarding of new employees, including but not limited to submitting Access Requests to University Operations for new employees, contractors, and student workers, requesting new employee copier codes, and updating shared calendars and email groups to include new hires.
Serve as the primary Facilities Coordinator, managing all office maintenance, custodial services, and staff move logistics in close collaboration with the building manager.
Act as the IT Liaison, providing first-line technical support to staff and managing the coordination of all advanced technical support issues with the University IT department.
Maintain office equipment and supplies; purchase mission-critical supplies in coordination with SCU Purchasing as needed.
Track department equipment and replacements; update UFO PC replacement log after hardware changes.
Interact responsively, intelligently, and provide support as needed for all members of the University Finance Office, which includes the Budget, Bursar, Controller, Procurement, and Risk Management Offices
Be a consistent presence in and a friendly face of the University Finance Office department.

2. Assistant to the Associate Vice President for Finance

Work closely with the AVP to manage and coordinate all aspects of unit initiatives, including formal cross-functional events, team-building meetings, calendars, and travel.
Develop, draft, and finalize high-quality agendas, meeting slide decks, and strategic reports for the AVP and other leadership.
Document and distribute official minutes for key leadership meetings and events, ensuring accuracy and accountability for follow-up items.
Handle confidential and sensitive information.
Assist the AVP with special strategic projects and coordinate special projects as assigned.
As part of the budgeting process, submit and reconcile expenses for the AVP in Workday, according to university policies and procedures.

3. Customer Service and Community Support

Oversee reception area and guest intake, directing inquiries to the proper staff for handling.
Serve as the first point of contact for the University Finance Office phone line; respond to caller questions and inquiries, and direct callers to the appropriate UFO staff member as needed.
Direct faculty, staff, and students to appropriate resources based on a broad knowledge of support services offered by the University Finance Office.
Interact with internal and external personnel for scheduling and information.

Accounting Assistant -

1. General Accounting/Finance Support

Collaborate and independently complete the annual University Benchmarking cycle, which involves developing and maintaining complex spreadsheets, synthesizing data from diverse sources, and providing the VP of Finance & Administration with the interpretative reports necessary for institutional target setting.
Manage, review, and respond to the SCU Accounts Receivable email inbox and provide timely responses. Assigned topics include, but are not limited to, W-9, ACH, and vendor registration requests.
Maintain internal controls: review supplier invoices between $10k and $50k in the week's external payment run and communicate any discrepancies to Accounts Payable.
Issue and prepare supplier, expense, ad hoc, award payment, and student refund checks.
Submit journals on a regular basis to reconcile Virtual Card account for Student Life and Athletics units.
Provide end-user training on reconciliation procedures to Virtual Card provisioners across units.
Process and log company credit cards and coordinate pick-up with cardholders.
Follow up with prospective University suppliers in accordance with established procedures and timelines. Provide additional Supplier Registration and other support to Accounts Payable and Procurement departments as needed.
Other reconciliations and duties as assigned.

2. University Banking Deposits/Cashiering

Initiate the University's deposits by securely accessing and retrieving all centralized departmental deposits and cash sales, acting as the primary custodian for these sensitive transactions.
Reconcile check and cash payments received and processed in the cashiering office, ensuring deposits and repayments are accurate and audited
Complete balance sheet and documentation for the University Finance Office for General Ledger reconciliation.
Record daily remote deposits, adhering to procedures to ensure recordkeeping accuracy.
Prepare and record cash deposit bags for the University Finance Office and Gift & Records departments.
Develop, maintain, and improve documentation of cashiering-related processes, including employee self-service user guides.
Responsible for the timely and accurate communication of year-end cashiering schedules and reminders.

