Global Finance Specialist

About the role

The Office of the Vice Provost of International Affairs is seeking a Global Finance Specialist. This is a full-time, 40-hour/week, on-campus position located within daily commuting distance from Ithaca, NY. Some hybrid activities are possible, but the employee will be expected to be on campus regularly and frequently. Fully remote work is not available for this position. Visa sponsorship is not available.

Who We Are

The Office of the Vice Provost of International Affairs collaborates with schools, colleges, and units across Cornell campuses to develop, support, and implement plans pertaining to the university's international dimension and the Global Cornell initiative. The office establishes policies that promote Cornell's global agenda and coordinates international agreements, promoting a wide range of global research collaborations and faculty and student exchanges with universities and research institutions around the globe.

Purpose And Goals

The Global Finance Specialist leads all financial operations and budget management for Cornell University's Offices of Global Learning (OGL) and Global Operations. This role encompasses domestic and international financial oversight of study abroad and global programming, international subsidiary and legal entity management, consortia operations coordination, and compliance with university and foreign regulatory requirements. The position serves as a critical bridge between OGL programming and Global Operations teams, central administration, and international vendors and partners. This position operates within a broader context for the Office of the Vice Provost for International Affairs (OVPIA) with a strong working relationship to the Manager of Finance, Budget and Research Compliance.

Responsibilities

Under the very general direction of the Executive Directors of the Office of Global Learning and the Office of Global Operations and Strategy, this position will:

• Serve as account manager and primary transactional oversight, ensuring accuracy of all office payables totaling over $9 million; managing vendor relationships and reconciliation, overseeing preparation of study abroad program cost of attendance estimates, billing calculations, and posting of charges to student bursar accounts; and managing fund transfers and award processing for all OGL programming.
• Support OGL staff and stakeholders in development and management of complex program operating budgets, ensuring fiscal and procurement policy compliance and best practices.
• Oversee all affiliate entities and foreign legal entities to ensure cash flows cover operating expenses, units are accurately invoiced for support services, staff on foreign payroll are paid correctly and on time, financial budget and reporting is maintained accurately and compliantly, external audits are current and compliant, and corporate structure requirements are current.
• Coordinate business operations for customized and consortia programming, including staffing matters related to international positions, in collaboration with Global HR and partner institutions.
• Prepare and maintain unit-level service agreements between legal entities and Cornell, utilizing appropriate transfer pricing structures.
• Negotiate and execute internal and external contracts.
• Enforce existing policies and procedures to ensure a strong system of internal controls safeguarding assets and ensuring compliance with Cornell policies, i.e. PCI compliance.
• Advise on and make recommendations for new policies and procedures affecting international and domestic operations.
• Provide continuous improvement recommendations and establish new systems and processes to address increased support and coordination needs.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 3 to 5 years of full-time relevant experience in business, finance or other related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience with managing budgets, financial processes, procedures, and internal controls.
• Proven ability to assess and manage complex issues requiring prioritization and driving to a resolution.
• A global mindset with prior experience working with a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated fluency with Microsoft Office (including Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and building databases and tables).

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree.
• Experience with international finances.
• Knowledge of PeopleSoft, Longview, and KFS systems or similar.

Benefits

Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, and sustainability. Our benefits programs include:

• Comprehensive health care options.
• Generous retirement contributions.
• Access to wellness programs.
• Employee discounts with local and national retail brands.

Our leave provisions include:

• Health and personal leave.
• Three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25–January 1.
• Two additional floating holidays to observe faiths and traditions.

Cornell's educational benefits include:

• Tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program.
• Tuition aid for external education.
• Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program.

Pay

Pay range: $77,831.00 – $90,453.00. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering prior relevant work or industry experience, education level, unique applicable skills, and academic discipline.