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Finance and HR Senior Professional
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Position Number: 5918687
Location: Boulder, CO
Position Type: Business and Financial Management

Finance and HR Senior Professional

Requisition Number: 61251
Location: Boulder Colorado
Employment Type: University Staff
Schedule: Full Time
Posting Close Date: 23-Jan-2025
Date Posted:

Job Summary

The Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at CU Boulder is encouraging applications for the Finance and HR Senior Professional position! Reporting to the Director of Budget and Infrastructure, the Finance and HR Senior Professional provides comprehensive financial and HR management for the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience (PSYC/NRSC). The role encompasses oversight of complex contract and grant administration, accounting and financial analysis, procurement processes, travel and expense management, and the hiring and termination of students and research faculty. Utilizing in-depth knowledge of financial systems and HR protocols, this position develops, refines, and implements advanced accounting and operational practices to ensure efficient departmental function. Additionally, this position serves as a key resource and advisor within the Business Office, contributing to strategic decision-making and the resolution of intricate financial and HR issues. The University of Colorado Boulder is committed to building a culturally diverse community of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to contributing to an inclusive campus environment. We are an Equal Opportunity employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

The Department of Psychology and Neuroscience is composed of Faculty, Staff, Research Assistants, Graduate Students, and Undergraduate Students. Through teaching, learning, research, and community outreach, we seek to promote scholarship at the intersection of psychology and neuroscience. Driving this mission is a deep, shared commitment to improving the human condition for all people.
The Department of Psychology and Neuroscience is responsible for over 3,200 students in two majors and five PhD programs. Our 52 faculty teach and conduct research on topics that range from the molecular to the community level. Our work is spread across three locations (MUEN, WILD, & CINC), with an annual budget of $20 million, which includes approximately $12 million in grant-funded research and $600,000 in gift funds.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Manage Grant Accounts:

Performs project budget oversight of an assigned portfolio including monitoring, tracking and/or reconciling transactions, variances and payroll funding distributions; preparing and submitting budget revisions and funding updates; providing financial spreadsheets, summaries and reports; and meets regularly with the Principal Investigator and/or the Director of Budget & Infrastructure.
Performs contracts and grants tasks including purchasing goods and services; creating subcontract standing purchase orders; monitoring project end dates; requesting extensions and supplemental funding as needed; requesting additional speedtypes and allocating the appropriate budget; assistance with preparing and submitting progress and final reports; and aiding in the award closeout process.
Leads portfolio spreadsheet to track reporting target dates for financial management by reviewing contract and grant terms and conditions.
Communicates all target dates and award conditions with each PI and ensures all reporting target dates are met.
Provides proposal and award advisement including assisting with preparation of budgets and narratives for grant applications, resource and fund management; and offers procedural and regulatory advisement in alignment with sponsor, Federal, State, and university requirements to ensure compliance.
Reviews sponsored project charges are allowable, applicable, and allocable to the project based on the Code of Federal Regulations Uniform Guidance (UG) and University Department policies and procedures, under the direction of the Director of Budget & Infrastructure.
Proactively advise PIs on budget discrepancies, offering strategic solutions to manage variances and collaborating with Sponsored Projects Accounting (SPA) and OCG to facilitate a smooth grant close-out process, ensuring all financial activity remains within project scope and budget constraints.
Engage in collaborative research and problem-solving with departments such as Arts & Sciences (A&S), the Office of Contracts and Grants (OCG), the Campus Controller's Office (CCO), the Research & Innovation Office (RIO), Procurement Service Center (PSC), Accounts Payable (AP), and other campus entities to address and resolve complex financial processes.
Performs post-award tasks including purchasing goods and services; creating subcontract standing purchase orders; monitoring project end dates; requesting extensions and supplemental funding as needed; requesting additional speedtypes and allocating the appropriate budget; assistance with preparing and submitting progress and final reports; and aiding in the award closeout process.
Participates in training in the area of business practices, university, and state regulations, and the use of data processing systems, as assigned.

