Financial Accountant

Salary/Position Classification

• $53,500-$55,000+ Dependent on Experience, Annual, Exempt
• 40 hours per week
• 100% Remote Work Availability: No
• Hybrid Work Availability (requires some time on campus): Yes
  • This position will work onsite at UND Grand Forks, ND campus.  Hybrid work arrangements may be considered as an option and would require working from the campus office based on the needs of the position. 

Purpose of Position

This position is a key member of the Controller's team and works primarily with the Sr. Financial Accountant and Director of Treasury. This position executes and helps manage the following accounting areas:

• Daily cash transactions
• Banking wires and transfers
• Manage Cashiering
• Treasury email
• Nelnet access

This position works with the Treasury Senior Accountant and Director of Treasury, performing various duties within UND Treasury. The person will be a key member responsible for managing incoming and outgoing ACH transactions, troubleshooting items daily within 18 bank accounts, 50+ merchant credit card accounts, and $500M of deposits and payments involving all PeopleSoft modules. The person will provide excellent customer service and communications skills when serving all UND departments and outside agencies such as the Bank of North Dakota and NDUS Core Technology Services. The individual will oversee the cashiering function in UND Treasury.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Manage daily banking activities, including ACH deposits to all UND bank accounts, incoming and outgoing wire transfers, and daily bank transfers.
• Serve as the subject matter expert and troubleshooter for transactions posting to UND bank accounts, including checks, cash, ACH, credit cards, auto-debits, and wires.
• Perform in-depth analysis of bank statements, internal records, and other data sources to identify, investigate, and resolve banking discrepancies.
• Utilize professional judgment, analytical skills, and problem-solving techniques to identify reconciliation errors, determine causes, assess impact, and document findings and resolutions.
• Identify and analyze opportunities for process improvement and collaborate with leadership to monitor and evaluate improvement initiatives.
• Manage the Treasury departmental email account, including prioritizing, monitoring, organizing, and responding to inquiries in a timely and accurate manner.
• Research, analyze, and interpret banking and general ledger data to provide customer service and resolve Treasury-related questions.
• Oversee cashiering operations, including cash handling, cash reconciliation, transaction accuracy, compliance, risk mitigation, security standards, and fraud prevention practices.
• Supervise student employees and oversee Central Finance team members who assist with cashiering activities.
• Provide guidance to departments on risk mitigation, assess compliance risks, and recommend the use of Nelnet for cash and check collection where appropriate.
• Collaborate with departments, Central Finance, external agencies, banking institutions, and other stakeholders to resolve Treasury-related issues and ensure effective communication and customer service.
• Assist with reconciliation and troubleshooting of 18 bank accounts and 50+ merchant accounts, support Nelnet setup and management, contribute to Treasury training and compliance efforts, and perform other duties as assigned.

Required Competencies

• Demonstrated strong communication skills – including written, oral and listening: articulate ideas clearly, concisely, and persuasively, showing sensitivity to one's audience. Ability to influence team without direct authority and navigate through difficult or ambiguous situations.
• Assesses situations, considers alternatives, and chooses appropriate course of action while weighing potential risk
• Requires the ability to work effectively under pressure, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and meet established goals and objectives
• Excellent customer-focus skills
• Results oriented
• Ability to solve issues independently using professional judgment
• Takes initiative and is a dedicated self-starter and independent thinker
• Positive outlook
• Utilizes knowledge of the industry to make practical applications in everyday operations
• Establishes priorities and logically organizes work to accomplish goals
• Makes decisions or advises appropriate personnel of the situation
• Works effectively with others to accomplish tasks and goals, find solutions to problems
• Demonstrated ability working in a cohesive team, willing to back up and support other team members and treat others with respect while confidently contributing to the team
• Anticipates and adjusts for problems and roadblocks
• Demonstrates effective listening skills; listens to others, interprets the messages, and checks for understanding.
• Has an openness to new and different ways of doing things
• Ability to look for efficiencies in processes and offer value-added suggestions
• Thorough understanding of risk and risk mitigation associated with treasury functions.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor degree with a major in business administration, accounting, or a related field, or two years of college and three years of directly related work experience.
• Successful completion of a Criminal History Background Check

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the US and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. This position does not support visa sponsorship for continued employment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in recording business transactions.
• Experience with reconciliations.
• Experience with PeopleSoft software.
• Experience working with data analytics and reporting software (TIBCO, Tableau, Power BI, etc.)
• Cash handling experience.
• Experience with documenting accounting processes.
• Experience identifying and implementing continuous improvement initiatives.
• Two years of experience with bank and cash reconciliations.
• Expertise in accounting and financial reporting standards (GASB or FASB, and GAAP)