Financial Coordinator – Academic Finance Support

Job Description

Financial Coordinator | Northwestern University

The Tone:
This is a full-time role at Northwestern University, located in Evanston, IL. Northwestern is a leading research university dedicated to education, discovery, and innovation. This role is crucial for supporting the core financial operations of the McCormick School of Engineering’s Dean’s office, ensuring accurate financial management and contributing to effective resource allocation. The position plays a key part in maintaining fiscal health and supporting strategic financial planning across various administrative functions.

The TL;DR
• Role: Early Career
• Type: Full-time
• Location: In-person, Evanston, IL
• Pay: $51346–$62500 yearly
• Team: McCormick School of Engineering’s Dean’s office of Administration, Finance, Facilities and Planning (AFF&P), reporting to the Director and Senior Director of Finance.
• Mission: Owns the execution of core accounting, budget, and financial analysis functions to ensure smooth financial operations for the Dean’s Offices.
• Tech Stack: NU Financials, Cognos, Business Intelligence models

What You’ll Actually Do
• Financial Operations: Support all basic accounting, budget, and forecast functions for Dean’s Offices, including NU Financials purchasing approvals, Cognos reporting, and chart of accounts maintenance.
• Student Funding Coordination: Coordinate the deployment of Ph.D. student funding with the Office of Graduate Studies and Research (GSR), serving as the area expert for this funding.
• Reporting & Analysis: Update the Finance team’s monthly and quarterly reports and Business Intelligence models, preparing data for regular and ad-hoc analyses.
• Transaction Management: Provide review and oversight of financial transactions, including Corporate Card management, FFRA forms, Exception Forms, and 90-day memos, while ensuring compliance.
• Stakeholder Liaison: Serve as the primary point of contact with Alumni Relations and Development (ARD) and interpret financial policy for internal units.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor’s or higher degree in accounting, business administration, finance, or a related field; OR an appropriate combination of education and experience.
• Experience: 1 year of experience in financial, budgeting, or preparing account reconciliations or financial statements, along with financial analysis or other relevant experience.
• Skills: Excellent computer skills including proficiency in spreadsheet, database, and word processing software; familiarity with financial reporting; excellent attention to detail, consistency, and analytical thinking.
• Bonus: Motivated, proactive, organized, demonstrates good follow-through, and eagerness to take ownership.