Finance Policy & Process Specialist

Colorado; Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading university is seeking a Finance Policy & Process Specialist to enhance financial policy compliance and training efforts. The ideal candidate will have a bachelor's degree and extensive experience in financial procedures. This hybrid role offers the opportunity to impact the finance operations across university campuses, ensuring compliance and guiding staff effectively.

Benefits

Comprehensive healthcare options

Retirement planning options with employer contributions

Generous paid time off

Tuition benefit program

Free RTD EcoPass for commuting

Qualifications

• 4 years of experience analyzing complex policy information.
• Experience in financial or accounting procedures.
• Ability to develop and deliver training.

Responsibilities

• Develops and maintains policies, procedures, and forms.
• Provides training on fiscal policies and systems.
• Collaborates with campus fiscal compliance units.

Skills

Analytical Skills

Communication Skills

Problem-Solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution

Tools

Finance System

Cognos Reporting System

PeopleSoft

Job description

Join Our Team and Make a Difference in Higher Education!

At the System Administration office at the University of Colorado, we are dedicated to building a workplace where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered to thrive. Our office is committed to fostering a culture where employees find community, a sense of belonging, and the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to our mission and purpose.

By joining our team, you’ll have a direct impact on shaping the future of higher education. In addition to the Office of the Board of Regents, the University of Colorado’s system administration includes 19 units that provide essential services to CU’s campuses in Aurora, Boulder, Colorado Springs, and Denver, as well as the Office of the President. While not a part of any one campus, we are proud to serve in the centralized office for the University system. Together, we ensure CU continues to deliver outstanding education, groundbreaking research, and valuable service to our communities.

We believe in creating an environment where the unique experiences and perspectives of everyone are embraced, enriching the work we do and the strategic outcomes we pursue. If you’re passionate about making a difference, contributing to a dynamic team, and supporting a mission that matters, we encourage you to apply and be part of our journey. Learn more about CU System Administration .

Position Summary:

The Office of University Controller (OUC) provides leadership to the University of Colorado (CU) in financial recording, reporting, policy guidance, and communication. The OUC is responsible for managing the university’s system of record – the Finance System – and its interfaces with purchasing, payables, human resources, the Cognos Reporting System, and other subsystems. The OUC works closely with the CU campus controllers, the state controller, and the state auditor’s office to ensure that CU fiscal practices comply with external and internal rules and regulations and generally accepted accounting principles and to prepare the external financial reports.

The OUC communicates fiscal policies and procedures through its newsletter, website, and training programs and provides direct assistance to faculty, staff, and other individuals through the Financial Services & Solutions Help team. The OUC creates explainer videos on behalf of other CU offices to serve and inform state government entities and Colorado citizens.The office also administers a Continuing Professional Education program and the CU Innovation & Efficiency Awards employee recognition program.

The Finance Policy & Process Specialist is an expert in working with financial policies, procedures, forms, and systems and in explaining their use to others, especially to non-accountants. Job duties include interpreting policies and clarifying procedures, developing instructional materials, and delivering training to achieve desired learning objectives of the OUC, the CU campus controllers’ offices, and other units across the CU system.

This position communicates financial guidance to CU faculty and staff, develops and delivers related training, and evaluates associated business procedures for continuous process improvement. Key areas of responsibility are policies, procedures, and forms related to sensitive expenses, including official functions and fundraising events.

The individual provides 1:1 assistance and serves as a subject matter expert – helping employees fulfill their fiscal roles and responsibilities through policy/procedure compliance, developing online instructions and documentation, and designing and delivering online and in-person courses. In addition to serving as a lead expert in the designated areas, this position provides support in coordinating, scheduling, and issuing certifications for training developed by other subject matter experts for the OUC’s Continuing Professional Education program.

To thrive in this position, the individual must be a self-motivated problem solver and strategic communicator. They will be passionate about empowering staff through knowledge, bridging the gap between complex financial policies and everyday understanding. Their superpower lies in their ability to anticipate potential policy confusion, proactively develop educational resources, and collaborate across teams to achieve shared goals while maintaining compliance.

The Finance Policy & Process Specialist reports to the Director of Financial Services & Solutions (FSS) in the OUC’s Financial Services & Solutions unit (FSS) and is exempt from the State of Colorado Classified Staff system.

