Accounts Payable Lead (4629U) - #69058 Job Listing at University of California in Berkeley, CA (Job ID 69058)

Description

About Berkeley

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are committed to creating a community that fosters equity of experience and opportunity, and ensures that students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds feel safe, welcome and included. Our culture of openness, freedom and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty and staff.

The University of California, Berkeley, is one of the world's leading institutions of higher education, distinguished by its combination of internationally recognized academic and research excellence; the transformative opportunity it provides to a large and diverse student body; its public mission and commitment to equity and social justice; and its roots in the California experience, animated by such values as innovation, questioning the status quo, and respect for the environment and nature. Since its founding in 1868, Berkeley has fueled a perpetual renaissance, generating unparalleled intellectual, economic and social value in California, the United States and the world.

We are looking for equity-minded applicants who represent the full diversity of California and who demonstrate a sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds present in our community. When you join the team at Berkeley, you can expect to be part of an inclusive, innovative and equity-focused community that approaches higher education as a matter of social justice that requires broad collaboration among faculty, staff, students and community partners. In deciding whether to apply for a position at Berkeley, you are strongly encouraged to consider whether your values align with our Guiding Values and Principles, our Principles of Community, and our Strategic Plan.

At UC Berkeley, we believe that learning is a fundamental part of working, and our goal is for everyone on the Berkeley campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support this by providing all of our staff employees with at least 80 hours (10 days) of paid time per year to engage in professional development activities. To find out more about how you can grow your career at UC Berkeley, visit grow.berkeley.edu.

Departmental Overview

Accounts Payable (Disbursements) provides system support, policies, procedures, and training to facilitate the processing of approximately 650,000 annual payables transactions including invoices, leases, non-PO Payment Requests, travel/entertainment reimbursements, and other non-payroll disbursements.

Total annual disbursements are in excess of $1 billion.

We are committed to giving prompt, courteous service to faculty, staff, students, and vendors within the guidelines of University of California policies and in compliance with local, state, and federal regulations.

Position Summary

Involves the processing and servicing of a variety of operational and financial transactions and services. Includes accounts payable, banking, data collection and data reporting, analysis, financial transaction review and reconciliation, tax reporting, internal controls, and customer servicing.

Under the direction of the Accounts Payable Manager 1, the Financial Services Analyst 4 serves as a leader and subject matter expert in the central campus unit responsible for ensuring accurate and effective recording, disbursing, monitoring, resolving, and reporting for all non-payroll payments issued by the campus (over $1billion/year).  The FSA4 acts as a lead on the enterprise-wide, mission critical system, BFS:AP (PeopleSoft Accounts Payable module).  The FSA4 is responsible for interpreting and applying strategies and policies and developing business processes related to payables that have campus-wide impact and that directly affect the integrity of the data reflected on the campus's financial statements. The FSA4 identifies and implements goals and objectives that increase efficiency and effectiveness with regards to payables management by optimizing system processes in support of operational activities, providing guidance to campus departments in their efforts to procure goods or services in support of the university's mission, and maintaining effective relationships with external partners and vendors (e.g., UCOP colleagues, bank and FedEx relationship managers, etc.).  This position contributes to ensuring the campus operates in compliance with various federal and state regulations (e.g., tax withholding, sales and use tax payments, etc.), UCOP policies, generally accepted accounting principles, and sound data management practices.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is: 05/28/2024.

Responsibilities

Payables Management: 

• Applies advanced financial services and accounting concepts to perform highly complex technical analyses. 
• Advanced understanding of higher education and banking industry practices and organizational policies and procedures to resolve highly complex or difficult assignments. 
• Provides leadership, direction and expertise to decentralized campus departments, cross-functional project teams, and internal staff related to a wide variety of accounts payable occurrences. 
• Recognized as campus contact for accounts payable and banking, and for providing systems and processes for efficient and effective methods for issuing and recording payments on behalf of all campus departments. 
• Advises campus departments on policy and regulatory compliance of new and unusual activities. 
• Addresses escalated, complex and exceptional payables situations, especially those generated from system processes or data errors. 
• Develops new and innovative solutions to meeting evolving business needs. 
• Serves a key role in emergency preparedness and disaster recovery planning.

Team Leadership: 

• Leads a team of financial services professional staff by monitoring performance of day-to-day tasks, determining priorities, and modeling performance standards. 
• Coaches and trains staff and foster an effective teamwork environment. 
• Provides back-up support for those who perform specialized tasks. 
• Serves as a project manager or subject matter expert on initiatives related to payables management.

Customer Service: 

• Researches and resolves a high volume and wide variety of complex and escalated inquiries from campus staff and outside vendors. 
• Acts as the central point of contact between the outside vendors, campus departmental staff, and Accounts Payable co-workers. 

Financial Data Management: 

• Initiates and designs detailed and summary reports using a wide variety of data resources to address a range of issues such as regulatory compliance, tax implications, disbursement of cash, risk management, and the organized implementation of new services, procedures and/or policies. 
• Ensures the accuracy, control and reporting of decentralized financial data. 
• Trouble-shoots data discrepancies and implements corrective action. 
• Participates in the analysis and design for new services or financial operational systems or processes that have critical campus-wide impact. 
• Identifies need for system enhancements and recommends priority; establishes functional requirements and performs user acceptance testing. 
• Advises senior management on processes and system functionality concerning multiple functional areas, departments, and/or customers. 
• Acts as a primary contact with technical partners to coordinate financial system implementation and upgrades.

Compliance: 

• Ensure the system and business processes for related financial activities meet all government reporting, policy/regulatory compliance, and internal control requirements. 
• Reviews transactions to ensure campus operations are performed within regulatory requirements, including IRS Form 1099 issuance, foreign tax withholding, sales and use tax payments, imputed income, CA EDD independent contractor reporting, and BE125 Department of Commerce reporting. 
• Interprets related policies and advises campus departments accordingly. 
• Participates in audits of internal records and processes and compiles information in response to Public Records Requests.

Required Qualifications 

• Extensive experience using an enterprise accounts payable system in a large, complex organization.
• Advanced knowledge of financial or accounting concepts, policies and procedures, as well as related accounting and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Experience developing and implementing streamlined processes by leveraging technology.
• Experience with developing effective analytics, operational metrics and measurements for successful performance.
• Knowledge of and/or can quickly learn campus and system-wide financial processes and procedures.
• Knowledge of industry best practices and new/emerging customer needs and technology solutions.
• Must have advanced skills using Microsoft Office and common desktop/web applications.
• Strong inter-personal skills and ability to work effectively across the organization at all levels.
• Sophisticated service orientation.
• Ability to multi-task effectively in a varied, high volume environment
• Sound judgment, reasoning, and decision-making
• Critical thinking, creative problem solving, and analytical skills.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Skills in project management, leadership, and team building.
• Bachelor's degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training.

Salary & Benefits

This is a 100% full-time (40 hrs a week) exempt career position, which is paid monthly and eligible for UC Benefits.

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience. 

The budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $90,000.00 - $105,000.00.

How to Apply

• To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter.

Other Information

• This is not a visa opportunity.
• This position is eligible for up to 100% remote work. 

Conviction History Background

This is a designated position requiring fingerprinting and a background check due to the nature of the job responsibilities.  Berkeley does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities.  The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. For more information about your rights as an applicant, please see the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission poster.

The University of California's Affirmative action policy.

The University of California's Anti-Discrimination policy.