Position Summary:

The Finance Program Manager is part of the Facilities Business Operations Center (BOC) at Vanderbilt University and is a manager whose team is responsible for construction accounting including but not limited to contract execution and administration, invoice auditing for compliance with contract terms and accuracy, project accounting and reconciliation, and assistance with project preparation and documentation including budget approval memos.

Reporting directly to the Director of Finance-Administration, Facilities Services, the Finance Program Manager interacts regularly with all BOC, Campus Planning & Construction (CPC) project managers, with other partners across campus including Purchasing and Payment Services, Office of General Counsel, and others, as well as external vendors.

The Finance Program Manager will be responsible to review and approve all financial transactions for CPC and will ensure that all transactions are recorded accurately and follow applicable university and departmental policies. The position is also responsible for utilizing the project management software system, eBuilder. This position will be a key contributor to continual development of eBuilder for CPC and the University community. The Finance Program Manager will document applicable departmental procedures for their work and the work of the subordinates to ensure consistency and thoroughness. 

Key Functions and Expected Performance:

Financial Unit Management

• Maintains an extensive understanding of the university’s capitalization policy, chart of accounts, and departmental use of Oracle (PPM) POET structure as well as travel and procurement policies.
• Reviews and approves financial transactions, with high attention to detail for CPC in the Oracle Cloud system, including procurement requisitions, travel and entertainment expense reports, and procurement card expense reports.
• Prepares journal entry templates and miscellaneous batches as required, providing supporting documentation to the appropriate Business Unit/Entity Approver for processing in Oracle.
• Assists University Finance with periodic Oracle testing requirements for PPM.
• Assists University Finance with annual multi-year capital plan preparation.
• Serves as subject matter expert for appropriate budget and expense categorization with a specific focus to capitalization treatment (operating expense vs capital expense). Partners closely with University Finance to further develop and maintain departmental capitalization guidelines. 
• Uses excellent professional judgment and integrity to evaluate the appropriateness of expenditures and possesses the maturity and confidence to address questionable transactions either directly or by escalating them, if needed. 
• Ensures that products are completed timely, accurately, and efficiently while meeting divisional, institutional, and external reporting requirements as well as ensuring regulatory compliance.

Contract management

• In coordination with the Contracts Analyst, performs professional administrative work to draft, review and edit requests for information and proposals, design and construction/renovation contracts, professional service agreements, building and maintenance service agreements, and vendor supply purchase agreements in support of the entire Facilities department. 
• In coordination with the Budget Analyst and Accounting Assistant, ensures contracts are consistently administered regarding financial compliance in accordance with laws regulations, rules, policies, procedures, and best business practices.

Invoice and pay application auditing

• In coordination with the Budget Analyst and Accounting Assistant, responsible to ensure invoices are submitted with proper documentation, adhere to contractual terms, and are valid for payment.

Project accounting, reconciliation, and financial closeout

• In coordination with the Accounting Assistant, reconciling projects between various systems and performing final project closeout.

Vendor management

• In coordination with the Contracts Analyst, Budget Analyst, and Accounting Assistant responsible to partner closely with project vendors and suppliers and serve as a liaison for financial related questions. Coordinate with project managers and other BOC staff as appropriate to resolve issues related to vendor contract, purchase orders, or invoice payments.

Supervisory Relationships:

This position has supervisory responsibility for the CPC BOC finance team, which includes three (3) direct reports: contracts analyst (exempt), budget analyst (exempt), and accounting assistant (non-exempt). This position reports administratively and functionally to Director of Finance-Administration, Facilities Services.

Experience and Education:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education is required, preferably in finance or accounting.
• Experience in capital and renovation projects, and higher education is strongly preferred.
• Management experience is highly desired.
• Strong computer skills specifically in Microsoft Office, Oracle, and eBuilder is highly desired.
• Strong interpersonal skills including the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community is highly desired.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail is highly desired.
• Ability to perform complex tasks and to prioritize multiple projects.
• Ability to make administrative/procedural decisions and judgments.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in written format.