Financial Operations Analyst

University of Chicago; Chicago (IL); Remote; USD 75,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Chicago seeks a Financial Operations Analyst to join Globus Finance, HR & Business Operations. You will manage accounts receivable, invoicing, collections, and cash receipts, while supporting deferred revenue, variance analyses, and financial statement preparation for senior leadership.

You will collaborate with central AR, Sales Operations, and procurement teams, perform reconciliations, support budgeting in UCPLAN, and help prepare monthly forecasts, reports, and

Qualifications

• College or university degree in related field.
• 2–5 years of financial operations or accounting experience.
• Experience with ERP systems (Oracle, Workday, or SAP preferred).
• Higher education, nonprofit, research, or SaaS environment experience preferred.
• Knowledge of GAAP and financial reporting.
• Experience with AR, GL, month-end close.

Responsibilities

• Manage end-to-end accounts receivable processes with central AR and Sales Operations.
• Serve as primary contact for customer payment inquiries and collections.
• Monitor AR and deferred revenue subledgers; perform reconciliations.
• Perform monthly bank reconciliations and general ledger downloads.
• Assist with budgeting, forecasting, and variance analyses using UCPLAN.
• Support procurement using Oracle, Concur, and Workday.
• Prepare financial statements and ad hoc analyses for leadership.
• Collaborate across engineering, sales, and research administration.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Attention to detail

Communication (written)

Communication (verbal)

Prioritization

Collaboration

Discretion with sensitive data

Ambiguity tolerance

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Oracle Financials

Concur

Workday

Excel

Power BI

Tableau

Job description

Department Globus Finance, HR & Business Operations

Department Globus Finance, HR & Business Operations

About The Department Globus (www.globus.org) is a mission-driven organization dedicated to enabling discovery by delivering advanced data management and computation capabilities to researchers worldwide. As a unit within The University of Chicago, Globus develops and operates commercial-quality, software-as-a-service used by thousands of institutions, including research universities, national laboratories, federal agencies, and commercial research organizations. Core features are free for non-profit researchers, and the Globus service is sustained through institutional subscriptions that unlock advanced features for organizations needing greater control, compliance support, and deeper integration with their research computing environment. This model reflects the organization’s core commitment: making secure, reliable cyberinfrastructure services accessible to the broadest possible research community. The Globus team comprises professional software developers and business operations staff, as well Globus Labs, a dedicated research group pioneering novel methods and technologies. Team members are geographically distributed—a structure that reflects the global nature of the research communities we serve—while maintaining a collaborative culture focused on making an impact in disciplines ranging from the life sciences and astronomy to materials science and public policy.

Job Summary We are seeking a Financial Operations Analyst to join the Globus business operations team. The financial operations that sustain Globus's mission sit at the heart of this role — from the full cycle of accounts receivable, invoicing, collections, and cash receipting, to deferred revenue management, variance reporting, and financial statement preparation for senior leadership. This role is well-suited to someone who sees the numbers behind a growing, mission-driven organization and immediately wants to understand them. You will thrive here if you are energized by variety and complexity; if you take pride in doing the detail work well, and you want to be part of a small, collaborative team where accurate, well-run financial operations genuinely matter. Curiosity, rigor, and a willingness to learn by doing are what will make you successful here. If that sounds like the environment where you do your best work, we would love to hear from you!

Responsibilities

• Manage the end-to-end accounts receivable process in collaboration with the central AR team and Sales Operations team, including recording deposits in Oracle, monitoring University funds for misdirected payments, investigating discrepancies, and supporting improvements to the accuracy and efficiency of the function.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for customer-facing payment communications, handling inquiries and collections correspondence with professionalism and clarity.
• Monitor AR and deferred revenue subledgers and perform regular reconciliations and error corrections.
• Perform monthly bank account reconciliations across accounting, revenue, and bank records, and conduct daily general ledger downloads and reconciliations to maintain the integrity of receivable balances.
• Assists with tracking state sales tax obligations arising from Globus subscription activity, and support state filings on schedule; work with the customer team on KYC processes to collect required tax documentation (e.g., exemption certificates, entity information).
• Assist with budget management and monthly forecasting using the department's budgeting and planning system (UCPLAN); contribute to variance analyses.
• Support preparation of financial statements and ad hoc analyses for senior leadership.
• Monitor the general ledger for spending activity and budget-to-actual variances; proactively submit journal entries and cost corrections as needed to maintain accuracy and ensure expenses are recorded to the correct accounts.
• Support procurement activities across the department including submitting operational and high-value procurement requests in Oracle; assist staff with transactions in Oracle, Concur, and Workday.
• Support special projects spanning procurement, financial analysis, budgeting, and other areas as directed.
• Performs a variety of operating or cost accounting activities which require moderate knowledge of accounting theories and principles.
• Interprets accounting records for the purpose of determining gains and losses, receipts and disbursements, and inventory.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Education

Minimum Qualifications 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

Experience

• 2–4 years of experience in financial operations, accounting, or a related role, preferably in a higher education, nonprofit, research, or SaaS environment.
• Experience with accounts receivable, general ledger maintenance, and month-end close processes.
• Experience working within a large ERP system (Oracle FST, Workday, or SAP strongly preferred).
• Experience supporting research finance for federal and non-federal grant funds.
• Experience supporting budget preparation and variance analysis.
• Experience in a small team or unit finance role contributing to multiple functions often with competing priorities and deadlines (AR, procurement, reporting).

Technical Skills Or Knowledge

• Proficiency in Oracle Financial Systems strongly preferred; experience with Concur and Workday is a plus.
• Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, data validation); experience with financial reporting tools or BI tools (Power BI, Tableau, or similar) a plus.
• Familiarity with GAAP and general accounting principles.
• Experience with or interest in data visualization and financial dashboard development.
• Familiarity with principles of post-award financial management.

Preferred Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem solving skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and constant attention to detail.
• Ability to work discreetly with sensitive and confidential data.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and meet recurring deadlines in a high-volume transactional environment.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, including ability to present financial information clearly to non-financial colleagues.
• Proactive problem-solving orientation; comfort identifying errors and discrepancies and pursuing resolution independently.
• Collaborative working style with ability to partner across functions (engineering, sales, research administration) and across institutions.
• Comfort operating in ambiguity and a growth-oriented, evolving environment.

Working Conditions

• This job is a remote position with occasional attendance at in-person meetings required.

Application Documents

• Resume (required to include this)
• Finalists will be required to provide professional references. Reference checks will be conducted prior to an offer being extended. Candidates may also be asked to complete an in-person interview as part of the selection process.

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 $75,000.00 - $90,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

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.