Hybrid Senior Finance Associate — Academic Operations

Harvard University; Cambridge (MA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Tuition assistance

Commuter benefits

Job summary

Harvard University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences is seeking a Senior Finance Associate to manage advanced financial, transactional, and compliance support for academic departments.

Reporting to the Manager of Financial Operations, you will oversee day-to-day finances, budgeting, reporting, and compliance with policies, partnering with faculty and staff to ensure stewardship of university resources while supporting a hybrid on-campus/remote work schedule.

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree in accounting or equivalent experience.
• At least 5 years’ related experience.
• Proficiency with Excel and standard office tools; computer skills for spreadsheets/databases.
• Desire and aptitude to learn complex data query tools.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Ability to handle complex and confidential information with discretion.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Customer service orientation and clear communication.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks with guidance.

Responsibilities

• Procurement & Requisition Support: review and approve requisitions, ensure costing accuracy and funding availability; handle change orders; advise on policies.
• Travel & Expense Processing: reconcile P-Card transactions; review expense reports for receipts, approvals, and policy compliance; ensure per diem and lodging rules.
• Accounts Receivable & Revenue Support: gather billing information; record payments; resolve unclaimed funds; match payments to invoices; respond to donor inquiries.
• Cash & Payment Operations: initiate wire transfers; manage petty cash; support foreign payments.
• Year-End Close Activities: process invoices against POs; review invoice holds; close outstanding P-Card transactions; deposit receipts; review unclaimed wires.

Skills

Strong written and oral communication

Excel proficiency

Independent work

Organizational skills

Time management

Attentive to detail

Customer service orientation

Willingness to learn data query tools

Education

Associate’s degree in accounting or equivalent experience

Tools

Oracle

SAP

PeopleSoft

Concur

Job description

Harvard University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences is seeking a Senior Finance Associate to manage advanced financial, transactional, and compliance support for academic departments.

Reporting to the Manager of Financial Operations, you will oversee day-to-day finances, budgeting, reporting, and compliance with policies, partnering with faculty and staff to ensure stewardship of university resources while supporting a hybrid on-campus/remote work schedule.