Where You Will Work:

Hybrid – this role is primarily remote with intermittent requirements to go to a campus or the uptown Denver office.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Finance Policy Development and Process Improvement

• Develops and maintains policies, procedures, and forms to establish CU business processes, including matters regarding compliance with external rules, regulations, generally accepted accounting principles, and internal control best practices.
• Communicates policies and procedures in coordination with appropriate campus offices (campus controllers, treasury, advancement/development, etc.) to promote awareness and compliance.
• Creates and analyzes process maps for financial forms and procedures, exploring improvements to streamline operations and enhance user experience and accuracy.
• Collaborates with CU System/campus partners on policy needs and researches comparable policy implementation at peer institutions in response to CU user feedback, changes in industry best practices, and other prompts.

Finance Policy Interpretation and Guidance

• Provides 1:1 training to employees and affiliates on the application of fiscal policies, systems, and forms – especially those related to official functions and other sensitive expenses.
• In response to fundraising event inquiries from organizational units – and working with CU Advancement and CU Foundation staff – provides detailed instructions and resources to promote compliance with policy and procedural requirements.
• Collaborates with campus-based fiscal compliance units on interpretation of fiscal policies, sharing trends in individual contacts when such trends suggest a need to improve policies, systems, or forms.
• Identifies user challenges and possible resolutions (e.g., development of additional learning resources or training programs).
• Collaborates closely with OUC team members, campus financial service centers, campus controllers’ offices, and other customers to translate user feedback into improved user experience.
• Instructs internal and external customers on OUC and CU System website resources, including navigating to learning resources, policies, procedures, forms, Continuing Professional Education materials, and other information.

Finance Policy Communication and Training

• Acts as a subject matter expert in the development and maintenance of online Skillsoft Percipio training courses to support OUC and campus initiatives related to official functions, fundraising events, and other sensitive expenses.
• Creates slide decks and delivers online/in-person training to CU employees and affiliates to promote understanding and compliance.
• Creates concise, user-friendly content for knowledge-base articles to be used internally by OUC staff and externally by campus faculty and staff.
• Designs and develops policy and procedural material for publication on the OUC website in accordance with best practices in learning, understanding, and retention.
• Collaborates with key partners across the CU system to promote alignment of policies and procedures.
• Ensures consistency between written policies and procedures and training during both development and implementation.

Continuing Professional Education Coordination, Scheduling, and Compliance

• In conjunction with the OUC’s Director of Financial Services & Solutions, collaborates with internal and external subject matter experts to identify, develop, and schedule Continuing Professional Education (CPE) events.
• Reviews CPE reports for compliance and issues certificates to requesting individuals as appropriate, in alignment with NASBA (National Association of State Boards of Accounting) regulatory requirements.

Other Duties

• Handles projects, tasks, research, contacts, and communications using Cherwell/other ticketing system, Trello, Slack, and other specialized tools and software.
• Performs additional responsibilities, as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education, or equivalent professional experience (professional experience may be substituted for the educational requirement on a year-for-year basis)
• Four (4) years of experience analyzing and communicating complex policy or procedural information, including accounting or financial procedures, and experience using specialized forms to submit data or request approvals

Preferred Qualifications:

• Six (6) years of experience analyzing and communicating complex policy or procedural information, including accounting or financial procedures, and experience using specialized forms to submit data or request approvals
• Experience with financial policies, including internal control frameworks
• Experience with financial/reporting enterprise systems (finance, reporting, travel, purchasing, or accounts payable functions, especially using PeopleSoft, Cognos, Concur, or CU Marketplace e-procurement)
• Experience with governmental or higher education accounting procedures
• Experience developing written documentation/instructions and delivering both online and in-person training
• Experience communicating and training others on applications, forms, and policies
• Experience with an incident management tool, such as Cherwell
• A cover letter identifying the job specific minimum and, if appropriate, additional qualifications you possess
• A resume including any and all relevant experience to be accurately assessed against the qualifications listed in the posting.

With our unparalleled range of benefits, including top-notch healthcare, comprehensive wellness programs, enriching professional development, and a dynamic work-life balance, we ensure your holistic growth and happiness.

• No-cost or low-cost medical & dental plan options, some inclusive of IVF assistance.
• Disability, Life, Vision Insurance options.
• Multiple retirement planning options including a mandatory 401(a) plan where CU contributes 10% of your gross pay, a 401k or 403b plan and a 457 deferred compensation plan.
• Pre-tax savings plans, such as Health care and Dependent care flexible spending accounts.
• Embrace a healthy work-life balance with ample sick and vacation leave, along with at least 12 paid holidays. This includes a dedicated week off for winter break.
• 6 weeks of parental leave to adjust to the joys of parenthood.
• A tuition benefit program for you and/or your dependents.
• Free RTD EcoPass and Free Onsite Parking at our 1800 Grant Street Office.

Additional taxable fringe benefits may be available.

Colorado is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains.

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