About the Department:

The Office of the Provost oversees all aspects of education and research conducted at the university via its schools, colleges, and academic support units. The Academic Administration pier advances Mason's strategic direction by providing shared expertise in the areas of finance and planning, budgeting, personnel, partnerships, initiatives, and communications across academic programs and administrative piers. The pier collaborates with campus partners to ensure efficient and strategic deployment of resources, fostering the sustainability and growth critical for the institution's success.

About the Position:

The Financial Analyst oversees financial transactions and financial reporting regarding administrative and academic activities of the Continuing and Professional Education (CPE) unit.

Responsibilities:

• Financial Management
  • Conducts comprehensive financial analysis of each unit to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement;
  • Tracks and analyzes variances, identifies root causes, and recommends corrective actions;
  • Collaborates with Director of Operations and Partnership Managers to ensure direction of financial trend is aligned with strategic goals; and
  • Engages with external clients that provide educational content, sponsors of students' education, vendors, organizations sponsoring education for their employees (group) in verbal and written format to discuss financial processes or issues. Examples of external partners include Sallie Mae, Business Performance Group, Center for Legal Studies, Loudoun/Prince William/Fairfax county governments, new partners onboarded.
    
    
• Financial/Accounting Duties
  • Reconciles activities from three different systems, Banner, TouchNet, Destiny on a daily basis to post revenue;
  • Submits invoices to external entities based on the external entities protocol, including federal and state/local government agencies;
  • Processes all matter of payments to CPE including checks, credit cards, wires and follow refund procedures; applies knowledge of accounting, principles and collection procedures;
  • Records, monitors, and tracks registrations for all programs under CPE. Programs include non-credit (NC) courses for individuals, NC courses for groups, and credit courses for groups;
  • Engages with other offices to accurately organize and maintain book of revenue for the unit; including University Accounts Payable, CPE Operations, CPE Business Development, Business Officers of Schools/Colleges, Office of the Provost, and the Registrar's Office; and
  • Stays up-to-date on all new policies and procedures of University and external entities.
    
    
• Financial Reporting
  • Collects, investigates, and analyzes financial data from two separate systems to develop effective financial reports;
  • Produces financial reports at the unit level in a P&L format, including revenue and expenditures; and
  • Prepares financial forecasts in conjunction with Finance Manager for short-term and long-term planning and decision-making.
    
    
• Fiscal
  • Completes all fiscal-related transactions within unit, including purchase requisitions, payment requests, JV's to reclassify and correct entries;
  • Assists with Mason Finance Gateway transactions where applicable;
  • Oversees accounts payable and accounts receivable aging reports;
  • Determines appropriate accounting of deferred revenue and accrued expenses; and
  • Processes payments where applicable using university systems and any hiring transactions related to adjunct faculty (EPAF).
    
    
• Projects
  • Assists in the development and implementation of new financial processes that affect CPE;
  • Participates in special projects and initiatives as assigned, including cost-benefit analyses; and
  • Fosters a collaborative and supportive environment with colleagues across the university.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Some experience (typically 1+ year) working in office environment;
• Some experience (typically 2-4 years) working with financial/accounting duties;
• Knowledge of entry-level accounting and/or bookkeeping;
• Demonstrated effective written and verbal communication skills;
• Ability to meet deadlines and manage multiple-priorities;
• Ability to interpret and analyze financial data; and
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Considerable experience (typically 3 years) in an office environment in a financial role or administrative role with financial duties.
• Knowledge of university financial systems;
• Ability to communicate financial information to non-financial stakeholders;
• Ability to build relationships and collaborate with diverse stakeholders; and
• Familiarity of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for Financial Analyst at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide cover letter and resume for review.

Posting Open Date:  November 2, 2024

For Full Consideration, Apply by:  November 15, 2024

Open Until Filled:  Yes