What are the responsibilities and job description for the Associate Administrative Officer position at Vanderbilt University?
Job Description
The Associate Administrative Officer is a key member of the College of Connected Computing (CCC) at Vanderbilt University, responsible for managing and executing financial unit management (FUM) and human capital management (HCM) operations. Reporting to the Senior Associate Business Officer, this role ensures the accuracy, compliance, and efficiency of financial and HR processes across the College.
This position serves as an operational partner to leadership, faculty, and staff, supporting day-to-day financial and personnel transactions while maintaining alignment with university policies and procedures. The role requires strong judgment, attention to detail, and the ability to manage complex administrative processes in a dynamic and rapidly evolving environment.
The College of Connected Computing is Vanderbilt’s first new college in 40 years and is in the early stages of building its academic and administrative structure. The College advances interdisciplinary research and expands computing education through a “computing for all” approach.
As CCC grows, the Business Office plays a critical role in supporting financial operations, workforce management, and administrative infrastructure. This position is essential to ensuring accurate, compliant, and efficient execution of financial and HR processes across the College.
Duties and Responsibilities
Financial Unit Management (FUM)
- Review and approve financial transactions in Oracle, including procurement requisitions, travel and expense reports, procurement card activity, and intercompany transactions
- Maintain strong working knowledge of Vanderbilt’s Oracle financial system, including chart of accounts and Project Portfolio Management (PPM) structures
- Interpret and apply university expense and procurement policies; establish and communicate departmental processes in response to policy updates
- Partner with the Senior Associate Business Officer to evaluate expenditures and ensure appropriate use of funds
- Ensure accuracy, completeness, and compliance of all financial transactions prior to approval
- Participate in university-wide FUM meetings, trainings, and roundtable discussions to remain current on policies and best practices
Department Budget and Financial Support
- Partner with the Senior Associate Business Officer to monitor and maintain the College’s annual budget
- Provide support and guidance to faculty and staff on financial tools, expense processes, and compliance requirements
- Assist in identifying and resolving financial discrepancies or issues as they arise
Human Capital Management (HCM)
- Partner with the Director of People Operations to coordinate and execute Oracle HCM transactions across the employee lifecycle, including hires, rehires, job changes, transfers, and terminations for students, faculty, and staff
- Initiate and manage transactions within Oracle HCM, ensuring data accuracy and adherence to established approval workflows
- Monitor transaction status, proactively track approvals, and resolve errors or rejections to ensure timely completion
- Serve as a key point of contact for departments, providing guidance on transaction entry, required documentation, and process timelines
- Troubleshoot Oracle HCM issues in collaboration with HRIS and central HR teams to resolve discrepancies
- Run and interpret Oracle HCM reports to support operational decision-making and leadership requests
- Collaborate with Payroll, Benefits, and Finance teams to ensure accurate downstream processing of HCM transactions
- Identify opportunities to improve HCM workflows and support continuous process improvement initiatives
Grant and Research Administration Support
- Support CCC Grants Managers with departmental grant administration activities
- Prepare and provide financial reports to Principal Investigators, as needed
- Assist in ensuring compliance with grant-related financial policies and procedures
Operational Support and Continuous Improvement
- Contribute to the development and refinement of financial and HR processes to improve efficiency and consistency
- Maintain documentation of processes, procedures, and best practices
- Support special projects and additional duties as assigned
Supervisory Relationships
This position does not currently have supervisory responsibility. The role reports administratively and functionally to the Senior Associate Business Officer, with a dotted-line relationship to the Director of People Operations.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
- 4 years of relevant experience with 2 in financial operations or human resources, and administrative management
- Experience working with Oracle financial and/or HCM systems
- Knowledge of university financial, HR, and/or grant policies and procedures
- Experience in higher education or a similarly complex organizational environment
- Strong attention to detail and ability to manage complex processes with accuracy
- Ability to prioritize multiple tasks and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Ability to exercise sound judgment in administrative and procedural decision-making