Financial Assistant

• Job Type: Support Staff - Union
• Bargaining Unit: Local 2110
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $60,259 - $61,259

Position Summary

The Incite Institute cultivates public intelligence concerning socially and culturally vital ideas that can be advanced by research, education, and conversation at the interdisciplinary seams that the social sciences share with the humanities, the sciences, and one another.  At INCITE, we produce knowledge for public action by joining with people and organizations within and outside Columbia University to rethink our understanding of what knowledge is, how is created, and how it can be used.

The Financial Assistant will report to the Director of Administration and Finance.  The incumbent will support the day-to-day administrative and financial operations at the different INCITE office locations.  The Financial Assistant will maintain the office equipment and supplies, and will ensure that all financial transactions are processed accurately and in a timely manner.  The incumbent will answer phone calls, emails, and rout them appropriately.

Responsibilities

Administrative

• Supports the Institute???s physical space by overseeing maintenance requests, preparing and tracking service orders, troubleshooting failures, monitoring equipment operation, and purchasing meter funds.
• Copies and stores important documents and records in the department dropbox and building storage unit.
• Maintains inventory of storage units and office supplies; anticipates supply needs; ensures prompt ordering and receipt of supplies and delivers supplies to workstations as needed.
• Provides office communications support by fielding calls, answering questions, forwarding messages, confirming customer orders and keeping customers informed of order status.
• Maintains office schedule by picking up and delivering items as needed.

Financial

• Initiates financial transactions, including tracking invoices, purchase orders, check requests, reimbursements, travel & business expenses, and assists in researching and resolving problems; Resolve problems for vendors and payees.
• Ensures the timely submission of all required paperwork for vendor setup, wire requests, reimbursements, and invoice payments.
• Research and independently reconcile discrepancies and disagreements between external vendors, central procurement, faculty, staff, and students regarding the status of their payment requests.
• Holds departmental travel and purchasing cards and completes monthly reconciliations. Places equipment and other purchases, and processes requisitions.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Three years of related experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and experience providing support at an academic department within a university.

Other Requirements

• Must be able to interpret accounting and purchasing policies to staff, faculty, and students, as well as, internal, and external vendors and researchers and their staff and other institutions.
• Must be computer literate and have the ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and written.
• Must have the ability to identify and resolve problems promptly, work well in group problem-solving situations, and share expertise.
• Manage difficult situations, respond promptly to the needs of constituents, and solicit feedback to improve service.
• Communicate professionally and persuasively, responding well to questions.
• Have the ability to build morale and group commitments to objectives, supporting everyone's efforts to succeed.
• Tactfully approach others, react well under pressure, and follow through on commitments.
• The incumbent must have the ability to respond to time-sensitive requests and work in a deadline-driven environment.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.