Financial Assistant (Public) jobs in Santa Barbara, CA

Payroll Title: Blank Assistant 3

Job Code: 004722

Job Open Date: 02/16/2024

Application Review Begins: 03/05/2024; open until filled

Department Code (Name): HASC (HSSB Administrative Support Center)

Percentage of Time: 100%

Union Code (Name): CX (Clerical)

Employee Class (Appointment Type): Staff (Career)

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Classified Indicator Description (Personnel Program): PSS

Salary Grade: STEPS

Hiring/Budgeted Hourly Range: $27.29 - $28.58/hr.

Full Hourly Range: Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience; the budget for the position; and the application of fair, equitable, and consistent pay practices at the University. The full hourly range for this position is $27.29 - $39.12/hr. The budgeted hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $27.29 - $28.58/hr.

Work Location: 4001 Humanities Social Sciences Building

Working Days and Hours: Monday-Friday; 8:00 am - 5:00pm

Benefits Eligibility: Full Benefits

Type of Remote or Hybrid Work Arrangement if applicable: Hybrid

Special Instructions

For full consideration, please include a resume and a cover letter as part of your application.

Department Marketing Statement

The HSSB Administrative Support Center (HASC) is a dynamic administrative unit that supports the academic Departments of Classics, East Asian Languages & Cultural Studies, History, and Religious Studies. HASC provides the following for our four academic departments and affiliated centers: undergraduate and graduate advising and program coordination; financial management of operational, programmatic, and research funds; academic recruitment and personnel administration; and technology support.

Benefits of Belonging

Working at UC means being part of this vibrant institution that shines a light on what is possible. People make UC great, and UC recognizes your contributions by making this a great place to work. Excellent retirement and health are just one of the rewards. Learn more about the benefits of working at UC and why You Belong at UC.

Brief Summary of Job Duties

As a member of the HSSB Administrative Support Center (HASC), and under general direction of HASC's Academic Personnel & Financial Services Manager, the Financial Assistant administers all financial activities for the Departments of Classics and East Asian Languages & Cultural Studies, and HASC. Processes monthly review and reconciliation of ledgers, providing timely reporting, identifying and initiating corrective actions, and ensuring compliance with University, Federal, and State accounting policies and procedures on all transactions. In collaboration with management, establishes best-practices for procurement, payroll, record retention, and accounts payable functions. Funds administered include a variety of state operating funds, gifts, endowments, fellowships, and grants. Requires considerable initiative, multi-tasking, communication, attention to detail, and problem-solving abilities. Must possess a strong knowledge of UC and departmental policies and procedures as they relate to financial services. Advises faculty on policies and procedures that govern the full-range of accounting processes, gift and award administration, and academic and staff payroll. Processes gifts and monitors endowment accounts. Responsible for assisting faculty with logistical arrangements and all financial aspects of conferences, colloquiums, seminars, and events.

Required Qualifications

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently to perform detailed and accurate work while meeting critical deadlines.
• Must be customer service-oriented and able to work with interruptions.
• Ability to perform within a diverse work environmental.
• Strong computer experience using Word and Excel.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in UC accounting and procedures.
• Familiarity with UCSB financial systems.
• Familiarity with UC policies and procedures regarding financial and budgetary transactions.

Special Conditions of Employment

• Satisfactory conviction history background check
• UCSB is a Tobacco-Free environment

Job Functions and Percentages of Time:

75% General Financial Administration - Provides financial administration for all operating, programming, gift, endowment, and research funds for the Departments of Classics, East Asian Languages & Cultural Studies (EALCS), and the HSSB Administrative Support Center (HASC). Support also includes EALCS's Center for Taiwan Studies and the Confucius Institute. Possess in-depth knowledge of the 130 accounts administered for the three departments. Monitors all financial expenses; processes monthly review, posting and reconciliation of the departmental ledgers; provides timely reporting; identifies and initiates corrective actions on a monthly basis; and ensures compliance with University, Federal, and State accounting policies and procedures on all transactions. Provides monthly reporting on all financial accounts to the manager, director, chair, center directors, endowed chairs, and faculty. In collaboration with management, establishes best practices for procurement, payroll, record retention, and accounts payable functions. Uses financial tracking systems (GUS/ Excel) to monitor budgets and avoid overdrafts. Researches and resolves discrepancies on accounts. Coordinates and tracks financial support of start-up, retention, conference, and research funds for faculty. Provides budget updates to faculty when requested. Ensures funds are allocated correctly, monitors expenditures, manages documentation, and notifies all parties when funds are expended. Works closely with other campus units on jointly-sponsored events, and provides budget updates and expense reports as requested. Provides timely close-out reports for all conferences. Works with the manager on carry-forward requests, ensuring sufficient documentation is on file for all requests. Prepares year-end closing of all projects in the shadow system, and sets up new projects each fiscal year. Uses analysis of historical expenses and projected expenses to set-up annual budgets and advises faculty and management of spending patterns. Makes adjustments to budgets as the need arises. Processes all accounting forms for miscellaneous and entertainment disbursements, travel vouchers and advances, transfer of expenses and funds, and transfer of payroll expenses. Stays up-to-date on accounts payable policies and practices, and advises faculty and staff as requirements change. Ensures departmental projects are properly linked in the GMC. Serves as department liaison to the Division of Humanities & Fine Arts, Office of Research, ISBER, the Academic Senate Committee on Research, the Interdisciplinary Humanities Center, the UCSB Foundation and other campus units as necessary. Ensures the department is audit ready at all times. Works with the HASC financial group on complex matters and serves as a back up to other staff as needed in supporting all departmental fiscal activity. Assists with special projects and assignments as needed. Initiates catering orders for receptions, lectures, and other events.

