Administrative/Finance Specialist - Arts

City of Raleigh Municipal Government; Raleigh (NC); Hybrid; USD 30,000 - 40,000; Part time

Job summary

The City of Raleigh is seeking a part-time Administrative/Finance Specialist for the Raleigh Arts division. This role involves providing finance and administrative support to the Arts Grant Program, ensuring compliance, and assisting grant applicants. Ideal candidates will have strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and experience with financial systems. The position requires 20 hours per week with a hybrid schedule.

Qualifications

• Five years of related administrative support and/or finance experience.
• Experience with finance systems like PeopleSoft is preferred.
• Arts administration experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Provides specialized finance and administrative support for the Arts Grant Program.
• Handles grant recipient payment requests and tracks payments.
• Prepares and maintains spreadsheets, databases, and reports.

Skills

Organizational Skills

Attention to Detail

Customer Service

Communication

Data Analysis

Education

Associate’s Degree

Tools

Excel

PeopleSoft

Power BI

Job description

Raleigh Arts, a division of the Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department, works to realize the City’s vision that Raleigh is a community connected through arts and culture, where every person is empowered to lead the creative life they envision. A key component is the Raleigh Arts Commission’s Raleigh Arts Partner Program, which administers over $2 million dollars in grant funding to nonprofit organizations annually and provides professional development programs, training and other resources for the local arts community. Raleigh Arts seeks an exceptionally detail-oriented individual with strong organizational skills, an affinity for numbers and Excel and the ability to multi-task to support this growing program as its part-time Administrative/Finance Specialist, working 20 hours/week.

The Administrative/Finance Specialist provides specialized finance and administrative support for the Arts Grant Program’s application and reporting processes, capacity building programs and professional development events. This position is responsible for a variety of complex finance and administrative tasks, including financial report review and analysis, budget tracking, grant payment processing and oversight, and grant compliance tracking. The Administrative/Finance Specialist also acts as a supportive resource and advisor to grant applicants and program participants and handles registration and logistics for a variety of events, classes and workshops.

• Handles all grant recipient payment requests, including review and approval. Tracks payments against total grant awards, troubleshoots and resolves issues. Works with Finance Department staff and others to ensure timely grant payments are made.
• Reviews and approves submitted grant recipient expense reimbursement reports to ensure expenses meet program parameters and complete financial back-up documentation has been submitted. Checks in and reviews grant recipient audit reports.
• Handles other program finance/procurement tasks using the City’s PeopleSoft finance system. Obtains vendor quotes; initiates requisitions for materials and/or services; performs program budget and order tracking; monitors grant contracts.
• Checks-in and reviews for compliance all submitted grant applications, reports and other documentation. Tracks funding compliance for all grant recipients.
• Prepares, updates and maintains spreadsheets, databases, financial system information, and reports; collects, compiles and reviews data and documents; identifies data issues and recommends solutions.
• Builds and updates digital application and report forms. Develops and updates registration and evaluation forms for grant workshops, capacity building programs and other events.
• Handles and tracks workshop and professional development program registrations, including participant communications and customer service. Assists with meetings and events as needed by welcoming participants, assisting with activities and taking notes.
• Handles logistics for meetings, workshops and events, including reserving facility spaces, ordering supplies, transporting supplies and equipment, handling room set-up and clean-up, and providing technical support for virtual and hybrid meetings.
• Acts as a supportive public contact and advisor to grant applicants, recipients and others, to answer questions, notify recipients about reporting issues and assist in resolving them.
• Performs records retention duties in accordance with established policies and procedures; scans and maintains documents, files and records; assists with records and procedural audits.
• Updates and maintains database information and related reports; researches and retrieves information; reviews data for accuracy and makes corrections; and identifies data issues.

Education and Experience

Associate’s degree and five years of related administrative support and/or finance experience; some paraprofessional accounting or bookkeeping experience preferred.

OR

An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the duties of the job such as those listed above, unless otherwise subject to any other requirements set forth in law or regulation.

Preferred Qualifications

The preferred candidate is an exceptionally well-organized, highly detail-oriented and energetic professional with substantial finance and administrative experience. Has a knack for finance and experience working with numbers, spreadsheets and/or finance systems like PeopleSoft. Self-starter who works well independently and as part of a collaborative team to prioritize and complete multiple projects with competing deadlines quickly and accurately. Has strong customer service skills and demonstrated ability to positively engage a variety of constituencies, including people across diverse cultural backgrounds and people with disabilities. Arts administration experience is a plus.

Licensing/Certifications

Depending on assignment, some positions may require:

• Valid North Carolina Driver's License.

Knowledge of:

• Practices and methods of processing financial transactions.
• Business math concepts and practices.
• Standard administrative business practices and processes.
• Modern technology, including finance systems and/or data systems.
• Customer service principles and practices, including competency with multiple cultures and people with disabilities.

Demonstrated Skill in:

• Working in a face-paced environment with exceptional accuracy and attention to detail in assignments, as well as proofreading and error correction.
• Working independently and as part of a collaborative team to prioritize work and complete multiple projects to meet competing deadlines.
• Developing and updating complex spreadsheets, including use of pivot tables. Design and implement automated processes for data entry, analysis, and reporting.
• Organizing and retaining documentation, data, schedules, records and files.
• Composing, maintaining and updating basic original documents including reports, presentations, and correspondence.
• Organizing tasks, meeting deadlines and prioritizing competing demands.
• Checking in, organizing, and reviewing documents and reports.
• Scheduling meetings, determining basic meeting needs and making required arrangements.
• Handling event coordination and logistics, including room set-up and clean-up.
• Performing basic original research, compiling and assembling data.
• Handling sensitive information with discretion.
• Successfully working and/or collaborating with people from across diverse cultural backgrounds.
• Providing exceptional customer service and acting as an advisor to the public in person and virtually, as well as by email and phone.
• Utilizing communication and interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisors, and others to sufficiently exchange or convey information and to receive work direction.
• Utilizing relevant software applications, including expertise with Excel, Word and Acrobat Pro, as well as proficiency with finance systems, Power BI, grantmaking systems, databases, Wufoo Forms and/or Sign-Up Genius.

Light Work:

Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. If the use of arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for Sedentary Work, and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated for Light work.

Working Conditions:

Work is usually performed in an indoor office environment with a hybrid schedule. Some flexible availability is required as hours vary somewhat by season, averaging 20 hours/week over the course of a year. Work is typically scheduled during regular office hours (8:00am-5:00pm), with some evening and weekend hours required.

Note:

This job classification description is intended to be generic in nature. It is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) designation may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position.