Sr. Department Systems Specialist

Job Overview

The Senior Systems Specialist for Corporate Card/Expense Report Compliance Team is the functional lead and subject matter expert for Darden various Corporate Card programs and our Travel & Reimbursement policy, ensuring compliance with GAAP, established procedures, departmental guidelines, and regulatory requirements. This includes coordinating the activities of the team, issuance of T&E cards, Purchasing Cards, Meeting Cards and various other specialty cards. This person is required to identify issues and viable solutions to points of friction within the various third-party software platforms we use, including working with IT and Systems teams to lead testing and issue resolution. They are also responsible for monitoring and assisting the Associate Manager in growing Darden’s virtual card programs.

Roles And Responsibilities

• Mitigate Risk by ensuring compliance and performance to all corporate card and expense policies through close oversight and risk-based audits
• Monitor controls and compliance by ensuring risks and controls are maintained and mitigated.
• Communicate and escalate issues of non-compliance or concern to management.
• Maintain and increase the level of internal control for all processing.
• Educate employees on proper use of cards and supporting software to ensure policy requirements are met.
• Support management in potential changes in corporate cards and supporting software.
• Serve as lead functional representative over team members and contractors for all aspects of Corporate Cards and Reimbursements with strong working knowledge of all software solutions in use, including but not limited to iExpense, Oracle, Coupa, Apex Portal, ESP, AmEx@work, Synaptic, Amex GBT and Conferma. This may include the following:
• Issue, cancel, control and monitor corporate cards.
• Processing and reconciliation of various corporate cards, using AmEx reconciliation tool, Truist app and robotic process automations.
• Monitor personnel changes such as terminations, department changes, and name changes to ensure cards are cancelled or updated as needed.
• Ensure team is timely processing and auditing expense reports assuring compliance with the Corporate Travel & Expense Policy.
• Maintain effective communications and interactions among all areas of the Accounts Payable staff, management, other corporate departments and field personnel.
• Identification of potential issues and recommendations for resolution. Serve as main point of contact for issues in the Expense Report area.
• Assist Supervisor with projects and implementation of process improvements to enhance productivity and effectiveness of team.
• Perform spend analysis and risk-based audits on various corporate card accounts and Competitive Dine program.
• Monitor, reconcile and lead expansion of Darden’s virtual card programs.
• Monitoring and responding to dept mailboxes and phone queue.
• Various month end responsibilities including accruals and GL reconciliations.
• Quarterly preparation of reports for future travel invoices for Corporate Reporting.
• Assist Supervisor in analyzing rebates and airfare surcharges.
• Partnering with Payroll and Tax to reconcile employee relocations and advances.
  
  

Required Technical Skills

• Minimum 3 years of related accounting and compliance experience required.
• Strong experience in Microsoft Excel is required, including Pivot Tables and VLOOKUP.
  
  

Other Key Qualifications

• Proven leadership ability and capable of working well with others to promote a positive team attitude.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Self-starter with a strong sense of urgency, and ability to prioritize, organize and complete work with minimal supervision and proven ability to work well under pressure.
• Attention to detail with strong analytical skills & follow-through.
• Demonstrated data management skills and reporting experience.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to effectively resolve issues.
• Intellectually curious & strong minded about controls.
  
  

Preferred Skills And Experience

• Bachelors or Master’s degree with preference for Business, Accounting, or Finance.
• Experience with a Corporate Card program and Expense Report processing, including a strong understanding of AP internal controls and processing.
• Oracle administration experience preferred or similar expense management experience.