10% Gift & Award Administration - Manages all activity on gift and endowment funds totaling 1.9M. Provides budgetary analysis of gift funds for short- and long-term planning. Duties include tracking expenditures, re-allocating funds between subs per appropriate guidelines, and advising faculty on the appropriateness of expenditures. Taking into account each fund's annual payouts, works directly with the fund administrator on establishing budgets each fiscal year. Ensures that all transactions meet campus and UC guidelines, and adhere to the fund record sheet for each fund. Prepares all forms and secures necessary approvals for financial transactions. Prepares UDEVs for new gifts as they're received. Creates new accounts as needed for new gifts and initiatives. Provides reports to the Office of Development and the UC Foundation as requested. Responsible for the management of all intra- and extramural awards. Tracks expenditures and provides financial status reports on all awards as requested. Advises faculty and graduate students on policies governing campus research grants including Academic Senate grants and Instructional Improvement grants. Ensures compliance with current UC policies and agency requirements on all expenditures. Provides financial data as needed for fellowship, award and research proposals. Submits close-out reports to faculty and campus funding units. Provides additional support to other HASC departments as needed.

10% Purchasing - Serves as primary buyer for each department. Advises academics and staff on all aspects of purchasing policies and requirements. Maintains knowledge of procurement policies and procedures, equipment retirements, sole-source bidding, and indirect purchasing costs related to funding sources. Responsible for verification of available funds. As the primary FlexCard cardholder for each department, initiates department specific purchases directly and ensures they're allocated to the correct funding sources. Follows-up with vendors and BFS when needed. Responsible for on-line entry of purchase requisitions through Gateway, ensuring accuracy and completeness of all data and required approvals. Manages Gateway contracts and purchase orders from initiation through final payment. Quickly addresses any issues that arise in order to keep the process moving. Communicates with impacted parties on the status of Gateway transactions as needed. Ensures all back-up documentation is on file and audit ready at all times. Communicates with vendors on supply and equipment items, annual service agreements, special orders, etc. Acts as departmental liaison with Purchasing, Equipment Management, Business Services, and vendors.

5% Payroll - Posts, projects, and reconciles payroll and benefits on all funding sources. Ensures adequate funding is available for all hires, and alerts management and faculty of any budgetary concerns before deficits occur. Serves as the primary payroll preparer for the departments' hourly staff. Ensures all employment documents are completed and processed in a timely manner. Tracks employment packets through various stages and ensures employees will be paid on time. Responsible for advising faculty on hiring students, limited, and career employees on research funds, including cost of benefits, vacation and sick leave accrual policy, and separation issues. Monitors the hiring of foreign employees and ensures compliance with visa regulations. Responsible for time reporting, timecard reconciliation, and corrective payroll actions. Acts as liaison with the Financial Aid office for work-study students. Tracks work-study expenditures and individual allocations. Stays current with changes in payroll and work study rules, regulations and processes; attends training sessions and meetings as needed.

UC Vaccination Programs Policy - With Interim Revisions

As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs - With Interim Revisions.*

As a condition of Physical Presence at a Location or in a University Program, all Covered Individuals** must participate in any applicable Vaccination Program by providing proof that they are Up-to-Date with any required Vaccines or submitting a request for Exception in a Mandate Program or properly declining vaccination in an Opt-Out Program no later than the Compliance Date (Capitalized terms in this paragraph are defined in the policy.). Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

For more information, please visit:

* UC Santa Barbara COVID-19 Information https://www.ucsb.edu/COVID-19-information

* University of California Policy on Vaccinations - With Interim Amendments https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/5000695/VaccinationProgramsPolicy

*Note: The Policy on Vaccination Programs - With Interim Revisions was updated effective August 16, 2023. A systemwide review of this policy will take place in Fall 2023 with an expected issuance/effective date in early 2024.

** Covered Individuals: A Covered Individual includes anyone designated as Personnel or Students under this Policy who physically access a University Facility or Program in connection with their employment, appointment, or education/training. A person accessing a Healthcare Location as a patient, or an art, athletics, entertainment, or other publicly accessible venue at a Location as a member of the public, is not a Covered Individual.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Statement

UC Santa Barbara is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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