Finance Associate

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

The Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) is the historic heart of Harvard University. It is the home of Harvard’s undergraduate program (Harvard College, founded in 1636) as well as all of Harvard’s Ph.D. programs (the Harvard Kenneth

C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, founded in 1872), Harvard Athletics and the Division of Continuing Education. The 40 academic departments and 30+ centers of the FAS support a community unparalleled in its academic excellence across the broadest range of liberal arts and sciences disciplines. Together, the FAS seeks to foster an environment of ambition, curiosity and shared commitment to knowledge and truth that elicits excellence from all members of our community and prepares the next generation of leaders through a transformative educational experience.

The Finance Associate provides foundational financial, transactional, and compliance support for academic departments and centers within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Reporting to the Manager of Financial Operations, this role supports day-to-day financial operations, ensures accurate processing of transactions, and assists faculty and staff with university financial procedures.

Working with their manager, the Finance Associate is responsible for procurement review, travel and expense processing, accounts receivable, cash handling activities, and transactions associated with year-end close while developing knowledge of university financial systems and policies. Given the breadth and diversity of financial operations across the academic enterprise, the Finance Associate may perform additional financial, operational, and administrative responsibilities that are consistent with the scope and level of the position but are not specifically listed in this description.

Responsibilities may evolve over time to meet changing business needs, support new initiatives, and ensure effective service to departments and centers.

• Review and approve requisitions:
• • Costing accuracy
  • Funding availability
  • Compliance with competitive bidding requirements (e.g., multiple quotes)
• Process and track change order requests

• Reconcile P-Card and department card transactions in Concur
• Review expense reports for:
• • Required receipts and documentation
  • Appropriate approvals
  • Compliance with institutional policies
• Ensure travel expenses align with federal and institutional guidelines (e.g., per diem, airfare class, lodging limits)
• Work with faculty and staff to obtain missing documentation and support timely submission in Concur
• Process late reimbursements (e.g., via Aurora or equivalent systems)
• Process non-employee travel reimbursements

• Gather information needed for billing
• Record incoming payments (checks, wires, credit cards)
• Assist in resolving unclaimed or unidentified incoming payments
• Match payments to invoices and elevate discrepancies as needed
• Review checks and wire transfers and indicate appropriate chart string/funding allocation
• Respond to basic donor and external partner inquiries regarding payment methods
• Confirm receipt of funds with donors and stakeholders as directed

• Initiate wire transfers and support foreign payment processing (in coordination with invoice workflows)
• Manage and reconcile petty…