Accountant II

About the Job

The University of Minnesota seeks an Accountant II to support our Financial Operations Center department within the Controller's Office. The Accountant II is responsible for performing moderately sophisticated accounting activities and financial reporting transactions in support of a portfolio of RRCs in the Finance Operations Center. Additionally, the Accountant II collaborates with accounting and finance professionals within the Finance Operations Center and the Resource Responsibility Centers (RRC) to ensure appropriate and timely support.

To succeed as an Accountant II, you should be professional, a team player, and attentive while being detail-oriented. You must be comfortable with using technology such as Team Dynamix (TDx) and Google Suite and excel at both verbal and written communication. Most importantly, as an Accountant II, you should have a genuine desire to meet the needs of others across the institution.

You will report to the Accounting Manager.

This hybrid position is based on the Twin Cities campus. For those located in the metro area, a minimum of three days per week in the office is expected. Internal and external applicants located near other UMN system campuses and across the State of Minnesota may also be considered, and we encourage all interested candidates to apply. Occasional travel to the Twin Cities campus may be required for events and all-staff meetings.

Out of state candidates must be willing to relocate to Minnesota at their own expense.

Job Responsibilities with % of Time:

Accounting (75%)

• Collaborates with finance staff at RRCs on accounting period closings, review of reports and related materials to ensure accuracy and reasonableness and identify and resolve errors of a moderately sophisticated nature. It may require consultation with a Supervisor or Subject Matter Expert within the Accounting Team for more complicated transactions.
• Explains, interprets, and applies University accounting policies and procedures. May require analysis of applicability to moderately sophisticated transactions.
• Ability to identify activity that may not be following best practice and work with the Manager or Supervisor(s) to develop a plan for corrective action.
• Uses the chart of accounts with expertise and understanding, ensures chart field string integrity by working with other accounting professionals to recommend updates based on analysis and review of existing transactions and accurate uses.
• Understands and independently applies technical accounting functions, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, and other guiding concepts with proficiency.
• Uses information and requests received from a portfolio of RRCs to prepare analysis, computation, and entry of journal entries into the Enterprise Financial System (EFS). Requests will be processed following University standard processes and procedures in journal entries, ledger/fund analyses, journal corrections, year-end activities, journal uploads, as well as independent review and research of moderately sophisticated transactional support to ensure accurate reporting.
• May lead specific project-based tasks defined within accounting and at the direction of Manager or supervisor(s).
• Assists with providing training and guidance to teammates.
• Processes payroll accounting transactions based on information provided by HR Ops or finance workstream.
• Processes moderately complex mass requests for new hires, modified appointments, entering and/or verifying distributions, verifying funding, validating additional pay entry, and processing retroactive adjustments, including work-study retros, etc.
• Proactively analyzes and monitors payroll activity to ensure timely payroll distributions and process changes based on departmental communications, funding sources, and upcoming changes. Performs or verifies calculations as necessary to ensure accuracy.
• Collaborates with HR Ops and unit contacts to determine the necessary payroll actions.

Unit Support (10%)

• Supports the unit by generating and reviewing relevant financial data, ensuring compliance and consistency in transaction entries.
• Independently analyzes and communicates the impact of activities on the overall financial health of the RRCs.

Professional Development (10%)

• Contributes to training manuals and procedures for the Finance Operations Center.
• Completes professional development, education, and training activities, consistent with the position's responsibilities and for the pursuit of individual, unit, and institutional…