HR & Payroll Liaison:

Provide guidance to staff and faculty on hiring processes, demonstrating comprehensive knowledge of University HR policies to advise on appropriate hiring types and position classifications to best meet Principal Investigator (PI) needs.
Assess and recommend optimal hiring solutions based on in-depth analysis of PI requirements and available University staffing options.
Be responsible for and lead all hiring documentation for undergraduate researchers, graduate research assistants, and research faculty, ensuring accuracy and compliance with institutional standards.
Enter and maintain appointments in the HR system, proactively handling funding adjustments and ensuring updates align with project timelines and budgetary needs.
Develop and implement internal workflows and target dates, clearly communicating these processes to faculty and staff to facilitate timely appointment setups and compliance with biweekly and monthly payroll schedules.
Administer tuition waivers for graduate research assistants and update funding allocations for research personnel as projects conclude or based on a detailed financial review of fund balances.
Collaborate with International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) to advise on appropriate documentation for international scholars and efficiently handle visa paperwork for international research faculty.
Audit payroll registers, funding suspense, and end-of-appointment reports to ensure employee payments and expense allocations are accurate and properly recorded against relevant speedtypes.
Investigate and resolve complex HR issues, identifying and correcting errors in the HR system using a strategic and analytical approach.
Handle payments for student fellowships, scholarships, awards, and stipends, ensuring fund expenditures align with award criteria and financial regulations.

Travel and Expense Reimbursement & Procurement:

Reviews travel card, and personal expense reimbursements for faculty and staff.
Prepares, reconciles and submits travel expense reimbursement reports which involves gathering and assuring appropriate receipts and documentation are included and ensuring expenses are allocated to appropriate accounts for specific group of PIs.
Confirms expenses are allocable, allowable, and applicable with all fund types being charged.
Review travel and expense reimbursement reports for approval processing.
Obtains receipts and documentation, prepares and submits non-employee travel reports.
Purchases goods and services including performing research to ensure costs for goods and services are reasonable, appropriate, allocable and within compliance; coordinates the issuance of purchase orders and gathers all documentation needed for processing; processes payments using procurement card, purchase orders, or payment vouchers; and tracks and verifies delivery of goods and services.
Monitors and reconciles procurement card expenses, assuring appropriate receipts and documentation are provided and participates in the preparation of reports.
Designates clear and concise business purposes for each expense; have a basic understanding of the types of costs that are allowable on a sponsored project; verify that adequate budget is available in the speedtypes being charged before completing a report; notify the employee to review and submit.
Monitors and processes Honorariums and Scope of Work (SOW) routed through the department.

Administration Support/Special Projects:

Advise students, staff and faculty on University procurement/travel policies and procedures.
Review and approve travel authorization requests by figuring out if travel is appropriate per University policy and within scope/budget when using sponsored project funding.
Allocate expenditures to appropriate funds and process any funds owed by the traveler for personal expenditures. Use expert knowledge when reviewing complicated, detailed international travel requests.
Be responsible for all petty cash processes for the assigned faculty.
Process revenue received and stay abreast of the office of cash management policies. Perform any other special projects as assigned by the supervisor.
Other duties as assigned that supports PSYC/NRSC.

What You Should Know

The working schedule for this position is Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm.
Hybrid work schedule of 2 days on campus and 3 days remote.

What We Can Offer

The annual salary range for this full-time position is $66,300-$74,600.

Benefits

The University of Colorado offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO Pass. The University of Colorado Boulder is one of the largest employers in Boulder County and offers an inspiring higher education environment. Learn more about the University of Colorado Boulder.

Be Statements

Be creative. Be impactful. Be Boulder.

What We Require

A Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, or related field. Equivalent combination of education and experience may substitute.
3+ years of experience in general accounting.

What You Will Need

Excellent attention to detail.
Strong problem-solving capabilities.
Ability to prioritize multiple tasks simultaneously and to work with a diverse group of backgrounds.
Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with internal and external constituents.
Analytical skills, interpersonal skills, ability to understand transactional processes as well as the big picture to supervise continuous process improvement.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

A current resume.
A cover letter that specifically tells us how your background and experience align with the requirements, qualifications, and responsibilities of the position.

We may request references at a later time.
Please apply by January 23, 2025 for consideration.
Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, please apply through CU Boulder Jobs.

In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

To apply, visit https://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDetail/Finance-and-HR-Senior-Professional/61251