Department: MED-NU-CATS Institute
Salary/Grade: NEX/11

Job Summary:

This position directly supports the financial operations of the Northwestern Medicine Center for Clinical Research (CCR) in the NU Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (NUCATS).  The Financial Assistant provides financial analysis, transaction processing, and general accounting services for the various department and sponsored accounts administered by the CCR. Responsibilities include preparation of financial reports, maintenance of clinical trial databases, invoicing/collections, study close-out reconciliation, and other financial and clerical tasks as needed.

• Provides day-to-day financial & accounting support using an advanced knowledge of applicable skills, methods & practices & some innovation, analysis, & reasoning to choose appropriate alternatives from among pre-defined policies & procedures to complete work that includes successive steps & involves some non-routine problems &/or decisions.
• Applies industry and professional standards, university policy and procedure, federal and state laws and other regulations.
• Provides administrative &/or clerical support.
• Areas of responsibility include:
  • Accounts payable
  • Accounts receivable
  • Financial Statements
  • Grants &/or awards
  • Reconciliation
  • Reporting

Specific Responsibilities:

Budget:

• Maintains & tracks individual budget accounts.
• Coordinates annual budget process including tasks associated with the open/close processes.
• Updates calendar, spreadsheets, templates & forms; monitors submissions.
• Completes reconciliation procedures.
• Creates summary reports.

Analysis, Statements & Reporting:

• Prepares account, budget, cost, expenditure &/or funds analysis.
• Provides reports to managers/PIs in tracking payment status & notification when balances & activities do not comply with policy, procedures or are inadequately prepared. 
• Creates reports & queries; reviews for incomplete records, data entry errors, &/or accounting mistakes. 
• May analyze open encumbrances that are no longer valid & recommend appropriate modifications to ensure smooth processing of financial transactions. 

Transactions:

• Completes & maintains transactions in enterprise systems.
• Provides review and oversight of all types of financial transactions some of which may be complex in regard to size or duration of account. 
• Reviews; ensures approval based on alternatives regarding practice & policy.
• Troubleshoots problems.
• Performs vendor/account research as needed.
• Obtains additional information from or provides instruction & guidance for customers/vendors; corrects or escalates. 
• Accesses multiple banking systems to process transactions, retrieve information, &/or initiate wire transfers. 
• Provides financial policy interpretation to determine the validity of customer requests & ensure compliance. 
• Contacts outside agencies, banks &/or banking systems to obtain clarification of rules &/or regulations. 
• Enters information into database.

Grants &/or Awards:

• Provides assistance regarding grant financial administration such as preparing financial information for grant submission.
• Completes post award accounting.
• Sets-up sub-contracts &/or start-up research accounts.
• Modifies grant budgets.
• Closes grants. 
• Processes subcontract payments according to rules & regulations of granting agencies.
• Reconciles subcontract payments.
• Verifies payroll funding entries.
• Corrects charges to various accounts.

Administration:

• Provides excellent customer service, over the phone and in person answering standard questions regarding status of requests, policies and procedures for processing transactions, &/or instructions for completing paperwork. 
• Instructs & advises regarding options and appropriate courses of action & follows-up inquiries to ensure customer satisfaction. 
• Completes other administrative &/or clerical activities such as organizing meetings; reserving AV equipment.

Training:

• Assists with training of new staff members
• Creates & provides financial training on practice, procedure, policy &/or laws & regulations to customers.

Miscellaneous

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• High school diploma or the equivalent.
• 3 years accounting &/or bookkeeping or other relevant experience.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Excellent computer skills including proficiency in the use of spreadsheet, database, and word processing software.
• Familiarity with financial reporting.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Clinical trial financial experience.
• Previous financial experience working within a CRO/Pharmaceutical company is highly desired.

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Working knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles, methods, and techniques.
• Trained/soon to be trained in NU Business Processes.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Solid interpersonal skills, diplomatic, maintains confidentiality.
• Efficient, able to multi-task.
• Assumes responsibility for one’s work; takes initiative.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the United States.