Accounting Specialist

Duke University:

Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America’s leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

Occupational Summary

Perform a variety of confidential nature and complex accounting tasks involved in maintaining financial records, reconciling accounting transactions, and supporting procurement needs for Biology and Evolutionary Anthropology Departments. The incumbent serves as a vital financial hub for both departments, ensuring seamless fiscal operations across these interconnected academic units and applying knowledge and skills to resolve complex non-routine accounting problems independently or with others.

Worked Performed 

Purchasing

• Place orders upon request and assist the departments’ members in resolving order difficulties in Buy@Duke. Reimburse individuals via ET&R (Employee Travel & Reimbursements), AP (Account Payable) Check or Petty Cash upon request.

• Manage purchasing activities to ensure invoices are paid and expenses are posted to non-Sponsored and Sponsored codes in a timely manner as required by the Accounting/Financial compliance rules. This includes but is not limited to gathering receipts, working with faculty/PI, lab personnel, staff, and students to complete goods receipts, and following up with procurement services and vendors to resolve discrepancies, blocked invoices, etc.
• Generate Buy@Duke orders via the Duke Marketplace or punch-out supplier catalogs, providing workflow oversight and supporting audit documentation for cost compliance, as required.  Generate text orders as needed for Confirming Orders-Bill Only.  Process timely Accounts Payable check requests for payments to external vendors as assigned. Order office supplies when needed.
• PaymentWorks: initiate and send vendor/payee registration invitations via the designated onboarding platform. Monitor and update the onboarding tracker to reflect the status of each vendor/payee. Follow up with vendors/payees to ensure timely completion of registration. Serve as a primary point of contat for vendor/payee questions or concerns. Collaborate with other departments (e.g. Procurement, AP, Corporate Card, ET&R) to resolve vendor/payee onboarding issues.
• Provide initial training and onboarding for new shoppers and submitters related to general lab supplies. Provide ongoing customer support to lab personnel and postdocs completing orders in Buy@Duke, emphasizing compliance principles of reasonable, allocable, and allowable.
• Assist with new faculty lab purchasing and lab set-up.
• Work closely with the departmental financial analyst and grant administrators on non-sponsored and sponsored reporting and resolving any outstanding purchasing issues to ensure a clean close-our process, particularly during fiscal closure.
• Serve as the main liaison with the purchasing and account payable departments.
• Maintain departmental SOPs and documentation on procurement/purchasing internal departmental processes and procedures.
• Copy Cards:  Request copy cards to be used for each course and as needed for new personnel.  Make name changes/updates to cards when a course in no longer offered or when someone leaves the department.

Financial Accounting

• Procurement/Corporate Cards (P-cards)

• Coordinate with undergraduate students and faculty to expend annual Undergraduate Research Support (URS) awards. Oversee awards and process expenditures in accordance with URS Office guidelines.
• Reconciliation of annual Mentorship awards provided to departmental advisors (faculty and graduate student) of undergraduate students (distributed by DUS), processing expenditures as required.
• Provide general training/information to new faculty/PI, staff, and students on Concur expense and travel processing, including allowable expenses, funding sources, G/L assignments, itemizations, and allocations.
• Collect receipts/required documents and process out-of-pocket reimbursements for faculty, staff, and students
• Serve as Concur (online P-card system) and reimbursement initiator for faculty, staff, and student using non-Sponsored and Sponsored codes.
• Create monthly expenses report in Concur.
• Oversee monthly reporting of unassigned expense transactions and communicate with faculty members/PIs, lab members, staff, and graduate students to obtain the required documentation, justification, receipts, and proper funding codes.

• Shared Service Centers: reconcile monthly transactions, complete all JV billings and compile data for the yearly rate calculations.
• FedEx Accounts: clear all FedEx charges and follow departmental procedures in regards to approval for postage on non-Sponsored and Sponsored codes.
• Provide fund management for Emeritus faculty and generate regular financial reporting

Cash Management

• Petty Cash: Custodian responsibilities.  Submitting receipts when the funds are depleted.

Other Duties as Assigned

• Assist Program Coordinators with departmental seminars (held weekly) throughout semesters when needed.  This could include making travel arrangements for visiting external speakers and reserving rooms for meetings.

Anticipated Pay Range:

Duke University provides an annual base salary range for this position as USD $18.00 to USD $26.62. Duke University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position; candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills; internal peer equity; as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.

Your total compensation goes beyond the dollars on your paycheck. Duke provides comprehensive and competitive medical and dental care programs, generous retirement benefits, and a wide array of family- friendly and cultural programs to eligible team members. Learn more at: https://hr.duke.edu/benefits/

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Work requires knowledge of general accounting principles usually through two years post-secondary education in accounting or a related business field.

Training: May be required to take FasTracks in areas of specific assigned duties.

Experience: Work generally requires 3 years of experience in an accounting setting to become familiar with the accepted accounting practices involved in maintaining more complex financial records, reconciling accounting information and preparing financial statements.  OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

Skills: N/A

Preferences: Demonstrate following required qualifications-

• Previous experience working in academia, or administrative support roles. Experience with SPS, SAP and other accounting related tools/platforms.
• Excellent organizational, people, and communication skills.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to communicate both verbally and in writing with all levels of the organization.
• Ability to analyze data and formulate conclusions.
• Ability to learn and adapt to changing technologies.
• Proficient use of computers; requires a solid working knowledge of MS Office Suite (Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams).
• Ability to independently manage and prioritize multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Knowledge of Duke University policies and procedures relating to procurement/purchasing, travel and reimbursement.