Temporary Accounts Representative - Cornell Bowers Finance Department, Ithaca, NY (On-Site) at Cornell University in Ithaca (Main Campus)

Job description

• The Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science is a community of people committed to tackling some of the world's biggest challenges. Cornell Bowers CIS is home to the three academic departments: Computer Science, Information Science, and Statistics and Data Science, and it pushes boundaries in the information age through its commitment to both developing state-of-the-art computing and information technologies, and in studying and understanding the societal and human impact of these technologies.
• Cornell Bowers CIS is responding to tremendous growth in student interest by investing heavily to increase its faculty—with a goal to increase by 50% over the next few years, as well as increasing its staff infrastructure, including its financial teams. Growth will allow the college to foster research excellence, expand critical and emerging fields, and increase opportunities for cross-disciplinary and university-wide collaboration. The college’s annual operating budget and faculty funding includes: $147.8M central/dept budget, $15.7M annual sponsored expenditures, and $7 faculty gifts and discretionary funds. Cornell Bowers CIS faculty are world leaders whose research is expanding fields of inquiry, developing core technologies, and examining the societal, sustainability, and ethical implications of technological innovation.
• We are seeking a Temporary Accounts Representative. This position encompasses a range of responsibilities related to faculty and college financial activities, including sponsored, appropriated, discretionary, and restricted funds. Reporting directly to both the Cornell Bowers Director of Budget and Finance and Sponsored Research Administration Center, the incumbent operates independently on most issues. The role involves interpreting university policy, engaging with Cornell Bowers finance team, and overseeing various financial transaction aspects.
• Duties include financial accounting and transactions, subcontract payments, communication with account owners and principal investigators. The incumbent is responsible for maintaining audit compliance, ensuring the monitoring of internal controls in collaboration with the college fiscal team.
• This role provides financial transactional support to faculty, graduate and undergraduate students, and staff. Proactive efforts to develop best practices, research issues, and problem-solve are integral to the position, along with facilitating appropriate actions and communicating professionally and concisely. The incumbent interprets, informs, and applies University policies, procedures, and practices, in a fast-paced, demanding, and continuously evolving environment.
• While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a psychologically healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others.

Responsibilities

• financial accounting and transactions
• subcontract payments
• communication with account owners and principal investigators
• maintaining audit compliance
• ensuring the monitoring of internal controls in collaboration with the college fiscal team
• provides financial transactional support to faculty, graduate and undergraduate students, and staff
• interprets, informs, and applies University policies, procedures, and practices

Requirements

• Associates Degree and 2 to 4 years relevant experience or equivalent combination; Accounting experience and/or formal coursework in accounting applications is required; proven and demonstrated proficiency with computer applications MS Office; Excel, Word, Outlook; proven attention to detail as well as an understanding data structures; demonstrated ability to handle sensitive and confidential data with discretion.
• Experience in and/or demonstrated commitment to supporting diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and wellbeing.
• Experience working directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive and equitable working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.
• Excellent communication skills (listening, reading, writing, verbal – all with an ability to effectively engage with a diverse population); ability to independently plan and prioritize responsibilities; multi-faceted and demanding/deadline driven environment; operate in a team environment and contribute effectively to both individual and team goals.
• Successful completion of the University Administrative Systems online training including, Workday, Kuali, OBIEE Answers or similar training will be required within a reasonable period of time (generally within 3 months)
• Associate degree in Finance, Business, or a related field with three to five years of applicable experience, preferably including restricted funds management; familiarity with the Cornell University accounting (KFS & OBIEE & Longview) and Bursar (PeopleSoft) systems.
• Familiarity with the Cornell University accounting and HR/Workday and Bursar/PeopleSoft systems, structure and policies.

Skills

Required

• Accounting
• MS Office (Excel, Word, Outlook)
• Attention to detail
• Understanding data structures
• Independent planning and prioritization
• Team collaboration
• Diversity, equity, inclusion commitment

Preferred

• Restricted funds management

Benefits

• Hours per week: 39
• Appointment Length: ASAP through April 30, 2027
• Location: Ithaca, NY Fully On-Site
• Non-Union Positions
• Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:
• Prior relevant work or industry experience
• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position
• Unique applicable skills
• Academic Discipline
• To learn more about Cornell’s non-union staff job titles and pay ranges, see Career Navigator.
• Union Positions
• The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement. To learn more about Cornell’s union wages, see Union Pay Rates.