Financial Specialist II

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Job Category:

University Staff

Employment Type:

Regular

Job Profile:

Financial Specialist II

Job Summary:

Become the Financial Wizard of the Department of Psychiatry! Are you a numbers whisperer who loves turning messy data into financial harmony? We are looking for a dynamic Financial Specialist to become the transactional powerhouse behind our team. Working alongside our Associate Department Administrator, you’ll take full ownership of our day-to-day financial engine. You won't just track data—you’ll be the ultimate guardian of financial integrity, executing flawless record-keeping, ensuring airtight internal controls, and masterfully managing transactional accounting across multiple funding streams.

But your superpowers don't stop at the ledger! You will also be our resident logistics champion, steering the department through the wild waters of UW-Madison purchasing and travel regulations. Armed with your extensive knowledge, you'll save the day by translating complex compliance rules into seamless buying and travel experiences for our team. If you’re ready to combine your love for airtight spreadsheets with a mission that truly matters, jump on board—we've got some transactions to master!

Additional Information:

• This position is full or part-time, 60%-100%

• This position may require some work to be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location. Some work may be performed remotely, at an offsite, non-campus work location.

• The work schedule is flexible and will be determined at the time of hire.

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Audits or processes advanced transactions and assigns funding codes in accordance with established rules, regulations, and policies

• Reallocates expenses to appropriate funding strings

• Drafts communications and advanced reports and maintains organization of varied records to provide administrative support within a specified work unit

• Audits, monitors, organizes, and updates fiscal records, reports, and affiliated materials

• Answers advanced fiscal questions and provides information based on set materials and standards to various audiences

• Audits or reconciles original purchase documents with payments

• Reviews transaction processing internal controls and recommends policies and procedures

• Creates general reporting for transactions

Department:

School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Psychiatry, Administration

The Department of Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is committed to basic and clinical research that furthers the understanding and development of new treatments for patients with mental illness, training the next generation of leaders, and providing excellent patient care to a broad range of patients.

Compensation:

The minimum starting hourly wage for the position is $22.31 per hour; negotiable based on experience and qualifications.

Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and sick leave; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. For more information, refer to the campus benefits webpage and SMPH University Staff Benefits Flyer 2026 .

Required Qualifications:

• More than three years of related experience.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, and Outlook.

• Knowledge regarding a variety (federal, state, university, granting agency, etc.) fiscal policies and procedures.

• Ability to analyze accounting data and advise others on the appropriate action to take as result of the analysis.

• Excellent organizational, interpersonal and communication skills.

• Ability to work independently with attention to detail.

• Ability to work under deadline pressure, using computing resources effectively.

• Comfortable interacting with a varied clientele and customer group.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge and understanding of University, school and internal departmental operating procedures.

• Proficient in gathering and interpreting information found in UW-Madison and other web-based data sources.

• Experience with WORKDAY ERP.

• Ability to effectively produce financial reports for the department.

• Application of established accounting principles and interpretation of a wide range of agency, state, federal, and donor rules and regulations in the maintenance, reconciliation and analysis of accounts.

Education:

• High School Diploma preferred

How to Apply:

For the best experience completing your application, we recommend using Chrome or Firefox as your web browser.

To apply for this position, select either “I am a current employee” or “I am not a current employee” under Apply Now. You will then be prompted to upload your application materials.

Important: The application has only one attachment field. Upload the following documents in that field, either as a single combined file or as multiple files in the same upload area.

• Cover letter required
• Resume required

Your cover letter should address how your training and experience aligns with the required and preferred qualifications listed above. Application reviewers will rely on these written materials to determine which applicants move forward in the process. References will be requested from final candidates. All applicants will be notified once the search concludes and a candidate is selected.

Contact Information:

KaBao Chang, kchang52@wisc.edu, 608-263-6062

Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.

The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.