Penn State Job Catalog

Additional levels that exist for this job profile can be seen below.

The Financial Officer compiles and analyzes financial information; prepares/forecasts/plans budgets; acts as an advisor on budget, financial, and risk matters; manages research administration as required; conducts audits; acts as a liaison between departments/units to solve complex issues; provides leadership in financial and strategic planning; serves as key financial person for unit or administrative area.

• Verify financial controls are maintained; assure financial and budgetary information complies with accounting/budgetary concepts, University policy/procedure; assure approval paths, roles and authorizations are established based on appropriate access and controls; oversee cash management operations, including security and merchant standards compliance; serve as liaison to Corporate Controller's Office
• Manage audit and review procedures for administrative area; liaise with Internal Audit as required
• Manage budget for all administrative area funds, including general, restricted, auxiliary and endowment; manage development of the Initial Operating Budget, general salary increases, carry-forward and recycling; serve as administrative area(s) liaison to University Budget Office
• Project income (e.g., enrollment and tuition projections) for administrative area; consult with Budget Office and Corporate Controller’s Office
• Provide strategic financial advice and counsel to the budget executive for the administrative area; develop and manage the budget planning process for the administrative area; prepare reports including analysis of historical and current trends and forecasting of future scenarios
• Certify policy, procedures and systems are functioning for administrative area through audit and review; manage risks (e.g., insurance, liability/contract issues, and privacy) within the administrative area and work with the University Risk Manager as required
• Approve or oversee approval of financial documents and transactions, including human resource, payroll, expenditure (e.g., purchasing card and travel) and budget; assure compliance with policy, procedure, restricted fund regulations/guidelines; delegate approvals as appropriate
• Oversee administrative area pre-/post-award research activities; may act as Research Administrator, Sponsored Programs liaison, Research Accounting liaison, and external auditor liaison; interact with funding agencies and sub-contractors; manage cost accounting issues
• Advise on budget management, financial controls, policy/procedure; coordinate training for administrative staff working with financial details
• Manage all receivable accounts, including write-offs, adjustments and holds; assure invoicing, billing, and payment processing controls
• Serve as Bursar for student accounting administrative area; advise parents and students on tuition and billing issues; coordinate with Registrar and Financial Aid on enrollment issues; coordinate with Continuing Education on credit and non-credit programs, invoicing and income projections; resolve problems including management of bad debt and write-offs; serve as liaison to the University Bursar
• Develop and maintain procedures, policies and systems for the administrative area; manage process reengineering as needed; consult with Information Technology staff on new financial management system; implement, manage and coordinate training for new University systems
• Hire, train, supervise and evaluate assigned staff; manage workforce planning for finance operations in the administrative area

Level:

– Manager

Base Description:

– Manages direct reports where primary duty is the management of a working unit.

Level Summary:

– Demonstrates proficient ability in work design, project management, financial planning and development of goals for accomplishing unit assignments. Reviews and guides work to ensure conformity to policy and effective approaches. Evaluates employee performance and recommend development opportunities. Demonstrates ability to coach employees. Presents and communicates key university indicatives and connects it to unit contributions. Provides broad guidelines. Develops, evaluates, enhances, and/or implements quality improvement practices. Recommends innovative solutions.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

– Oversees a team (typically 4 or more; no fewer than 2) full
– time direct reports of individual contributors and/or first level supervisors.

Fiscal Responsibilities:

– Monitors and tracks department/area budget
– May plan, forecast, and/or assist in developing budgets
– May have final signature authority for specific area

Problem Solving:

– Encounters varied and complex problems
– Helps to develop creative and/or novel approaches to resolve problems that are difficult in nature but within limited scope
– Modifies, adapts, or refines guidelines if necessary to resolve issues or problems

Independence of Action:

– Works independently on complex or strategic assignments
– Uses existing practices and advanced working knowledge to determine appropriate work methods for the team
– Reviews completed work of others for conformity to policy, and effectiveness of approach
– Delegates advanced tasks to others

Communication and Collaboration:

– Communicates with both internal and external audiences
– Collaborates closely with team members and various areas across the University
– Prepares written and/or verbal presentations or proposals on complex issues and delivers to a broad variety of audiences
– Communicates key university initiatives and how unit’s work contributes to their achievement
– Presents ideas, concepts and instructions in a clear manner, and uses persuasion and negotiation to build consensus and cooperation
– Establishes and maintains networks to facilitate successful communication among units

• Comp Grade – 13
• Minimum – $86,300.00
• MidPoint – $107,900.00
• Maximum – $129,500.00