Working/Functional Title

IP Finance Coordinator

Position Summary

Summary: 

The Intellectual Property (IP) Finance Coordinator position will be responsible for administering the intellectual property financial operations and functions to facilitate and manage activities related to invoicing, receiving, mapping, calculating, and disbursing MSU’s IP revenue stream according to MSU Board policy, interpreting contractual agreements and issues; compiling financial data for reporting; and managing the workflow of financial staff. The financial systems and reporting used on a day-to-day basis are cash accounting, not accrual.

Duties:

45% - Coordination, management, and oversight of the financial aspects of MSU’s IP policies related to income and distribution, including Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable (revenue distribution), payment processing, and all related activity.

• Review financial transactions for accuracy and completeness. Direct action to correct discrepancies in a timely manner.
• Reconcile and balance IP Finance accounts monthly to ensure accuracy of transactions and recordkeeping.
• Review, monitor, and update financial areas of the Minuet database to ensure all information is complete, accurate, and documented, and that these records are reflective of transactions from the IP Finance accounts.
• Review, monitor, and update (in conjunction with other functional areas of MSUT) non-financial areas of the Minuet database to ensure all information required for IP Finance functions are complete, accurate, and documented.

25% - Manage and supervise support staff (IP Finance Assistant).

• Monitor to ensure daily operational needs are met including effective distribution of workloads, assessing overall productivity to ensure stringent deadlines and/or matters of urgency are appropriately prioritized, assigning special projects and monitoring progress.
• Provide training and feedback on all areas of performance.
• Monitor the collection and deposit of monies received to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of related financial transactions.

25% - Develop and manage reporting and other communication regarding IP Finance activities and processes.

• Prepare reports for management related to IP financial operations and other activities. Reports are prepared on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis, depending on the report type. Reports include overall financial activity, revenue distributions, and departmental statements of cash flows, among others.
• Prepare reports to aid in financial reporting for MSU in conjunction with the MSU Accounting and Financial Analysis groups on campus (includes foreign income reporting and unclaimed property reporting).
• Compile data and prepare custom and specialty reports and/or spreadsheets as requested by the Executive Director, Associate Director, Assistant Director, and Technology Managers. Reports include revenue histories, legal expense analysis, invoicing history, statements of account, and distribution history.
• Maintain comprehensive financial procedures. Recommend new and/or changes to policies and procedures to improve effectiveness and efficiency of IP financial operations.

5% - Perform other duties as assigned by the Executive Director, Associate Director, and/or Assistant Director.

This position offers a salary range of $55,593 - $73,000 commensurate with experience. 

Unit Specific Education/Experience/Skills

Knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in Accounting; three to five years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in accounting procedures and developing accounting controls, supervision, policies, and procedures; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Candidates must have the capacity to comply with federally mandated requirements of U.S. export control law.

Desired Qualifications

1. Experience with MSU’s financial systems.
2. Excellent verbal and written communication skills needed to effectively interact with third party presidents, directors, executives, and accountants.
3. The successful candidate will be a self-starter, pay close attention to detail, follow through on tasks, be able to manage/coordinate multiple tasks, and able to work successfully with a variety of constituencies in an educational institution and business environment, exercising discretion, integrity, and professionalism.
4. Ability to work independently and exercise good judgment and discretion in the performance of all assigned duties and responsibilities.
5. Strong organizational skills and the ability to multi-task, delegate and prioritize work accordingly to meet stringent deadlines while managing daily activities and appropriately responding to matters of urgency.
6. Extensive experience managing contracts and reading/understanding complex legal financial terms.
7. Expertise with using databases to perform, record and manage financial transactions and related data. Prior use of Inteum/Minuet particularly desired.
8. Advanced skills in Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, OneDrive).
9. Ability to manage business correspondence and documentation that contain complex information in support of intellectual property financial operations and services, and to prepare financial reports that have a professional presentation and reflect applicable formats/criteria, accuracy, and attention to detail.
10. Effective problem-resolution skills to address/resolve complex issues related to business operations and services.
11. Prior understanding of technology transfer and intellectual property financials.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Application Materials

Please submit a cover letter and resume with your application. 

Special Instructions

To learn more about the MSU Technologies office within the MSU Innovation Center, please visit our website: https://innovationcenter.msu.edu/tech-transfer-commercialization/.

Work Hours

STANDARD 8-5

Website

https://innovationcenter.msu.edu/tech-tr

Bidding eligibility ends on 9/19/2023 at 11:55 PM