Operations Director, Payment and Data Analytics

Department

Booth Accounting: Procurement and Accounts Payable

About the Department

The University of Chicago Booth School of Business is the second-oldest business school in the U.S. and second to none when it comes to influencing business education and business practices. Since 1898, the school has produced ideas and leaders that shape the world of business. Their rigorous, discipline-based approach to business education transforms students into confident, effective, respected business leaders prepared to face the toughest challenges.

Chicago Booth has the finest set of facilities of any business school in the world. Each of the four campuses (two in Chicago, one in London, and one in Hong Kong) reflects the architectural traditions of its environs while offering a state-of-the-art learning environment.

Chicago Booth is proud to claim:
-an unmatched faculty.
-degree and open enrollment programs offered on three continents.
-a global body of nearly 56,000 accomplished alumni.
-strong and growing corporate relationships that provide a wealth of lifelong career opportunities.

As part of the world-renowned University of Chicago, Chicago Booth shares the University's core values that shape the distinctive intellectual culture. At Booth, they constantly question and test ideas, and seek proof. This extraordinarily effective approach to business leads to new ideas and innovative solutions. Seven of the Booth faculty members have won Nobel Prizes for these ideas - the first business school to achieve this accomplishment.

For more information about the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, please visit: http://www.chicagobooth.edu/.

Job Summary

Direct and deliver end-to-end payment processes by managing activities required to ensure an accurate accounts payable system for thirty (33) departments in Chicago booth, totaling about $70 million dollars annually. Develop and recommend policies and procedures to govern the payment to the advantage of Chicago Booth in terms of cash flow and discounts. Develop and implement a detailed roadmap of payment operations initiatives to reduce friction, increase revenue and lower costs. Plan, schedule and direct the work of the accounts payable unit of Accounting and Budget. Responsible for the FST rollout for Booth Divisional as it relates to financial operations while also closing FY25 and transitioning to FY26. The critical path included a pre- and post- go live program that provided access and support to Booth departments via updating 33 departments with essential transition updates, FST Oracle office hour program, and pre-go live information session to prepare units to be able to best navigate the uncertainty of the rollout.

Develop new financial approval programs to ensure the integrity of the Booth CFO office remains intact. Develop technical Oracle/Orbit solutions pipeline with the University technical team to address both operational and reporting deficiencies as an advocate for Booth departments. Design User Interface Retrofit Capabilities and Escalation Protocol Solution. Responsible for converting FAS COFA to Oracle COA. Create strategies that build and optimize structured and unstructured data environments for use in a range of business and operation programs. By utilizing data analytics modeling develop metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that are relevant and will help monitor change and progress and drive resource planning and utilization.