3. University Petty Cash

Ensure cashiering has appropriate funds available at all times to meet the daily needs of the University's financial transactions.
Audit and disburse petty cash reimbursements to students for University-related out-of-pocket expenses when appropriate paperwork is submitted.
Monitor departmental petty cash accounts and administer yearly petty cash audits near the fiscal year close.
Audit and replenish departmental petty cash accounts when appropriate paperwork is submitted by the department. Submit bank account transfers to balance accounts in Workday.
Create and upload the cashier disbursements spreadsheet to generate journal entries and balance petty cash accounts.
Review, disburse, and reconcile petty cash advance requests submitted by end users.
Oversee the process of reviewing and approving applications for opening new petty cash accounts, and coordinate the set-up with the proper University Finance Office staff.
Close petty cash accounts in coordination with requesting departments.
Develop and deliver petty cash-related end-user training sessions for new petty cash custodians.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

Recommends initiatives and implements changes to improve quality and services. Identifies and determines the cause of problems; develops and presents recommendations for improvement of established processes and practices. Maintains contact with customers and solicits feedback for improved services. Maximizes productivity through the use of appropriate tools. Researches and develops resources that create a timely and efficient workflow. Prepares progress reports; informs supervisor of project status; and reports deviations from goals. Ensures completeness, accuracy, and timeliness of all operational functions. Prepares and submits reports as requested and required. Develops and implements guidelines to support the functions of the unit.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The items below are representative of the knowledge, skills, abilities, education, and experience required or preferred.

This position requires the ability to effectively establish and maintain cooperative working relationships within a diverse multicultural environment.

1. Knowledge

Solid understanding of accounting principles
Knowledge and experience using technology to enhance communications as well as operational efficiencies in the office.
Strong working knowledge and understanding of fundraising and finance office concepts, principles, procedures, and techniques preferred.
Knowledge of higher education fundraising standards and practices preferred.
Understanding and appreciation of the mission of Santa Clara University and the vision and values of a Jesuit Catholic educational institution.

Possess broad knowledge of cash handling and cashier operating procedures

2. Skills

Proactive and well-organized individual who can demonstrate accountability, initiative, creativity, and focus in a rapidly changing environment.
Service oriented with excellent organizational and communication skills
Expert planning, coordination, and organizational ability, including managing numerous projects simultaneously.
Proficiency in using a relational database. Experience with Workday and Access preferred.
Excellent computer skills; proficiency in using advanced functions of Microsoft products (i.e., Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and PowerPoint slides), as well as Google products (i.e., Google Docs, Sheets, Gmail, Calendar, etc.), and other web/cloud-based resources. Willingness to learn new software as needed.

Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills

3. Abilities

Ability to manage multiple tasks in a high-profile environment.
Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate, build alliances, and achieve results within a population that may possess competing interests, opinions, and /or expectations.
Demonstrated sound judgment made in situations requiring independent decision-making and in handling confidential and sensitive material.

4. Education

Bachelor's Degree in Finance, Business, or related field preferred.

5. Years of Experience

0-2 years of related experience

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended, the California Fair Employment & Housing Act, and all other applicable laws, SCU provides reasonable accommodations for qualified persons with disabilities. A qualified individual is a person who meets the skill, experience, education, or other requirements of the position, and who can perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

Considerable time is spent at a desk using a computer terminal.
Will be required to travel to other buildings on the campus.
May be required to attend conferences and training sessions within the Bay Area or in- or out-of-state locations.
May be required to occasionally travel to outside customers, vendors, or suppliers.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described below are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

Typical office environment.
Indoor office environment with windows.
Offices with frequent interruptions.

Telecommute

Santa Clara University is registered to do business in the following states: California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, and Illinois. Employees approved to telecommute are required to perform their work within one of these states.

EEO Statement

Equal Opportunity/Notice of Nondiscrimination

Santa Clara University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, marital status, parental status, veteran or military status, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy or related conditions, reproductive health decision making, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. For a complete copy of Santa Clara University's equal opportunity and nondiscrimination policies, please visit the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX website at https://www.scu.edu/title-ix/.

Clery Notice of Availability

Santa Clara University annually collects information about campus crimes and other reportable incidents in accordance with the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. To view the Santa Clara University report, please visit the Campus Safety Services website. To request a paper copy please call Campus Safety at (408) 554-4441. The report includes the type of crime, venue, and number of occurrences.

Americans with Disabilities Act

Consistent with its obligations under the law, Santa Clara University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants who wish to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact the Department of Human Resources ADA Team at hraccommodations@scu.edu or by phone at (408)554-5750.

To view the full job posting and apply for this position, go to https://wd1.myworkdaysite.com/en-US/recruiting/scu/scu/job/Santa-Clara-CA/Operations-Manager-and-Accounting-Assistant--University-Finance-Office_R7360