What are the responsibilities and job description for the Financial Specialist III position at Texas A&M AgriLife?
Job Title
Financial Specialist III
Agency
Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service
Department
Disaster Resilience & Recovery
Proposed Minimum Salary
Commensurate
Job Location
Houston, Texas
Job Type
Staff
Job Description
Working for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Disaster Assessment and Recovery
WHAT WE DO:
The CHARM team at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s Disaster Assessment and Recovery (DAR) Unit provides education, outreach, and planning support for communities around the state of Texas, focusing on approaches that foster collaboration and holistic solutions to reduce risks from floods and other hazards. Leveraging data-driven methodologies and innovative tools, such as
CHARM
and CommunityViz
, our award-winning GIS-based scenario planning software, we facilitate collaborative sessions with community staff and elected officials working together to build a resilient and sustainable future.
Operating within the largest university-based extension program nationwide, the CHARM team is uniquely positioned to deliver highly impactful community planning tools and services. We cultivate strong partnerships with sister state agencies and federal entities, and aim to share our knowledge, expertise, and tools to communities in need of sustainable planning practices.
Position Information
ROLE SUMMARY:
The Financial Specialist III provides essential financial support to project leadership by ensuring accuracy in financial records, reliable cost forecasting, and regulatory compliance. This position reconciles expenditures, tracks project costs, and prepares financial reports that guide leadership decisions and sponsor communications. The role requires strong attention to detail, a solid understanding of financial tracking systems, and the ability to collaborate effectively with project managers, vendors, and finance offices to maintain transparent, audit-ready financial records.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Transaction Entry & Reconciliation
- Retrieves, records, verifies, and reconciles financial transactions to assist the project management team.
- Researches and resolves discrepancies for expenses, encumbrances, program income, and invoices.
- Maintains accurate, auditable records of project financial activity.
- Reconciles vendor and subaward invoices against contracts and budgets; maintains support documentation.
- Flags invoice discrepancies or compliance issues for leadership review.
Budget & Cost Tracking
- Tracks expenditures against project budgets at the scope task and contract levels.
- Monitors burn rates and prepares monthly summaries.
- Provides updated cost and budget data to support project leadership decision-making.
Reporting & Compliance Support
- Updates financial tables, charts, and cost summaries for leadership and project sponsors;
- Manages library of cost tracking records and past reports for consistency and reference.
- Tracks and implements financial action items and follow-up tasks.
- Assists project leadership in assembling financial sections of project management plans and project budget gates.
- Ensures adherence of costs to university and federal regulations (e.g., 2 CFR 200) to transactions and reporting.
- Maintains compliance documentation and audit-ready records.
- Tracks financial budget gates for sponsor reporting and compliance deliverables.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE (REQUIRED)
- High School diploma or equivalent combination of education and experience
- Six years of related experience
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE (PREFERRED)
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (REQUIRED)
- Knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets, and databases.
- Ability to multitask and work cooperatively with others.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (PREFERRED)
- Skill in reconciling transactions, invoices, and budgets; ability to identify and resolve discrepancies.
- Familiarity with federal grant regulations and institutional financial policies.
- Prepare and maintain spreadsheets to track expenditures, burn rates, and cost summaries for use by leadership and sponsors.
- Ability to communicate effectively with finance offices, vendors, and project staff; skilled in formatting financial data for sponsored project reports.
- Ability to manage multiple deadlines, track financial action items, and maintain consistency across recurring reports.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
- May require extended bending, reaching, stooping, kneeling, squatting, and sitting.
- May require lifting workshop and outreach equipment, up to 30 pounds.
- May require extended communication with visitors and employees in person, telephonically or electronically.
- May require infrequent travel in State vehicles with overnight stays.
- May require operating computers with high-definition screens for extended periods of time.
Applicant Information
THIS IS A GRANT FUNDED POSITION.
All applicants should submit a cover letter and resume with their application.
All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.
Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.