Financial Assistant

Columbia University in the City of New York; New York (NY); On-site; USD 59,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Columbia University in the City of New York is seeking a Financial Assistant to provide administrative and financial support to the Department of Mathematics. You will handle accounts payable, reimbursements, and vendor interactions, using Columbia ARC and Concur, while ensuring accurate documentation and policy compliance.

Reporting to the Director of Academic Administration and Finance, the role requires communication across faculty, students, and external vendors, with a strong eye for detail

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• Three years of related experience.
• Some college preferred.

Responsibilities

• Communicates with individuals at all levels and handles payment inquiries.
• Processes accounts payable using Columbia ARC and Concur systems.
• Ensures compliance with university policies and deadlines.

Skills

Communication

Confidentiality

Multitasking

Organization

MS Word

Excel

Education

High School diploma or equivalent

Some college

Tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

Job description

• Job Type: Support Staff - Union
• Bargaining Unit: Local 2110
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $58,630 - $60,000

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Position Summary

The Department of Mathematics is a world-class center of discovery, collaboration, and innovation in the mathematical sciences. Home to distinguished faculty, researchers, and students, the department fosters a thriving intellectual community enriched by visiting scholars from around the globe. Research spans an extraordinary range of areas from Algebraic Geometry, Geometric Analysis, and Mathematical Physics to Number Theory, Probability & Financial Mathematics, and Topology, reflecting the department’s deep commitment to both foundational theory and emerging frontiers to train the next generation of mathematical leaders, positioning Columbia University at the forefront of mathematical thought and global scholarship.

Reporting to the Director of Academic Administration and Finance (DAAF), the Financial Assistant will provide administrative and financial support to the department.

Responsibilities

• Communicates with individuals at all levels, including students, faculty, visitors, and external vendors. Serves as initial point of contact for internal and external payment inquiries.
• Conveys routine details regarding department and university policies, submission requirements, voucher status, and eligibility for foreign payments.
• Follows through and resolves issues and holds with Accounts Payable, Purchasing, Vendor Management, and other offices.
• Receives, prepares, and processes all accounts payable for the department, including a high volume of invoices, faculty and student reimbursements, check requests, and requisitions/purchase orders/change orders. Initiates all transactions using the Columbia ARC and Concur systems, ensuring appropriate documentation is provided for all expenses.
• Ensures proper use of accounting codes and allocation of expenses on all payments. Assists Business Manager with monthly reconciliation of department accounts by providing receipts and documentation as necessary.
• Files submitted and reconciled expenses according to department guidelines.
• Reviews and reconciles faculty purchasing card transactions in a timely manner, following University policies and deadlines, and troubleshooting as necessary.
• Ensures compliance with department, university, and federal policies and regulations for all payments, escalating special circumstances for manager review as needed.
• Acts as point of contact with Vendor Management for creation of new vendor profiles and updating/maintenance of existing vendors.
• Assists in the preparation of responses to audit inquiries.
• Updates internal database of received and submitted vouchers and payments. Independently follows up on outstanding vouchers and other payments by monitoring payment status against internal database.
• Provides additional office support by answering telephones, responding to and directing callers and visitors to the main office.
• Assists the Administrative Assistant in planning and coordination of department special events, conferences, receptions, open houses, and other academic, department, and social events as needed.
• Serves as secondary support for office supply orders and catering for department events.
• Performs other financial and administrative duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• Three years of related experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Some college preferred.

Other Requirements

• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to maintain high confidentiality and professionalism with a client focus.
• Strong multi-tasking, prioritization, and organization skills.
• Attention to detail, research, critical thinking, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Self-starter, a fast learner who can work independently under limited supervision.
• Highly proficient with PC, Microsoft Word, and Excel.
• Knowledge of or ability to quickly learn university financial systems and policies.
• Demonstrated ability to produce high quality and accurate results in a high volume, fast paced environment.
• Works well in an interactive team environment.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.