Job Description

Date Posted: 11/28/2023
Req ID: 35114
Faculty/Division: Faculty of Arts & Science
Department: Dept of Geography
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)
Position Number: 00055834

Description:

About us:

Founded in 1935, the University of Toronto\'s Department of Geography is one of the oldest and largest geography departments in North America. The graduate program in Planning joined the department in 1982 and we are now known as the Department of Geography & Planning. Our community of geographers and planners, of scholars and practitioners, works with passion and a sense of responsibility in our research and teaching to better understand peoples and their natural and social environments, and to support communities in envisioning more just and sustainable futures. We prioritize the importance of academic freedom and the ability of our faculty and students to engage with complex and controversial issues, as described in the University of Toronto\'s Statement on Freedom of Speech.

Undergraduate Geography programs are available at each of the three geography departments located across the University of Toronto\'s three campuses: The Department of Geography & Planning at the St. George Campus; The Department of Geography, Geomatics and Environment at the Mississauga campus (UTM), and The Department of Human Geography at the Scarborough Campus (UTSC). This website provides an overview of the St. George campus undergraduate Geography programs and the tri-campus graduate programs in Geography & Planning. Faculty from all three of the tri-campus geography departments, and colleagues from several other units, work together to provide the vision for and the delivery of our tri-campus graduate programs in geography and planning.

Your opportunity:

Reporting to the Department Business Officer, as the Financial Assistant you will process financial transactions for research grants in alignment with generally accepted accounting principles, the University\'s financial and purchasing guidelines, as well as funding policies. You will bring a strong understanding of financial administration, accuracy, and a high degree of professionalism and customer service to facilitate the achievement of these activities.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Monitoring, recording, reconciling and reporting on funding accounts for multiple research grants
• Processing accounts payable and accounts receivable according to the University Guide to Financial Management, processing expense reimbursements and journal entries, identifying and resolving financial discrepancies
• Liaising with agencies, collaborators, industry sponsors, faculty, and other stakeholders regarding funding
• Verifying research funding proposals are complete, accurate and adhere to University guidelines and procedures, and verifying that research accounts are processed according to sponsor and/or granting agency guidelines
• Keeping Business Officer and Principal Investigator(s) up-to-date on financials, and of any concerns or setbacks
• Tracking grant end dates, and notifying faculty of upcoming dates and timelines of spending in alignment with grant expiry
• Acting as the first point of contact for payroll related enquiries, and processing payroll, stipends, and honoraria
• Responding to enquiries within the defined scope of the role and redirecting as appropriate

Essential Qualifications:

• Advanced College Diploma (3 years) in a relevant field (e.g. accounting, finance) or acceptable combination of equivalent experience.
• Minimum three (3) years relevant experience processing payroll and recording financial transactions (including accounts payable, accounts receivable, journal entries, expense reimbursements and invoicing) using a computerized information system
• Experience applying and interpreting financial guidelines and policies to a variety of financial transactions
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of basic accounting principles
• Ability to prioritize competing demands in order to meet strict deadlines with accuracy and a strong attention to detail
• Customer service-orientation and demonstrated strong interpersonal skills, along with ability to work well in a team environment
• Demonstrated ability to exercise tact, good judgment and diplomacy in interacting with staff, faculty and students
• Prior experience working with SAP application system including HRIS, FIS, RIS or equivalent systems
• Strong ability to be pro-active and to work with a variety of contacts
• Demonstrated ability to apply and interpret financial guidelines and policies to a variety of financial transactions
• Ability to exercise good judgment
• Excellent interpersonal skills along with ability to work well in a team environment

Assets (Nonessential):

• Experience interpreting and adhering with granting agencies\' funding guidelines and policies.
• Knowledge of the University\'s Guide to Financial Management

To be successful in this role you will be:

• Communicator
• Meticulous
• Organized
• Proactive
• Procedural
• Team player

Closing Date: 12/06/2023, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: USW
Appointment Type: Budget - Continuing
Schedule: Full-Time
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone:
USW Pay Band 09 -- $65,407 with an annual step progression to a maximum of $83,646. Pay scale and job class assignment is subject to determination pursuant to the Job Evaluation/Pay Equity Maintenance Protocol.
Job Category: Finance/Budget/Planning/Audit

Lived Experience Statement
Candidates who are members of Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, persons with disabilities, and other equity deserving groups are encouraged to apply, and their lived experience shall be taken into consideration as applicable to the posted position.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Diversity Statement

The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission.

As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see .

Accessibility Statement

The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission.

The University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants with disabilities.

If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact .

University of Toronto