Administrative Analyst/Specialist Exempt I

About the role

Under the general direction of the Director of Budgeting, Accounting & Reporting Services, Athletics, Student Affairs & SEM, the Administrative Analyst/Specialist (AA/S) Exempt I independently performs specialized fiscal, accounting, budget, and administrative analysis for Student Affairs, with primary responsibility for Housing operations. The position serves as the primary departmental budget analyst for Housing and applies thorough knowledge of accounting and budget procedures, applicable CSU policies, tenant laws, license agreements, and operational billing practices to analyze financial activity, monitor budgets and expenditures, reconcile financial records and systems, and ensure accurate and appropriate Housing billing and financial transactions.

Responsibilities

• Independently perform accounting, budget management, and variance analysis for Housing, including researching, interpreting, and applying applicable tenant laws, CSU policies, accounting and budget procedures, and operational billing practices; serve as the primary departmental liaison on related fiscal matters.
• Independently analyze resident account activity and determine appropriate room and board charges each term based on license agreements, occupancy changes, enrollment status, cancellations, damage assessments, and other applicable circumstances; collaborate with Facilities and Housing Officers to determine accuracy of charges as needed.
• Review account activity for accuracy, research and resolve discrepancies and contested charges, and ensure billed amounts are consistent with license agreements, StarRez, PeopleSoft, and applicable policies and business practices.
• Analyze supporting documentation and prepare invoices, MOUs, journal entries, and other financial transactions related to Housing revenues, including summer terms, special events, and unique residency agreements, ensuring appropriate accounting treatment and compliance with applicable requirements.
• Analyze and reconcile Housing financial transactions, sub-ledgers, reports, and financial records, including StarRez and PeopleSoft, to ensure the appropriate coding and assignment of revenues and expenditures; identify and research discrepancies, determine underlying causes, and prepare or recommend appropriate corrections and adjustments.
• Based on analysis of financial activity, billing practices, account discrepancies, and identified control or procedural issues, develop and recommend corrective actions to the AVP for Student Affairs and Director of Accounting Student Affairs.
• Prepare and analyze schedules for various funds and accounts in support of month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close processes; research and resolve discrepancies as necessary.
• Analyze financial records and assist with preparing reports, schedules, and supporting documentation for internal and external audits; research questions and discrepancies and provide explanations regarding Housing financial activity and processes.
• Prepare complex fluctuation analysis (actuals vs prior year, actuals vs budget, actual vs projections).
• Collaborate with other university accounting and reporting team members to ensure appropriate internal controls and to provide accurate and timely reporting.
• Serve as liaison with Student Financial Services (SFS) to ensure new billing terms/store fronts are open; lead all billing system updates in StarRez (which "talks" with PeopleSoft); follow-up with SFS if there are issues in PeopleSoft.
• Analyze billing practices and provide input and recommendations regarding the billing cycle and financial provisions of annual Housing license agreements, including deposit, payment, and refund information.
• Provide lead work direction to student assistants performing minor billing reconciliations and compiling resident documentation, including license agreements and RCR forms; review completed work for accuracy and compliance with established procedures.
• Serve as a departmental resource and campus liaison regarding Housing business and financial processes; interpret new or revised campus procedures, assess their operational impact on Housing, communicate applicable campus and CSU requirements and best practices, and train departmental staff on new or updated processes.
• Prepare and monitor departmental financial transactions and accounts, including billing requests, direct pays, requisitions, expenditure transfers, accounts payable and receivable, purchase orders, and ProCard activity; review transactions and reconciliations for accuracy and timely processing, research discrepancies, and facilitate required corrections and annual renewals.
• Track and monitor departmental work orders from submission through completion, including associated chargebacks, and follow up on outstanding or inaccurate transactions as necessary.
• Frequently provide timely and accurate information in response to customer inquiries and reporting that evidences a strong understanding compliance and policy.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and/or equivalent training and three (3) years of recent administrative work experience involving study, analysis, and/or evaluation leading to the development or improvement of administrative policies, procedures, practices, or programs; work experience should demonstrate complex budget analyst competency.
• Possession of a valid driver’s license or the ability to obtain by date of hire.

