Business Specialist, Office of the Dean Gies Financial Management Partners

Business Specialist, Office of the Dean Gies Financial Management Partners

The Business Specialist provides comprehensive support for procurement, payment operations, and university card processing within Gies College of Business integrated units. This role manages purchasing and contract requests, vendor invoices, reimbursements, and honorariums, ensuring compliance with university policies and timely execution of transactions. The Specialist also serves as a cardholder and delegate for P-Card and T-Card processes, reconciling expenses and resolving transaction issues in collaboration with system offices. In addition, the position supports training for faculty and staff on business and financial procedures, advises units on university policies, and contributes to the development of streamlined workflows that improve operational efficiency across the college.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Procurement & Payment Operations - Manage, process and execute purchase and contract requests in iBuy of supplies and services for an upwards of 10 Gies integrated units - Review vendor invoices to ensure completeness and accuracy of item descriptions, quantity, and prices. Including submitting invoices via email on vendors' behalf - Initiate special payment requests and deposits when appropriate - Consult with University Payables, Purchasing, Contract Management and other system units to resolve problems with purchase orders, invoices, contracts, and accounts payable, following up as needed to ensure purchasing requests and payments are processed successfully and timely - Draft procurement correspondence for review and approval (small purchase waiver, rush letters, non -conforming letters) - Process purchase order change order requests in accordance with University policy - Register and update vendor information through appropriate vendor maintenance channels, ensuring prompt communication with vendor and unit upon execution and completion - Deposit receivable and reimbursements with the bursar, filling out all necessary forms and checking for accuracy
• Card Holder / Emburse Enterprise Processing Operations - Act as delegate for Gies card holders (P-Card / T-Card), prepare expense reports, reconcile card charges for card holders according to university policy, procedures and deadlines. - Serve as a Gies card holder (P-Card / T-card), filling out appropriate forms for card exceptions and services when applicable, reconciling within university deadlines - Process capacity funding payments to awarded student entrepreneurial businesses on campus - Process cash advances, external stipends, UPS invoices, invoices, and non-employee reimbursements in accordance with UIUC policy and procedures - Oversee remission of payments to outside organizations or guests, via sponsorship payments or honorariums respectively - Collaborate with GFMP and integrated units, to ship and receive equipment to staff and gifts to donors via CampusShip - Consult with Card Services, University Payables & Purchasing to resolve problems with P-Card / T-Card transactions and follow up as needed to ensure requests and payments are processed successfully and timely
• Training Operations - Help develop staff by providing training on college / departmental and campus business policies and procedures, including procedures for purchasing, submitting expense reimbursements, card reconciliation, contract submissions, business travel and other related activities. - Act as technical and administrative resource to integrated and non-integrated units at Gies regarding procurement inquiries, expense reports, travel and other university policies when appropriate - Oversee the development and implementation of long term operational policies workflows and procedures for the centralization of business functions of the college. Including internal procurement policies as well as external policies and functions.

Physical Demands

Additional Physical Demands

Lift and maneuver incoming products up to 50lbs

Specialty Factors

Bachelor's degree in business administration, management, or a field related to the position. Two (2) years of professional business, financial, and / or managerial work experience Demonstrated experience with the University's financial systems (ex. Banner, iBuy, Emburse Enterprise and Eddie) and financial policies related to procurement, payments and / or card systems. Experience developing, implementing, and / or maintaining new policies, workflows, and / or procedures

Preferred Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Accountancy, Business, Finance, or related field.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Appointment Information

This is a 100% full-time Civil Service 5010 - Business / Administrative Associate position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after 10 / 26 / 2025. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also considering internal equity. The budgeted salary range for the position is $55,000-$65,000.

Sponsorship for work authorization is not available for this position. For more information on Civil Service classifications, please visit the SUCSS web site.