Purchasing and Accounting Assistant

Job Responsibility:

Department: School of Engineering Position covered by the Collective Agreement with USW Local 4120 Temporary full-time from 08/25/2024 to 09/26/2025 Temporary Absence of the Regular Incumbent

General Purpose

Reporting to the Administrative Manager in the School of Engineering (SOE), the Purchasing & Accounting Assistant will be responsible for providing accounting/financial/purchasing support to the school. SOE is a large and diverse research-intensive school consisting of approximately 61 faculty, 34 staff, over 300 graduate students, various undergraduate clubs and other temporary SOE staff and visitors. The duties will include liaising with department staff, faculty, and students as well as other units within Financial Services and Physical Resources to process department revenues and expenses while adhering to proper financial policies and procedures.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Receiving orders for goods and services and processing them in the appropriate manner
• Reviewing appropriate supporting documentation and authorization for cheque
• Travel and business claims
• Providing reimbursement for small items using Petty Cash
• Reviewing research account balances; assisting in department budget review and forecasting
• Prepare and post journal entries into the University's financial system to transfer funds, record internal charges, and correct coding errors.
• Monitoring and reconciling departmental accounts; providing prompt payment of invoices and payables; ensuring expenses are coded correctly
• Receiving all in-coming deliveries pertaining to purchase orders and redirecting to appropriate staff
• Hold procurement card and reconcile monthly transactions
• Work with Payment Services for fiscal year end procedures
• Make travel arrangements
• Provide support to special projects within the School, i.e.: EngSoc lab fund, Gryphon Race Team, Creative Encounters Summer Camp & the 4th year undergraduate 41X design course.
• The Purchasing & Accounting Assistant is essential in allowing the School to meet forecasting objectives and ensure that research funds are administered in a manner consistent with granting agency mandates. The incumbent will be part of the administrative support team for the department and may be required to assist and provide backup for other team members as needed.

Requirements

• Community College diploma, 1 year program, in purchasing or related program plus 1 year of relevant experience in purchasing, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Familiarity with general office procedures.
• Excellent clerical, word processing, and spreadsheet (Excel) skills as well as Microsoft Office Suite.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to prioritize.
• Familiarity with university cycles, policies and procedures will be considered an asset.
• Initiative and the ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
• Demonstrated resiliency, assertiveness, problem, solving, creative thinking, decision making, strong network and relationship building skills.
• Knowledge of purchasing systems, particularly FRS and Oracle Purchasing, will be considered an asset.

Employee Type: Regular Position Number: 10126157 Classification: USW, Local 4120 Salary: Band 4 USW Local 4120 Wage Grid

• Tentative evaluation; subject to final review.

At the University of Guelph, fostering a culture of inclusion is an institutional imperative. The University invites and encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in employment, who may contribute to further diversification of our Institution.

Posting Date: 08/15/2024 Closing Date: 08/22/2024