Finance Specialist I

University of South Florida in; Tampa (FL); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of South Florida's Business and Finance Shared Services (BFSS) offers an entry-level Finance Specialist I role. You will begin with a Canvas-based curriculum and hands-on experience to master university financial operations with high standards of efficiency and policy compliance.

Under supervision, you’ll review transaction packages for completeness, ensure funding alignment, and prepare documentation for oversight, helping streamline approvals and uphold separation of duties

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, business administration, or related field.
• Equivalency (SB 1310) may substitute coursework with 4 years of related experience.
• 0–2 years of professional experience in financial services or related field.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate end-to-end processing of financial requests with proper business purpose and documentation.
• Interpret policies to ensure Travel, Purchasing, and PCard compliance before approval.
• Develop expertise in 1–2 primary focus areas and a tertiary focus as needed.
• Support data-backed decision making through transactional reporting and SLA tracking.
• Collaborate with faculty, staff, and units to streamline workflows.

Skills

Structured learning

Explanatory skills

Process expertise

Exploratory professionalism

Customer service

Fiscal stewardship

Collaborative communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, business administration

Equivalency (SB 1310): 4 years related experience

Job description

Business and Finance Shared Services (BFSS) is a specialized unit within the University of South Florida's Office of Business and Finance. Our mission is to empower USF's success by performing accurate and efficient transaction processing guided by a steadfast commitment to compliance and process enhancement. BFSS serves as a "trusted partner" to the university community, providing expert support in areas such as travel, purchasing, PCard, contracts, accounts receivable, and USF Foundation transactions.

By operating as the university's "easy button," our teams leverage their collective expertise to streamline financial workflows, ensure rigorous adherence to the separation of duties, and navigate complex approval channels. This collaborative approach optimizes resource management and ensures fiscal stewardship, allowing USF's colleges and units to focus on their core missions of student success, research excellence, and community engagement. BFSS strives to be a national model for innovation, collaboration, and effective data-driven decision-making in higher education financial services.

Primary Purpose

The Finance Specialist I serves as an entry-level professional and trusted financial services partner within the Business and Finance Shared Services (BFSS) department. Dedicated to mastering university financial operations, this role functions as a subject-matter expert in-training, leveraging a structured Canvas-based curriculum and hands‑on experience to ensure all transactions are processed with the highest standards of efficiency, accuracy, and policy compliance.

Under the guidance of a supervisor, the incumbent performs professional‑level exploratory work to facilitate a "smooth journey" for financial requests through the university's complex approval channels. As a key link in the university's separation of duties framework, the Finance Specialist I reviews request packages for completeness, ensures alignment with funding source intent, and prepares documentation for official university and Foundation oversight.

Operating under the "easy button" philosophy, the Specialist is responsible for becoming a process expert in 1-2 primary focus areas while proactively supporting USF's mission of student success and research excellence through innovation, collaboration, and a steadfast commitment to continuous improvement.

Minimum Education & Experience

• Primary Requirement: Bachelor's degree in finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field; OR
• Equivalency (SB 1310): A high school diploma and four (4) years of directly related professional experience in financial services, business administration, or a similar field.
• Senate Bill 1310- The Florida Senate (https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/1310) is conditional upon meeting all employment eligibility requirements in the U.S.
  SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements
  A public employer may include a postsecondary degree as a baseline requirement only as an alternative to the number of years of direct experience required, not to exceed:
  (a) Two years of direct experience for an associate degree;
  (b) Four years of direct experience for a bachelor's degree;
  (c) Six years of direct experience for a master's degree;
  (d) Seven years of direct experience for a professional degree; or
  (e) Nine years of direct experience for a doctoral degree
  Related work experience may not substitute for any required licensure, certification, or registration required for the position of employment as established by the public employer and indicated in the advertised description of the position of employment.
  Minimum Qualifications that require a high school diploma are exempt from SB 1310.
• Experience: 0-2 years of professional experience, with a demonstrated ability to navigate complex digital platforms and interpret organizational policies.

