Financial Operations Analyst
University of Chicago
Summary
We are seeking a Financial Operations Analyst to join the Globus business operations team. The financial operations that sustain Globus's mission sit at the heart of this role — from the full cycle of accounts receivable, invoicing, collections, and cash receipting, to deferred revenue management, variance reporting, and financial statement preparation for senior leadership.
Job description
Responsibilities
- Manage the end-to-end accounts receivable process in collaboration with the central AR team and Sales Operations team, including recording deposits in Oracle, monitoring University funds for misdirected payments, investigating discrepancies, and supporting improvements to the accuracy and efficiency of the function.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for customer-facing payment communications, handling inquiries and collections correspondence with professionalism and clarity.
- Monitor AR and deferred revenue subledgers and perform regular reconciliations and error corrections.
- Perform monthly bank account reconciliations across accounting, revenue, and bank records, and conduct daily general ledger downloads and reconciliations to maintain the integrity of receivable balances.
- Assist with tracking state sales tax obligations arising from Globus subscription activity, and support state filings on schedule; work with the customer team on KYC processes to collect required tax documentation (e.g., exemption certificates, entity information).
- Assist with budget management and monthly forecasting using the department's budgeting and planning system (UCPLAN); contribute to variance analyses.
- Support preparation of financial statements and ad hoc analyses for senior leadership.
- Monitor the general ledger for spending activity and budget-to-actual variances; proactively submit journal entries and cost corrections as needed to maintain accuracy and ensure expenses are recorded to the correct accounts.
- Support procurement activities across the department including submitting operational and high-value procurement requests in Oracle; assist staff with transactions in Oracle, Concur, and Workday.
- Support special projects spanning procurement, financial analysis, budgeting, and other areas as directed.
- Perform a variety of operating or cost accounting activities which require moderate knowledge of accounting theories and principles.
- Interpret accounting records for the purpose of determining gains and losses, receipts and disbursements, and inventory.
- Perform other related work as needed.
Minimum Qualifications
- Education: Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
- Work Experience: Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
Preferred Qualifications
- 2–4 years of experience in financial operations, accounting, or a related role, preferably in a higher education, nonprofit, research, or SaaS environment.
- Experience with accounts receivable, general ledger maintenance, and month-end close processes.
- Experience working within a large ERP system (Oracle FST, Workday, or SAP strongly preferred).
- Experience supporting research finance for federal and non-federal grant funds.
- Experience supporting budget preparation and variance analysis.
- Experience in a small team or unit finance role contributing to multiple functions often with competing priorities and deadlines (AR, procurement, reporting).
- Proficiency in Oracle Financial Systems strongly preferred; experience with Concur and Workday is a plus.
- Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, data validation); experience with financial reporting tools or BI tools (Power BI, Tableau, or similar) a plus.
- Familiarity with GAAP and general accounting principles.
- Experience with or interest in data visualization and financial dashboard development.
- Familiarity with principles of post-award financial management.
Preferred Competencies
- Strong analytical and problem solving skills.
- Excellent organizational skills and constant attention to detail.
- Ability to work discreetly with sensitive and confidential data.
- Ability to manage competing priorities and meet recurring deadlines in a high-volume transactional environment.
- Effective written and verbal communication skills, including ability to present financial information clearly to non-financial colleagues.
- Proactive problem-solving orientation; comfort identifying errors and discrepancies and pursuing resolution independently.
- Collaborative working style with ability to partner across functions (engineering, sales, research administration) and across institutions.
- Comfort operating in ambiguity and a growth-oriented, evolving environment.
Working Conditions
This job is a remote position with occasional attendance at in-person meetings required.
Requirements
- College or university degree in related field
- 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline
- 2–4 years of experience in financial operations, accounting, or a related role
- Experience with accounts receivable, general ledger maintenance, and month-end close processes
- Experience working within a large ERP system (Oracle FST, Workday, or SAP strongly preferred)
- Experience supporting research finance for federal and non-federal grant funds
- Experience supporting budget preparation and variance analysis
- Experience in a small team or unit finance role contributing to multiple functions often with competing priorities and deadlines (AR, procurement, reporting)
- Proficiency in Oracle Financial Systems strongly preferred
- Experience with Concur and Workday is a plus
- Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, data validation)
- Experience with financial reporting tools or BI tools (Power BI, Tableau, or similar) a plus
- Familiarity with GAAP and general accounting principles
- Experience with or interest in data visualization and financial dashboard development
- Familiarity with principles of post-award financial management
- Strong analytical and problem solving skills
- Excellent organizational skills and constant attention to detail
- Ability to work discreetly with sensitive and confidential data
- Ability to manage competing priorities and meet recurring deadlines in a high-volume transactional environment
- Effective written and verbal communication skills
- Proactive problem-solving orientation
- Collaborative working style
- Comfort operating in ambiguity and a growth-oriented, evolving environment
Benefits
- Health Benefits
- Retirement Benefits
- Paid Time Off
Company overview
The University of Chicago is a world-renowned private research university founded in 1890 and located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. As a premier academic institution, it operates one of the most comprehensive biomedical research enterprises in the United States through its Biological Sciences Division, which includes over 1,100 faculty members across 10 basic science and 14 clinical departments. The university manages extensive research infrastructure including the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center, multiple specialized research institutes, and maintains affiliations with Argonne National Laboratory and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. With research funding exceeding $450 million annually and more than 3,300 patents filed since 1987, the institution is a global leader in scientific discovery and innovation. The Biological Sciences Division alone supports over 500 research-active faculty who secure an average of $588,000 in NIH funding per principal investigator, focusing on areas including cancer biology, immunology, microbiology, molecular metabolism, neuroscience, and evolutionary biology. The university's commitment to interdisciplinary research and its unique position as manager of national laboratories creates unparalleled opportunities for translational research and scientific advancement.