Qualifications

• Education & Experience: Bachelor’s degree and/or equivalent training and three (3) years of recent administrative work experience involving study, analysis, and/or evaluation leading to the development or improvement of administrative policies, procedures, practices, or programs; work experience should demonstrate complex budget analyst competency.
• Licenses: Possession of a valid driver’s license or the ability to obtain by date of hire.
• Skills, Knowledge & Abilities:
  • Regular and reliable attendance is required.
  • Knowledge of relevant financial regulations and compliance requirements.
  • Thorough knowledge of financial, budgetary, and accounting principles and practices.
  • Thorough knowledge of business operations and the applicable policies and procedures that govern business practices.
  • Knowledge of query tools, integrated financial systems, and/or other types of record management systems.
  • Knowledge of or ability to quickly learn the financial structure and financial procedures of the CSU.
  • Ability to analyze and review budgets and financial practices of the campus, communicate clearly and present budget information in a clear, concise, and professional manner, analyze situations accurately, and develop an effective course of action.
  • Demonstrated ability to independently handle multiple work unit priorities and projects, determine the relative importance of each, set respective deadlines, and complete all projects accordingly.
  • Ability to draft and compose professional correspondence and detailed reports.
  • Ability to prepare complex budget projections, perform standard business math, such as calculate ratios and percentages, track financial data, and make simple projections.
  • Ability to clearly explain a variety of both routine and complex information, procedures and policies to faculty, staff, students, and others.
  • Ability to work accurately amid distractions and interruptions; work daily in a collaborative environment that is student centered, student focused, and student driven.
  • Thorough knowledge of Microsoft Excel Spreadsheets.
  • Ability to keep precise and detailed records, research and gather data for projects and reports; suggest solutions to procedural problems.
  • Bookkeeping knowledge, including maintaining and reconciling accounts/budgets according to prescribed procedures.
  • Ability to train others on new skills and procedures and provide lead work direction.
  • Skill in the research, development and evaluation of policies and programs, including skill in the collection, evaluation, and interpretation of data to develop sound conclusions and make appropriate recommendations.
  • Expertise in investigating and analyzing problems with a broad administrative impact and implications; ability to anticipate problems and address them proactively.
  • Demonstrated customer service experience requiring a very high level of diplomacy and professionalism.
  • Ability to use tact and diplomacy to effectively handle a broad range of high level sensitive interpersonal situations with diverse personalities, and to respond appropriately to conflicts and problems.
  • Ability to initiate, establish, and foster communication and teamwork by maintaining a positive, cooperative, productive work atmosphere in the University to establish and maintain effective working relationships within a diverse population and those from various cultural backgrounds.
  • Excellent communication skills; ability to effectively communicate information in a clear and understandable manner.
  • Thorough knowledge of English grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
  • Ability to interpret, communicate and apply policies and procedures.
  • Demonstrated ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality.
  • Excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to set own priorities to coordinate multiple assignments with fluctuating and time-sensitive deadlines.
  • Excellent computer skills and competence with a variety of computer applications including word-processing, spreadsheets, databases, on-line systems, Internet as well as online calendaring and email.
  • Working knowledge of or ability to quickly learn University infrastructure, policies, and procedures.
  • Willingness to travel and attend training programs off-site for occasional professional development.
  • Ability to work occasional holidays and adjust working hours to meet special jobs; may be called back periodically to perform work as needed on an emergency basis.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Accounting, or Finance and four (4) or more years of financial analysis, budgeting, or accounting, preferably within a higher education setting.
• Experience with PeopleSoft.
• Experience in an accounting environment.
• Demonstrated skills in an institutional/educational environment utilizing a customer-oriented and service-centered attitude.

Benefits

• Choice of medical plans, dental plans, and vision coverage.
• Retirement participation in CalPERS.
• CSU tuition waiver.
• Up to 24 vacation days per year.
• Sick leave with unlimited accrual.
• 15 paid holidays per year.