Preferred Qualifications

• Career‑Oriented Mindset: Individuals seeking to transition from entry‑level roles into a formalized professional career path in higher education administration.
• Exceptional Communication: Prior experience in teaching, retail, or high-volume customer service where the ability to translate and explain complex information was a primary responsibility.
• Aptitude for Structured Learning: A self‑motivated desire to master new systems and processes, specifically through a commitment to completing the BFSS training curriculum.
• Collaborative Spirit: A proven track record of working effectively within a team to achieve shared goals and building trust with stakeholders.
• Analytical Curiosity: Recent graduates or professionals who demonstrate a strong interest in the "why" behind financial policies and a desire for continuous process improvement.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Structured Learning & Adaptability: Proficient in navigating formalized training environments (such as Canvas) and demonstrating a self‑motivated commitment to mastering new systems, policies, and financial workflows.
• Instructional & Explanatory Skills: Ability to interpret complex university policies and translate them into clear, actionable guidance for faculty, staff, and students.
• Process Expertise Development: Demonstrated aptitude for achieving subject‑matter expertise within 1-2 primary focus areas and the agility to develop at least one tertiary focus.
• Exploratory Professionalism: Willingness to work across various business processes to identify organizational fit and operational improvements while maintaining a career‑oriented growth mindset.
• "Easy Button" Customer Service: A strong orientation toward building trust and providing prompt, respectful, and professional service to simplify the financial journey for all university stakeholders.
• Analytical & Fiscal Stewardship: Detail‑oriented with the ability to analyze financial data for accuracy and ensure the responsible stewardship of university and Foundation funds.
• Collaborative Communication: Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to foster solid relationships across diverse university departments and work effectively within a team structure.

Working Conditions

• Environment - Typical indoor environment/office setting.
• Physical Requirements - climbing, standing, stooping, and/or typing; Ability to lift up to 20lbs as needed.

Working at USF

With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF's rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement.

In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida's best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state's 12 public universities. Our first‑class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.

About USF

The University of South Florida is a top‑ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota‑Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all‑time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF's Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.

Compliance and Federal Notices

This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains affirmative action programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws. This job description does not constitute an employment contract.

Financial Transaction Stewardship & Compliance

• Facilitate the end-to-end processing of financial requests, ensuring all submissions include a clear business purpose, correct funding sources, and appropriate supporting documentation.
• Interpret and apply complex university and state policies to verify that requests for travel, purchasing, and PCard transactions are in full compliance before moving to the next approval stage.
• Execute specialized financial tasks within 1-2 primary focus areas (e.g., Travel, Purchasing, or PCard) while maintaining proficiency in tertiary areas as defined by the BFSS career ladder.
• Review request packages for completeness and accuracy, acting as the initial check for policy alignment to protect university and Foundation assets.
• Coordinate travel logistics and expense report preparation, leveraging expertise to ensure a "smooth journey" through the university's approval channels.

Data Integrity & Transactional Reporting

• Compile and organize data for transactional reporting, including transaction counts and spend metrics, to support the department's data‑driven decision‑making.
• Analyze departmental financial transactions to ensure accurate record‑keeping and alignment with the University's fiscal responsibility goals.
• Assist in the preparation of ad hoc reports and spreadsheets used by management to track Service Level Agreement (SLA) performance.

Stakeholder Collaboration & "Easy Button" Service

• Engage in proactive daily interaction with faculty, staff, and students, serving as a responsive and respectful point of contact for financial inquiries.
• Collaborate with BFSS team members and university agencies (e.g., Travel, Purchasing, USF Foundation) to resolve issues and streamline the approval workflow.
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives by identifying process bottlenecks and recommending enhancements to optimize enterprise efficiency.
• Other Duties:
  • Perform other duties as assigned.