Responsibilities

• Develops, implements, and maintains systems, procedures and policies, including accounts payable functions to ensure adherence to Financial and Audit guidelines.
• Responsible for the FST rollout for Booth Divisional as it relates to financial operations, while also closing FY25 and transitioning to FY26.  The critical path included a pre- and post- go live program that provided access and support to Booth departments via updating 33 departments with essential transition updates, FST Oracle office hour program, and pre-go live information session to prepare units to be able to best navigate the uncertainty of the rollout.
• Develops new processes to align with new financial system. Develops new financial approval programs to ensure the integrity of the Booth CFO office remains intact.
• Creates a technical Oracle/Orbit solutions pipeline with the University technical team to address both operational and reporting deficiencies as an advocate for Booth departments.
• Designs user interface retrofit capabilities and executed escalation protocol solution. Develops Booth specific COA conversion from FAs to Oracle.
• Creates and implements changes to work assignments, methods, or procedures to meet operational needs, and improve accuracy and efficiency of the accounts payable system.
• Directs payment operations for 33 Booth departments that include managing accounts payable, vendor relations, and expense management.
• Improves payment operations architecture resiliency to ensure continued operations across unplanned and unexpected events.
• Continuously evaluates internal process controls to identify payment operations weaknesses and any associated risks, as well as making recommendations on how to mitigate those risks.
• Proactively seeks ways to improve current processes and reduce repeat issues by identifying common causes.
• Develops automated reporting and reconciliation solutions across payment systems and platforms.
• Leads efforts to implement payment operations compliance efforts to meet existing and future regulatory rules and reporting requirements.
• Ensures operational risks associated with payment flows are properly managed, and mitigated.
• Plans, organizes, and manages the operations and activities of a centralized accounts payable function. Supervises employees, monitors activities, and satisfies reporting requirements.
• Formulates, recommends and implements changes to department policy or procedure to ensure integrity of the accounts payable system; interprets policy and advises University staff, faculty or students of appropriate changes to policies and procedures. Ensures compliance with federal and state regulations governing payment to vendors including companies or consultants.
• Performs data analytics and KPI reporting. Develops dashboard for monthly and quarterly reporting and meaningful business insights for various expense categories like procurement, contracts, payment and corporate card expenses.
• Extracts data from a variety of sources for use in analysis, testing, and project development.
• Leverages data from a variety of sources to develop data marts and insights that provide a comprehensive understanding of the business.
• Uses statistical and other quantitative modeling techniques to analyze large data sets, identify business opportunities and quantify risks. Supports advanced analytics including prescriptive and predictive analyses.
• Develops virtual team building platform to connect and collaborate both Harper and Gleacher accounting staff monthly. Develops strategies for remote teams to connect and collaborate regularly, present ideas, giving updates and connecting in a collaborative environment that is similar to an in-office setting.
• Develops a virtual client outreach program to connect with our key client departments to create a feedback loop and to make sure that service delivery is achieved at a pre-pandemic level. Every quarter five to six new departments are selected for outreach. This program has achieved greater collaboration and customer satisfaction.
• Develops and delivers virtual training program. Creates interactive content, coordinates with key team members for presentations. Leads content creation in a uniform standard. Identifies and secures technical platform and software, and trains the trainers for a cohesive training delivery so all training looks and feels the same. Manages all aspects of communication, registration and delivery of a suit of training on bi-annual basis. This virtual training program is designed and developed to engage our client base and to deliver relevant information to them timely.
• Develops and delivers virtual Fiscal Closing Program platform so all financial activities and processes are traced, monitored and executed on a single platform and no activities fall through the crack.
• Supervises staff accountant, business administrator, and data analysts.
• Manages managers and professional staff. Establishes performance goals, allocates resources and assesses policies for direct subordinates.
• Develops and implements accounting policies and controls, fiscal controls, preparing financial reports and safeguarding assets. Approves and implements procedures for improved operations.
• Performs 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 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree.
• MBA or Master’s degree preferably in accounting, finance, or business law.

Experience:

• At least six years relevant experience in accounting or, payment operations.
• Information technology experience.

Certifications:

• Accounts payable management.
• Data analytics.
• Paralegal certificate.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Background working with large datasets and reporting or visualization tools, to tell a story using data.
• Familiar with database interface tools, SQL, and programming concepts.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Word, Excel, Access and Outlook.

Preferred Competencies

• Proven management skills, including team development, interpersonal relationships, flexibility, problem-solving, decision-making, coaching and feedback.
• Strong process management, organizational and effective time management skills.
• Passionate about solving problems through data and analytics, and creating data products including data models, analysis, and visualization.
• Strong initiative to take ownership of data-focused projects, get involved in the details of validation and testing, as well as provide a business user perspective to their work
• Influence internal and external teams to resolve exception items and achieve organizational objectives on an expedient basis.
• Excellent oral and written communication.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Excellent analytical, organizational and follow-up skills.
• Communicate at all levels.
• Exercise independent judgment.

Working Conditions

• This position is currently expected to work a minimum three days per week in the office.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Financial Management

Role Impact

People Manager

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

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FLSA Status

Exempt

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Pay Range

$90,000.00 - $130,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

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