Finance Specialist – Accountant

Summary

Stanford University School of Medicine's Office of Technology Licensing manages the university's intellectual property assets and technology transfer activities. The Finance Specialist – Accountant performs moderately complex accounting activities related to licensing income, including reconciliations, financial reporting, transactions, and issue resolution.

Responsibilities

• Review, process, gather, and compile accounting transactions and documents for completeness, accuracy, and compliance. Contribute to development of analyses to be used for key activities or decision making
• Identify, prioritize, and resolve accounting issues; probe beyond stated situation; identify underlying issues; recognize exceptions; perform preliminary analysis
• Run, maintain, reconcile, review, combine, analyze and validate financial data sets, utilizing financial reports, financial databases, and key financial information often from multiple systems. Assist in the preparation of basic management information reports
• Identify and resolve incorrect journal entries, data anomalies, deviations from established procedures, and unusual issues
• Collect data and perform research on details of transactions. Ensure work complies with complex internal policies and external regulations which may require interpretation
• Participate as a member of a project team and contribute to change management strategy through communication and collaboration with others
• Recommend, assist, test, or implement process streamlining, system improvements or work flow changes
• Contribute to development and maintenance of desktop procedures and process documentation for area of responsibility
• Serve as a liaison to other departments to resolve accounting-related issues
• May train, coach, and review the work of other staff, as needed. Contribute primarily through applying individual expertise

Skills

• Understanding of accounting principles, financial statements, and relevant regulations
• The ability to analyze financial data and trends is crucial for identifying areas of improvement, making informed financial decisions, and ensuring accurate financial reporting
• A high level of attention to detail is necessary to avoid errors in financial statements and reports. This includes a thorough review of transactions and documentation
• Proficiency in accounting software and financial management tools is important
• Ability to learn and adjust to new software preferred
• Effective communication skills, both written and verbal, smooth interacting with team members, presenting financial information to non-finance stakeholders, and ensuring clear and transparent communication within the organization
• Comfort with Non-Accounting Finance Admin Tasks: In addition to traditional accounting duties, a finance specialist should be comfortable and adept at handling non-accounting finance administrative tasks
• Associate degree plus two years of applicable experience, or combination of education and relevant work experience
• Proficiency in basic business applications, such as Microsoft Office; user knowledge of Excel
• Basic knowledge of accounting systems and the internet; computer literacy
• Understanding of and ability to apply accounting skills and concepts
• Ability to draft professional e-mails, memos, business letters, and reports, and to clearly and effectively communicate information to internal audiences and client groups
• Ability to learn project management skills and to participate as part of a project team
• Ability to learn and adjust to new software preferred

Qualifications

Must Haves

• Understanding of accounting principles, financial statements, and relevant regulations
• The ability to analyze financial data and trends is crucial for identifying areas of improvement, making informed financial decisions, and ensuring accurate financial reporting
• A high level of attention to detail is necessary to avoid errors in financial statements and reports. This includes a thorough review of transactions and documentation
• Proficiency in accounting software and financial management tools is important
• Ability to learn and adjust to new software preferred
• Effective communication skills, both written and verbal, smooth interacting with team members, presenting financial information to non-finance stakeholders, and ensuring clear and transparent communication within the organization
• Comfort with Non-Accounting Finance Admin Tasks: In addition to traditional accounting duties, a finance specialist should be comfortable and adept at handling non-accounting finance administrative tasks
• Associate degree plus two years of applicable experience, or combination of education and relevant work experience
• Proficiency in basic business applications, such as Microsoft Office; user knowledge of Excel
• Basic knowledge of accounting systems and the internet; computer literacy
• Understanding of and ability to apply accounting skills and concepts
• Ability to draft professional e-mails, memos, business letters, and reports, and to clearly and effectively communicate information to internal audiences and client groups
• Ability to learn project management skills and to participate as part of a project team

Nice to Haves

• Ability to learn and adjust to new software preferred

Benefits

• 100% remote work arrangement
• 100% FTE, benefits-eligible position