Independent Contractor Specialist

The University of Texas at Austin; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Texas at Austin is seeking an Independent Contractor Specialist to review and approve payments to contractors and nonresident alien non-employees, ensuring IRS compliance and accurate coding. This role supports CSU personnel, processes treaty benefits, and handles related vendor payments.

Ideal candidates have a bachelor’s in accounting, 3+ years in governmental or commercial accounting, and strong communication skills for cross-functional collaboration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting or related field.
• At least 3 years of governmental or commercial accounting experience.
• Experience with independent contractor and foreign entity expenses in a high-volume environment.
• Working knowledge of IRS regulations and forms related to nonresident alien and contractor payments.
• Familiarity with tax treaty provisions and immigration law as it pertains to payments.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with a customer-service mindset.
• Ability to manage competing deadlines and work independently or in a team.

Responsibilities

• Review and approve all vouchers associated with independent contractors and nonresident alien non-employees, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
• Serve as a resource to CSU personnel, assisting with and resolving payment issues.
• Process treaty benefits for nonresident alien independent contractor payments in accordance with immigration law.
• Respond to inquiries regarding payments to non-employee foreign individuals and entities.
• Assist in approving vendor payments for researchers disbursing fee payments to participants.
• Cross-train to stay proficient across every function of the Independent Contractor team.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Skills

Communication skills

Discretion

Customer-service mindset

Teamwork

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting or related field

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Outlook

Word

Define/Workday

Job description

Job Posting Title

Independent Contractor Specialist

Hiring Department

Payment Services

Position Open To

All Applicants

Weekly Scheduled Hours

40

FLSA Status

Exempt from FLSA

Earliest Start Date

Immediately

Position Duration

Expected to Continue

Location

UT MAIN CAMPUS

Job Details

Your skills will make a difference. You’ll be working for a university that is internationally recognized for our academic programs and research. Your work will make a difference in the lives of university staff, thereby enhancing the student experience. If you’re the type of person that wants to know your work has meaning and impact, you’ll like working in our department and for UT Austin.

• Competitive health benefits (employee premiums covered at 100%, family premiums at 50%)
• Voluntary Vision, Dental, Life, and Disability insurance options
• Generous paid vacation, sick time, and holidays
• Teachers Retirement System of Texas: a defined benefit retirement plan
• Additional Voluntary Retirement Programs: Tax Sheltered Annuity 403(b) and a Deferred Compensation program 457(b)
• Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses
• Robust free training access through LinkedIn Learning plus professional conference opportunities
• Tuition assistance
• Expansive employee discount program including athletic tickets
• Free access to UT Austin's libraries and museums with staff ID card
• Free rides on all UT Shuttle and Austin CapMetro buses with staff ID card

For more details, please see: https://hr.utexas.edu/prospective/benefits and https://hr.utexas.edu/current/services/my-total-rewards

Must be authorized to work in the United States on an ongoing, full-time basis for any employer without sponsorship.

Purpose

Responsible for the review and approval of payments to independent contractors and nonresident alien non-employees, including individuals and vendors, ensuring compliance with IRS regulations and immigration law, and serving as a key resource for College, School, Unit (CSU) departmental personnel navigating payment issues.

Responsibilities

• Review and approve all vouchers associated with independent contractors and nonresident alien non-employees, ensuring accuracy, proper coding, documentation, and compliance.
• Serve as a resource to College, School, Unit (CSU) departmental personnel, assisting with and resolving independent contractor and nonresident alien payment issues.
• Process treaty benefits for nonresident alien independent contractor payments in accordance with immigration law. Maintain current knowledge of IRS regulations, relevant tax forms, and applicable immigration laws.
• Respond to inquiries regarding payments to non-employee foreign individuals and entities, providing clear and accurate guidance.
• Assist in approving vendor payments associated with researchers disbursing fee payments to research participants.
• Perform other related duties as assigned, and cross-train to stay proficient across every function of the Independent Contractor team.
• Other related functions as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting or related field.
• At least 3 years of Governmental or commercial accounting.
• Demonstrated experience involving independent contractor and foreign entity expense review, audit, and approval in a high-volume environment, preferably in higher education.
• Working knowledge of IRS regulations and forms related to nonresident alien and independent contractor payments.
• Familiarity with tax treaty benefit provisions and immigration law as it pertains to payments to foreign individuals and entities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a customer-service mindset and the ability to explain complex payment and compliance requirements.
• Ability to manage competing deadlines, work both independently and as part of a team, and adapt to rotating responsibilities.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret and apply policies, procedures, and compliance requirements in a complex academic and business environment.
• Proven ability to manage a high-volume workload and resolve issues with sound judgment and professionalism.
• Ability to exercise a high level of discretion and handle sensitive or confidential matters with professionalism and care.
• Reliable and dependable attendance.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous higher education experience or professional experience in a complex, matrixed organization.
• Strong knowledge of IRS regulations and tax treaty policies, business processes, and compliance requirements.
• Experience with tax forms and payment processing for independent contractors and foreign entities is preferred.
• Advanced experience with Microsoft Excel, Outlook, and Word.
• Demonstrated ability to quickly learn new systems, adapt to change, and work collaboratively.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with enterprise financial systems such as Define, Workday, or similar platforms

Salary Range

• $60,000 + depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

• Standard Office
• Manual dexterity
• Keyboard

Work Shift

• Monday - Friday (8:00am - 5:00pm)

Required Materials

• Resume/CV
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest

Employment Eligibility

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

Retirement Plan Eligibility

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

Background Checks

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Pay Transparency

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

Employment Eligibility Verification

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

E-Verify

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

• E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

Compliance

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.