Financial Specialist III

University of Wisconsin Colleges; Milwaukee, Northern (WI, KY); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is seeking a Financial Specialist III to manage complex financial transactions in accounts payable/receivable, purchasing, and travel reimbursements under the Deputy Athletic Director. The role emphasizes compliance with NCAA, Conference, and UW rules while guiding funding allocations and reporting.

Responsibilities include budgeting oversight, journal reviews, data reconciliation, and providing financial insights to leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance or Accounting is required.
• Experience with accounts payable/receivable and budgeting is preferred.
• Knowledge of NCAA and UW policies is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Reviews and approves complex financial transactions and allocates funding.
• Generates reports and supports compliance with NCAA and UW rules.
• Oversees travel expense processing and purchasing card duties.
• Serves as a liaison to leadership with financial updates and analysis.
• Provides guidance to staff on financial processes and controls.

Skills

Accounts payable

Accounts receivable

Budgeting

Financial reporting

Concur travel

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance or Accounting

Tools

Excel

UW System/ERP knowledge

P-card management

Job description

Position Title: Financial Specialist III

Job Category: Academic Staff

Employment Type: Regular

Job Profile: Financial Specialist III

Job Duties: Under the direction of the Deputy Athletic Director and in accordance with all NCAA, Conference, State, and Institutional rules and regulations, this position is responsible for performing routine and/or complex duties within accounts payable, accounts receivable, purchasing, purchasing card administration and audits, travel expense reimbursement processing, generation and/or reconciliation of reports, and deposits. This position also advises staff on general program rules and requirements and enforces compliance of those policies. Individuals are also responsible for allocating expenses to appropriate funding strings, answering complex fiscal questions, overseeing business office student staff, and providing recommendations to leadership around financial transactions. Position has the potential to oversee budget reports and create/submit EADA and NCAA Financial Reports. Individual must know, recognize, and comply with the laws, policies, rules and regulations governing the University and its employees, and the rules of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (“NCAA”) and the applicable Conference, as now constituted or as they may be amended during the Term of this agreement. Employee shall take all reasonable steps to endeavor to ensure that all other employees for whom Employee is administratively responsible comply with aforesaid policies, rules, and regulations.

Key Job Responsibilities

• Reviews and approves complex transactions and assigns funding codes in accordance with established rules, regulations, and policies


• May train staff on financial processes and best practices


• Reallocates expenses to appropriate funding strings


• Drafts communications and reports and maintains organization of varied records to provide administrative support within a specified work unit


• Answers complex fiscal questions and provides information based on set materials and standards to various audiences


• Reviews transaction processing internal controls and recommends policies and procedures


• Monitors financial transactions and fund balances and generates and reconciles complex reports and statements in accordance with established rules and regulations


• Serve as a unit liaison to leadership providing financial advice, recommendations, and financial status updates

Major Responsibilities

• Incorporate the Responsibilities from the Standard Job Description, with individual tasks identified following each responsibility. Additional responsibilities may be added but are expected to be 20% or less of the position’s responsibilities.


• Monitors financial transactions and fund balances and generates and reconciles complex reports and statements in accordance with established rules and regulations.


• In support of and direction from the Deputy Athletics Director, ensure financial data integrity by analyzing, reconciling, and auditing all financial data to campus WISDM system and financial statements verifying proper recording of revenues and expenses.


• Initiate corrective action when discrepancies occur.


• Reconcile and audit p-card statements for department staff.


• Respond to inquiries related to p-card transactions and authorize coding changes as needed.


• Prepare deposits of receipt on at least a weekly basis and transport deposits to Bursar.


• Gather and analyze pricing quotes and bids; prepare and place purchase orders.


• Coordinate scheduling and payment of officials through RefPay and reconcile balances.


• Track all cell phone inventory and submit new equipment requests with cellular phone service provider.


• Reviews and approves complex transactions and assigns funding codes in accordance with established rules, regulations, and policies.


• Manages all aspects of transactions related to invoices, purchasing, non-salary cash transfers, upload journals, employee travel expense reports, procurement card expenditure reports, direct billing, direct retros, funding data forms, requisitions, event registrations, and other financial documents and accompanying supporting documentation for the department.


• Creates, submits, and ensures accurate reporting of the EADA and NCAA Financial Reports, both of which are provided to the public and audited annually.


• Creates and provides monthly foundation reports to sport administrators and communicates any necessary financial analysis to be discussed with direct coach reports.


• Assist in managing the administrative reporting responsibilities for non‑monetary trade received by the Athletics Department.


