Financial Coordinator

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Building:
• Salary Range: $68,000 - $72,000

Position Summary

Reporting to the Finance Director of Dining & University Events Management (UEM), the Financial Coordinator is responsible for monitoring, analyzing, reconciling, and reporting on financial activity; processing departmental billing, internal transfers, cash/check deposits, and journal entries; review and departmental approval of financial transactions, including deposits, check requests, and vendor invoices. Prepare and distribute daily, weekly, and monthly financial reports for the AVP of Dining and operations team. The Financial Coordinator is responsible for monitoring and analyzing COGS to ensure financial accuracy, budget compliance, and operational efficiency within Dining Services. The Financial Coordinator will maintain the accuracy of various financial analysis and reports used to forecast staff payroll, cost of goods as a percentage of revenues and other financial activity. Proactively takes initiative in resolving issues, interfacing with Dining operations and campus contract vendors to ensure billing is processed in a timely manner while maintaining strict financial controls.

Responsibilities

• Prepares a wide array of financial analyses and reports from various systems and data sources used to monitor financial activities within the Dining portfolio.
• Maintains the integrity and accuracy of data, adherence to University and departmental policies and procedures, and efficient processing of financial activity.
• Identifies opportunities for improvements to increase service to clients and to provide reporting/analytics in a timely and efficient manner as practicable. Maintains a strong working knowledge of, and relationships with, stakeholders in multiple departments.
• Reviews and provides DAF approval for deposits, check requests, vendor invoices, and other financial transactions of up to $10,000.
• Assists in the preparation and monitoring of annual budgets and long-term forecasts. Processes budget entries and ensures accurate reflection of activity of the dining portfolio.
• Maintains and develops compelling reports and dashboards to track financials, identify trends, monitor business operations, and forecast revenue and expenses. At the direction of the Finance Director, performs research to identify best practices and gathers benchmarking data from peer institutions. Provides support to the Director and dining operations team as necessary, including in preparation of presentations and internal/external reporting.
• Reviews and records entries necessary for internal departments for catering and flex requests. Creates journal entries necessary for all expenses, monthly allocations, internal transfers and miscodes to ensure accurate capture of expenses for all dining locations.
• Records and reconciles all expenses and income within the Columbia Dining portfolio such as Board, Flex, and Dining dollar revenue, COGS, and OTPS. Processes cash receipts and prepares check requests/refunds.
• Responsibilities require utilizing multiple University and departmental databases including, Transact/ Blackboard POS and PeopleSoft (ARC).
• Responds to billing inquiries from internal departments representatives. Works closely with on campus contract vendors, coordinating invoicing and payment collection processes, ensuring accurate documentation and timely reconciliation.
• Assists the Director of Finance with monthly close, including research on variances between budget and actuals.
• Assists with preparation of monthly sales tax filings with the New York City Finance and Taxation agency.
• Assists with renewals of dining space permits with the DOH, performs related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree and/or its equivalent experience
• Minimum of 0-2 years of accounting/reporting /budgeting experience
• Strong technical skills required, including reporting, reconciling and data analysis experience, and advanced Excel and SQL query capabilities
• Excellent analytical, communication, and organizational skills are essential
• Must possess critical thinking and practical problem solving abilities
• Superior communication, presentation, quantitative, and interpersonal skills
• Strong research skills and ability to work as a member of a collaborative team while exercising independent judgment is essential
• Must be able to work independently, handling multiple concurrent projects, and interfacing effectively with staff in other CUFO business units as well as external departments

Preferred Qualifications

• Accounting/Economics/Finance major
• Real estate accounting experience a plus

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.