Senior Financial Specialist

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career. 

Job Summary

This position provides financial administrative assistance to the Chemical & Biological Engineering Department by handling intricate departmental and research financial documentation and introduces measures to enhance the effectiveness and quality of financial services within the department. This position ensures that all department transactions adhere to University policies, guidelines, procedures, and governmental regulations, and offers financial guidance when needed. It involves coordinating workflow and procedures, setting work schedules and priorities, and addressing challenging matters.

Key duties involve oversight of the Department financial operations by:

• Providing support for more than 250 Research Grants for more than 30 research faculty and the Department.
• Managing over 50 programs, Projects, and Gift Worktags.
• Serves as a point of contact with Financial Services, Research Finance, Procurement Services, Office of Research Services, and UILO.
• Performing duties including coordinating work processes, establishing work schedules and priorities, and resolving complex issues.
• Providing guidance and training to faculty members, staff, and students on financial policies and procedures.

Organizational Status
Under the supervision of the Manager, Finance & HR, the Senior Financial Specialist supports department staff, faculty members, and students to resolve financial queries and complex issues. This role frequently collaborates with personnel in Central Finance, Procurement Services, Research Finance, UILO, ORS, and various university departments as required.
Work Performed

• Manages department financial workflow and processes, establishes work schedules and priorities.
• Supervises and oversees the processing of all financial documents related to Accounts Payable and Revenue Accounting. This includes handling claims for Expense Reimbursements, Spend Authorizations, International Payments, PO and non-PO invoices, and cash deposits. Coordinating with external vendors as necessary.
• Ensures that all goods and services contracted by the department are accurately recorded and paid in a timely manner.
• Enforces team compliance with established policies and procedures by monitoring service quality, identifying areas for improvement, providing follow-up, and Workday financial training for the department staff, faculty members and students.
• Provides guidance and recommendations to researchers and faculty members on managing their research grants and internal reporting, including monitoring grant balances, tracking commitments, and incoming funds, and assisting with deficit resolution.
• Resolves complex financial transactions that require in-depth analysis, research, and investigation to verify compliance with financial policies, procedures, and regulations.
• Addresses diverse and complex financial inquiries and provides advice and recommendations to the Manager, Finance & HR to resolve and mitigate account issues.
• Plays a key role in the budgeting process by providing projections on particular spend categories and following up on variances.
• Interprets UBC and Faculty of Applied Science finance policies and communicates them accurately, guiding department employees on policy application.
• Makes recommendations and assists in implementing changes to improve financial systems and processes, streamlining procedures, and developing methods for better expenditure tracking and future requirements forecasting.
• Identifies opportunities to enhance collaboration and operational efficiency in financial processes and applications.
• Analyzes data from various sources to identify gaps and provide recommendations for department financial procedure improvements.
• Provides a monthly analysis of outstanding unreconciled UBC VISA card transactions and follows up with VISA card holders to ensure timely reconciliation. Assists with processing reconciliations.
• Maintains current knowledge of and ensures compliance with Accounting Standards, UBC and Faculty of Applied Science policies and procedures, external agency policies, relevant federal and provincial legislation, and regulations related to taxation for organizational adherence.
• Manages department cost recovery for shared services and specific projects.
• Monitors student teams' sponsorships and expenditures and provides financial information to team treasurers, ensuring each team adheres to its budget.
• Department Workday “Time Keeper” security role to ensures timely hourly payroll processing in line with Financial Services deadlines. Ensures accurate payment for monthly and hourly appointments while resolving payroll issues.
• Collaborates with Student Service staff to address and rectify incorrect payments for student workers.
• Oversees Work Learn Student – Finance Assistants, verifying accuracy and compliance with policies and procedures, making recommendations, to enhance process efficiency and effectiveness.
• Ensures that financial transactions, procedures, and record-keeping meet audit standards, including providing adequate support for transactions and appropriate record retention. Responsible for document preparation for both internal and external audits.
• Collaborates closely with faculty members to resolve discrepancies in research grants, submitting ISC tickets and following up to rectify errors.
• Assists in maintaining FDM elements (e.g., Cost Center, Program/Project/Gift/Grant, program/activity, etc.) by recognizing when new Worktags are required and assessing when old ones need updating or closing.
• Manages the department's petty cash fund, disbursing payments in line with UBC and department policies, replenishing funds as necessary, and ensuring the fund is reconciled and balanced.
• Ensures that all transactions and transfers are completed before year-end deadlines.
• Carries out other related duties as required and contributes to special projects as needed.
• Assist the HR coordinator with processing appointments

Consequence of Error/Judgement

A significant level of tact and discretion is essential when dealing with confidential and sensitive information, and strict adherence to audit standards is paramount. Meticulous attention to detail and a comprehensive understanding of UBC policies and procedures are crucial. Whenever solutions to problems appear to deviate from established procedures, guidance should be sought.

The role involves interactions with a diverse range of external contacts, including vendors and other institutions, errors in judgment could result in inaccuracies in reports and records, potentially causing delays and negatively affecting department finances, research and project budgets, and the University's reputation.
Supervision Received
The Senior Finance Specialist will direct report to the Manager, Finance & HR. Works independently under minimal supervision within established policies, procedures and accepted practices.
Supervision Given
Formally trains new staff on work procedures, and/or oversees work of students and temporary staff.
Minimum Qualifications
High school graduation, plus Diploma in Accounting or Payroll CPA Level 2, plus four years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and related experience.
- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

The ability to work both independently and as part of a team, even in the face of frequent interruptions. A strong aptitude for maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.

Skill in exercising tact and discretion while performing effectively under pressure to meet deadlines. Proficiency in word processing at a speed of 50 words per minute, as well as operating office equipment such as calculators, fax machines, photocopying machines, and other standard office equipment.

Advanced proficiency in word processing and computer applications (e.g., Outlook, MS Word, MS Excel).

Effective in oral and written communication, organization, problem-solving, interpersonal interactions, and multitasking.

Capable of investigating and resolving issues, using initiative, interpretation, and ingenuity to identify potential or actual problems, investigate their causes, and find effective solutions.

Ability to deal with sensitive issues with tact and diplomacy.

Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.

Extensive experience with Research Finance is preferred.

Extensive experience with Workday system is preferred.

Extensive experience in workflow optimization.