• Manage team and administrative travel, including training coaches and staff on the use of Concur and Shorts Travel, ensuring their travel needs are met and within University, Conference and NCAA policies and guidelines.


• Reallocates expenses to appropriate funding strings.


• Drafts communications and reports and maintains organization of varied records to provide administrative support within a specified work unit.


• Provide general administrative support which includes but is not limited to, maintaining appropriate inventory of office and administrative supplies, coordinating office machine contracts, maintenance service and supplies; preparing documentation and disposing of surplus property according to UWM guidelines; and coordinating and processing incoming and outgoing mail and parcel services.


• Serve as a primary source and support for department staff on financial-related questions.


• Proactively communicate travel, purchasing, and financial policy updates to the department staff.


• Answers complex fiscal questions and provides information based on set materials and standards to various audiences.


• Manage all aspects of team/administrative equipment and apparel, including ordering, purchasing, and receiving of equipment and apparel, managing promotional equipment and apparel allotments, ensuring contractual obligations of our sports brand partner are being fulfilled, in addition to serving as the department point of contact for all contracted equipment and apparel vendors (currently Adidas, Game One, Burghardt’s and BSN).


• Maintain record retention and disposal in accordance with UWM and UW-System policies.


• Manage the administrative process for reviewing and approving competition schedules in conjunction with the Deputy Athletic Director, including reviewing and executing game contracts on behalf of the Athletic Director, ensuring compliance with NCAA and UW-System policies, maintaining adequate record keeping of all executed game contracts, and other communications.


• Reviews transaction processing internal controls and recommends policies and procedures.


• Provides financial status updates to all individual unit managers and provides guidance and recommendations to those staff to remain within their operating budgets.


• Manages the annual budget planning and quarterly review process for unit budget managers and provides financial status updates to the Deputy Athletic Director.


• Serve as a unit liaison to leadership providing financial advice, recommendations, and financial status updates.


• Maintain regular contact with Division and Central staff to ensure Athletics receives current information on financial and other business-related issues.


• Serve as liaison to UWM departments for internal campus services such as Telecommunications, Print/Copy Services, Physical Plant, Information Technology, Parking & Transit, Fleet Services, Risk Management, Public Records, and Mail Services.


• Serve as liaison to outside vendors to ensure the highest level of customer service is provided in requesting services and goods.


• May train staff on financial processes and best practices.


• Manage the employee onboarding/offboarding process in conjunction with the Deputy Athletic Director, employee supervisors, and the department employee relations committee.


• Perform other duties and responsibilities, including but not limited to, special projects, data collection, assessments, assisting in other facility operational areas as needed and/or requested by the Athletic Director or Deputy Athletic Director.


• Oversees 3-4 student staff annually and provides instruction of work (trains them) and manages their schedule and workload.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree, or combination of education and relevant work experience.


• At least one (1) year of experience working in an office environment and processing financial transactions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree


• At least two (2) years of experience processing financial transactions.


• Experience working in a human resources environment


• Experience working in a collegiate athletics administrative role


• Demonstrated experience with reviewing, implementing and/or enforcing policies & procedures


• Customer Service Experience


• Experience reviewing and analyzing financial statements in an athletic financial setting

Physical Requirements: Work in an office environment Position may require occasional nights and weekends.

Salary Range: Commensurate with experience

Deadline: September 2nd at 11:59 pm (CT)

Contact Information

Suha Omari [e-mail]

Reasonable Accommodations Pursuant to university policy, UWM provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities who are employees or applicants for employment. Employment opportunities will not be denied because of the need to make reasonable accommodations for a qualified individual with a disability. If you need assistance or accommodation in applying because of a disability, please contact [e-mail] or 414-229-4463. This job announcement and other material on this site will be made available in alternate formats upon request to an individual with a disability.

Employment Authorization In compliance with federal law, all persons at the time of their start date will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

UW is an Equal Opportunity Employer Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other bases protected by applicable federal or State law and UW System policies.

We are committed to building a workforce that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills, and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) is Wisconsin’s second-largest university, with a unique dual mission of access and research to provide high-quality education for students from all backgrounds.

UWM is one of 187 top research universities recognized as “R1” by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

At UWM, we are committed to creating positive employee experiences, so our team members are able to thrive and excel in their work.

UWM offers a comprehensive benefits package and contributes toward the cost of several benefit plans.

Employees with a qualifying position also receive an extensive leave package including vacation, sick leave (with no expiration), personal holiday, and paid legal holidays.

Please visit this link to view summary benefits information (Compensation figures are for example purposes only).