Financial Specialist III

The Financial Specialist III position supports the Accounts Payable area within the Division of Business Services at UW-Madison. This position independently audits transactions requiring a high level of knowledge and expertise and works daily with a wide variety of funding sources. This position is responsible for entering the invoice payment data into ShopUW+, researching, resolving and responding to payment-related questions by providing advice, interpretation and information on rules and regulations to UW-Madison department staff, Accounting Services staff, Purchasing Services staff, and UWS Pre-Audit staff. This position reconciles transactions and recommends controls and process improvements and troubleshoots complex financial errors.

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

• Reallocates expenses to appropriate funding strings

• May train staff on financial processes and best practices

• Reviews and approves complex transactions and assigns funding codes in accordance with established rules, regulations, and policies

• Serve as a unit liaison to leadership providing financial advice, recommendations, and financial status updates

• Monitors financial transactions and fund balances and generates and reconciles complex reports and statements in accordance with established rules and regulations

• Reviews transaction processing internal controls and recommends policies and procedures

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

Division of Business Services, Disbursements

The mission of the Division of Business Services is to support UW-Madison's institutional responsibilities of higher education and research. Business Services offers a broad range of services and transaction processing to campus, including accounting, internal auditing, risk management, purchasing, materials distribution and surplus property management, and tuition and student loan services.

Located in the Division of Business Services, the Disbursements team collects information and maintains records for over 70,000 suppliers utilized by all the Universities of Wisconsin. We communicate with suppliers around the globe and assist employees from all the UW campuses.

The starting salary for the position is $62,000 (but maybe negotiable based on experience and qualifications).

This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off, competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund. For a summary of benefits, please see https://www.wisconsin.edu/ohrwd/benefits/download/fasl.pdf.

- A minimum of 2 years of accounting, finance, or business administration experience.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills. Ability to communicate in a clear, business-like, and courteous manner with a diverse internal and external customer base.
- Excellent organizational skills and techniques. Ability to work independently, prioritize work duties, and demonstrate effective time management skills to meet Accounts Payable, Business Services Division, University, state, and/or federal deadlines.

- Ability to multi-task and transition quickly between priorities to address specific situations.
- Ability to participate as an effective team member by contributing to the efficient operation of the work unit and providing constructive feedback for the purpose of continuous improvement in a manner that is supportive of Accounts Payable and the Business Services Division.
- Strong human relations and interpersonal skills to maintain effective, professional, and cooperative working relationships with managers, supervisors, coworkers, and all internal and external customers.
- Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
- Proficiency in Excel and ability to create complex spreadsheets and reports.
- Knowledge of accounts payable procedures, and basic accounting principles.
- Knowledge of Peoplesoft or other accounting software.
- Knowledge of Image Now or other image retention database software.
- Knowledge of banking reconciliation software
- Knowledge of state accounts payable statues
- Knowledge of state funding rules and chart of account

Associate's Degree Preferred; Associate's Degree in Accounting or related field

We are eager to learn more about how your experience and passion may align with this position. To begin the application process, click the "apply now" button. You will be prompted to upload the following documents:

- Letter of Qualifications (cover letter) and Resume

Please submit a cover letter referring to your work experience and a resume detailing your educational and professional background as it relates to this position. Your cover letter should communicate your interest in the position and how your skillset aligns with the role. The application reviewers will be relying on written application materials to determine who may advance to preliminary interviews

Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment. UW-Madison is not an E-Verify employer, and therefore, is not eligible to employ F1 STEM OPT Extension participants.

The application deadline is 11:59 pm on January 6, 2026.

Phoua Khang, HR Generalist, asu.hr@ohr.wisc.edu

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

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.