Faculty Research Accounting Analyst

University of Chicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 64,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Chicago Booth School of Business seeks an experienced budget analyst to provide comprehensive planning, budgeting, and accounting support for faculty research budgets. You will serve 150+ faculty with diverse accounts, acting as a budget consultant and ensuring compliance with policy.

Responsibilities include monitoring budgets, processing invoices, and coordinating with Booth’s procurement and payables teams. Strong accounting skills and Oracle ERP experience are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance.
• 2–5 years of related work experience.
• CPA certification is a plus.
• Proficient with MS Office and accounting software.
• Experience with Oracle ERP is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a budgeting consultant for discretionary and internal awards and monitor projects per department timelines.
• Build relationships with faculty by tracking budgets, expenses, and encumbrances monthly and alert when deficits loom.
• Perform accounting duties aligned with Booth instruction and research activities, including funding adjustments, transactions, and cost corrections.
• Process invoices and reimbursement requests and prepare expense reports for approval.
• Assist with budgeting activities, including loading the fiscal year budget and reconciling to the master budget report.

Skills

MS Office

Budget management

Budget monitoring

Accounting

Verbal communication

Written communication

Presentation skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance

Tools

Oracle ERP

Job description

Department

Booth Accounting: Budget 1
About the Department
The University of Chicago Booth School of Business is the second-oldest business school in the U.S. and second to none when it comes to influencing business education and business practices. Since 1898, the school has produced ideas and leaders that shape the world of business. Their rigorous, discipline-based approach to business education transforms students into confident, effective, respected business leaders prepared to face the toughest challenges.

Chicago Booth has the finest set of facilities of any business school in the world. Each of the four campuses (two in Chicago, one in London, and one in Hong Kong) reflects the architectural traditions of its environs while offering a state-of-the-art learning environment.

Chicago Booth is proud to claim:
-an unmatched faculty.
-degree and open enrollment programs offered on three continents.
-a global body of nearly 56,000 accomplished alumni.
-strong and growing corporate relationships that provide a wealth of lifelong career opportunities.

As part of the world-renowned University of Chicago, Chicago Booth shares the University's core values that shape the distinctive intellectual culture. At Booth, they constantly question and test ideas, and seek proof. This extraordinarily effective approach to business leads to new ideas and innovative solutions. Seven of the Booth faculty members have won Nobel Prizes for these ideas - the first business school to achieve this accomplishment. For more information about the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, please visit: http://www.chicagobooth.edu/.

Job Summary

Provide comprehensive planning, budget preparation and monitoring, and accounting support to faculty for their research budgets. This includes serving more than 150 faculty members, many of whom have multiple research accounts, such as discretionary funds and internal awards. Responsibilities include acting as a budget consultant, monitoring budgets and expenses, optimizing the use of available cash, project maintenance, preparing reports, and processing transactions, including submitting invoices for payment and expense reports for approval, along with other general accounting duties.

This position is not eligible for employer-sponsored employment authorization.

Responsibilities

• Works as a consultant in managing, monitoring, and maintaining faculty research projects for discretionary and internal awards that includes projections more than one year.
• Builds relationships with faculty by monitoring budget balances, expenses, and encumbrances on a monthly basis, and notifying them when their budgets are approaching a deficit.
• Performs accounting duties that align with the complexity of Booth instruction and research activities that adjusts funding to maintain faculty project and award information, such as transaction review and analysis, funds transfers, and cost corrections.
• Processes and submits invoices and reimbursement requests, as well as prepare expense reports for approval while monitoring the budget.
• Assists with budgeting activities, including loading the fiscal year budget, rolling over balances, allocating Executive MBA budget and Course Coach budgets, and reconciling to the master budget report.
• Maintains and updates faculty projects and awards in the Oracle ERP accounting system, including creating new projects and awards; increasing or decreasing funding; closing projects and awards; and updating other relevant information.
• Works with supervisor to assist with ad-hoc reporting and analysis as requested from the Dean’s office.
• Communicates and ensures faculty are compliant with both University and Booth financial policies.
• Crosses collaboration with Booth’s procurement and payables team who manage contracts, purchasing, and invoice payments.
• Works with staff across various Booth departments on matters related to faculty research projects, such as Human Resources, IT, Faculty Services, and Data Governance, etc.
• Performs a variety of operating or cost accounting activities which require moderate knowledge of accounting theories and principles.
• Has a moderate/high level of authority in drafting income and balance sheet statements, consolidated statements, and various other accounting statements and reports.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience: Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications: ---

Preferred Qualifications

• Education:
  • Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance.
• Experience:
  • Accounting and financial reporting experience.
• Certifications:
  • CPA.
• Technical Skills or Knowledge:
  • Demonstrated proficiency with MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook).

Preferred Competencies

• Outstanding verbal, written, and presentation skills, as well as organizational skills.
• Excellent strategic planning, critical thinking, and analytical skills.
• Handle multiple detailed tasks/projects simultaneously and meet strict deadlines with frequent interruptions.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively and diplomatically with colleagues and faculty in a multitude of communication methods, including in person, email, and phone.
• Professional demeanor, including tact, discretion, and a customer service-oriented approach.

Working Conditions

• This position is currently expected to work a minimum three days per week in the office.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (required)

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

Job Family
Financial Management
Role Impact
Individual Contributor
Scheduled Weekly Hours
37.5

Drug Test Required
No

Health Screen Required
No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
No

Pay Rate Type
Salary

FLSA Status
Exempt

Pay Range
$64,000.00 - $72,000.00

Benefits Eligible
Yes
The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook .

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu .Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.