Expense Procurement Specialist

Job Posting Location:

Claremont, CA

Job Posting Title:

Job Description:

ABOUT POMONA COLLEGE: Located near Los Angeles, California, Pomona College is widely regarded as one of the nation's premier liberal arts colleges. Established in 1887, Pomona College is known for small classes, a challenging curriculum, close relationships between students and faculty, and a range of student research and leadership opportunities. Pomona is a member of The Claremont Colleges.

JOB PURPOSE: The Expense and Procurement Specialist is responsible for the College’s procurement and purchasing card processes in Workday. The role reviews purchase requisitions, purchase orders, and purchasing card expense reports, handles travel-related payment requests, and monitors purchasing card activity and related transactions.

The position also analyzes College spending to identify opportunities for greater efficiency and stronger controls; supports faculty and staff on Workday procurement and expense processes; assists with system and process improvements; supports financial analysis, year-end activities, and special projects. This position reports to the Assistant Controller, Finance Operations.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: Reporting directly to the Assistant Controller, Finance Operations, the Expense and Procurement Specialist performs the following duties:

Procurement and Purchase Orders

• Reviews purchase requisitions, purchase orders, change orders, and related invoices in Workday.
• Monitors payments against purchase orders, resolves matching exceptions, and closes purchase orders when appropriate.
• Calculates contract and purchase order allocations or breakdowns as requested.
• Assists faculty and staff with procurement-related questions and issues.

Purchasing Cards and Expenses

• Reviews and approves purchasing card expense reports, ensuring appropriate account coding, use-tax treatment, and accurate posting in Workday.
• Monitors purchasing card activity and outstanding expense reports; follow up with cardholders on overdue submissions;
• Tracks personal expenses charged to purchase cards, notifying cardholders of reimbursement requirements, and documents repayments to the College.
• Prepares and distributes weekly purchasing cardholder listings.
• Tracks taxable income associated with purchasing card transactions and other applicable expenses and submits information to Payroll or uploads supporting documentation to Box, as required.
• Reviews travel-related payment requests and responds to expense-related inquiries.
• Assists faculty and staff with purchasing cards and expense-related questions and issues.

Accounting and Financial Reporting

• Perform year-end activities, including rolling forward and closing purchase orders,
• Supports the tracking, reconciliation, and resolution of procurement- and expense-related financial transactions.

Process Improvement and Special Projects

• Participate in semiannual Workday testing to support system functionality and process accuracy.
• Analyze College spending to identify opportunities to streamline processes, improve efficiency, and strengthen internal controls.
• Develop and implement process improvements and update desk procedures, as needed.
• Conduct special analyses and complete projects requested by the Assistant Controller, Finance Operations; the Director of Financial Operations; or the AVP, Associate Treasurer & Controller.
• Perform other accounting-related projects, tasks, and duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Education: A high school diploma or GED, plus two years of college or business-school accounting coursework, is required. An equivalent combination of education and experience will also be considered.
• Experience: At least four years of general office experience is required, including two years in an accounting or purchasing office or equivalent related experience. Experience with Workday, word-processing software, and spreadsheet applications is highly desirable. Candidates must have excellent mathematical, analytical, verbal, and written communication skills. Experience in an academic institution is preferred.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND CRITICAL SKILLS: The successful candidate must possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the position’s essential functions, with or without reasonable accommodation, or demonstrate the ability to perform them using other relevant qualifications.

1. Apply professional expertise in general accounting, purchase-order processing, spending analysis, and computerized accounting systems while collaborating with colleagues to advance the College’s strategic priorities.

2. Communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing, and demonstrate excellent interpersonal and telephone skills. Handle all activities and highly confidential information with patience, discretion, tact, and close attention to detail while working with people from varied backgrounds.

3. Use computers proficiently, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and Outlook; internet research tools; and menu-driven databases. Demonstrate an understanding of how technology supports annual goals while protecting confidential information.

4. Manage multiple priorities, meet tight deadlines, and work effectively both independently and collaboratively. Support the College’s strategic vision and the division’s annual goals with a strong commitment to integrity and ethical conduct.

5. Demonstrate exceptional organizational, time-management, and mathematical skills, completing work accurately and with close attention to detail.

REQUIRED HOURS: The regular hours for this full-time position are 8:00am to 5:00pm, Monday - Friday, except during the designated summer period when office hours end at 4:30pm. Remote work is allowed for up to two days a week at the discretion of the direct supervisor. Overtime and holiday, weekend, or evening work may be required. Regular hours may vary due to needs of the College or division.

ADDITIONAL POSITION DETAILS: This is a regular, full-time, non-exempt position, benefits eligible. The hourly rate for this role is between $28.00 to $31.00 per hour with a competitive benefits package. The specific factors that the College will consider when offering a salary to an individual will include, but not be limited to: education, training, relevant prior experience, and performance in prior roles. All staff positions are ineligible for visa or permanent resident card sponsorship. As a California employer, Pomona College requires all employees to be residents of California.

ADA/OSHA: This job description defines the essential job duties of this position. The College expects that employees hired for this position can perform the essential functions of this job without imposing risk of substantial harm to the health or safety of themselves or others. It may also include marginal functions, generally defined within Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

DISCLAIMER: This job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this position. When duties and responsibilities change and develop, the College will review this job description and make changes of business necessity.