Temporary Financial Assistant

Department: Temp Center
Salary/Grade: TMP/01

Position: Temporary Financial Assistant

Hours: This is a full- time position (37.5 hours)

Pay: $24.00
Campus: Evanston
Approximate start date:10/19/2026
Approximate end date: 4/30/2027

Northwestern University is seeking a temporary Financial Assistant

Temporary Job Description:

Provides timely, accurate financial transaction and accounting support for NITMB. Prepares and enters purchasing, payment, reimbursement, payroll-funding, and accounting-correction transactions; verifies required documentation and account coding; monitors requests through completion; and resolves routine processing issues.Supports monthly reconciliations, financial reporting, sponsored-project administration, audit documentation, and fiscal close activities. Works closely with the Business Administrator and Senior Research Administrator, escalating approval, allowability, compliance, and policy questions in accordance with established University procedures and financial controls.

Specific Responsibilities:

Transactions:

• Completes & maintains transactions in enterprise systems.

• Provides review and oversight of all types of financial transactions some of which may be complex in regard to size or duration of account.

• Reviews; ensures approval based on alternatives regarding practice & policy.

• Troubleshoots problems.

• Performs vendor/account research as needed.

• Obtains additional information from or provides instruction & guidance for customers/vendors; corrects or escalates.

• Provides financial policy interpretation to determine the validity of customer requests & ensure compliance.

• Enters information into database.

Administration:

• Provides excellent customer service, over the phone and in person answering standard questions regarding status of requests, policies and procedures for processing transactions, &/or instructions for completing paperwork.

• Instructs & advises regarding options and appropriate courses of action & follows-up inquiries to ensure customer satisfaction.

• Completes other administrative &/or clerical activities such as organizing meetings; reserving AV equipment.

• Coordinates office, lab &/or building repairs & maintenance.

• Maintains inventory.

Minimum Qualifications: (Education, experience, and any other certifications or clearances)

• High school diploma or equivalent.

• Three years of accounting, bookkeeping, financial administration, or other relevant experience.

• Experience preparing or processing financial transactions and maintaining supporting documentation.

• Experience using spreadsheet, database, word-processing, or enterprise administrative systems.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Working knowledge of basic accounting practices, account coding, and transaction documentation.

• Ability to review financial requests for completeness and accuracy.

• Ability to perform routine reconciliations and research transaction discrepancies.

• Proficiency with spreadsheet functions, including sorting, filtering, formulas, data validation, and data comparison.

• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple requests, deadlines, and follow-up items.

• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accurate recordkeeping.

• Ability to communicate clearly and professionally with faculty, staff, trainees, vendors, and central administrative offices.

• Ability to handle confidential financial and personnel information appropriately.

• Ability to identify problems, research routine issues, and recognize when escalation is required.

• Ability to follow established procedures while adapting to changing operational priorities.

• Demonstrated commitment to responsive and service-oriented financial support..

Preferred Qualifications: (Education and experience)

• Associate's or bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field.

• Experience in a university, research institute, nonprofit, grant-funded, or multi-institutional environment.

• Experience using enterprise financial, procurement, expense, payroll, or sponsored-research systems.

• Experience supporting accounts payable, purchasing, travel reimbursement, payroll funding, or sponsored-project transactions.

• Experience preparing reconciliation schedules and supporting fiscal close or audit activities.

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Intermediate proficiency in Excel, including lookup functions, pivot tables, conditional formatting, and data-quality checks.

• Familiarity with sponsored-project and subaward transaction documentation.

• Ability to create and maintain standard operating procedures, checklists, and shared workflow trackers.

• Experience working across teams with different approval responsibilities and administrative systems.

• Ability to identify workflow inefficiencies and recommend practical process improvements.

In addition to salary, this temporary position is eligible for paid time off and paid sick time in accordance with Northwestern University policies. This position is not eligible for other benefits offered to regular staff positions

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.