As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty. 

Comparative Medicine Mission Statement:
Our mission is to advance knowledge and improve the health and welfare of humans and animals through excellent service support, biomedical research, and teaching.

Department Information:
The Department of Comparative Medicine (DCM) is one of 12 basic science departments in the School of Medicine. DCM is the central laboratory animal medicine resource at the University of Washington, supporting over 114,000 assignable square feet of animal facilities with an average daily census in excess of 100,000 animals across multiple species (e.g., rodents, rabbits, swine, and zebrafish). The department employs over 175 individuals who provide a comprehensive range of animal husbandry, veterinary, and laboratory services across numerous vivaria. The UW animal care program is accredited by AAALAC International and provides services to over 400 principal investigators. DCM faculty members, post-doctoral fellows, and residents conduct basic and clinical research on a wide range of subjects including, but not limited to, comparative aspects of infectious disease, aging, cancer biology and genetics.

Department Website:
https://www.washington.edu/compmed/
Benefit Summary:
https://hr.uw.edu/benefits/
-Tuition Exemption Program; https://hr.uw.edu/pod/overview/tuition-exemption/
-Competitive insurance plans including adult and elder care; https://hr.uw.edu/benefits/insurance/
-Generous holidays and leave; https://hr.uw.edu/ops/leaves/
-Low cost transportation options in the greater Puget Sound area; https://transportation.uw.edu/getting-here/transit/u-pass
-Childcare and parenting; https://hr.uw.edu/child-care/

The Department of Comparative Medicine has an outstanding opportunity for a Financial Operations Specialist.

The Financial Operations Specialist leads or supervises administrative support staff; manages Comparative Medicine’s animal ordering program operations; acts as a liaison between the program and supports financial operations outside organizations, UW departments and centralized offices; and is responsible for fiscal management.
Reporting to the Administrator, the Financial Operations Specialist is responsible for overseeing the day to day operations manages all administrative aspects of animal ordering; for program operations from the initiation of ordering in animal facilities and labs to receiving animals in animal facilities; coordinates, schedules, and monitors program activities to determine consistency with program goals; directs work flow and training of administrative support personnel ensuring sufficient administrative coverage is provided; monitors administrative staff activities to ensure that standards of timeliness, accuracy, and professionalism are maintained; continuously leads Animal Operations system analysis(AOps) enhancements and support of continuous other related system development; for in team meetings and in monthly workgroups; develops and maintains animal ordering program operations policy and procedures management concerning animal ordering operations; and for supporting fiscal ; performs complex, including non-routine, fiscal and administrative analysis and reporting. for the department’s six recharge/service centers and other departmental budgets. Acts as a liaison between Comparative Medicine’s animal ordering program operations and other UW departments and centralized offices, outside institutions, and external vendors.  This position serves as backup to the Administrator.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Animal Ordering Operations:

•Oversee daily operations of the highly complex UW animal ordering program serving 222 Principal Investigators and 295 animal research protocols in all departments/units at UW and with affiliated outside institutions. 

•Manage animal ordering including all activities relating to the acquisition of animals ordered and/or obtained for the purpose of animal research for the University of Washington.  Exercise independent judgment in interpreting and applying federal, UW and departmental regulations to meet program objectives.

•Participate in project work as either lead or assistant.  Comparative Medicine’s Animal Operations system (AOps) which serves all departments/units at UW is a continuously developed web-based animal management system, and this position is responsible for leading the AOps animal ordering system development and related departmental workflow, policies, and procedures.  This position participates routinely in project meetings and at monthly workgroups related to system development and maintenance.  This position serves as a liaison for this work between the project management and other outside institutions utilizing similar Animal Operations systems from the same vendor.

•Lead and coordinate the AOps helpdesk system that is used to communicate Animal Operations issues between UW departments and Comparative Medicine. This position works both independently and with UW project management to resolve issues.

•Oversee ordering animals from approved/non-approved vendors; initiate standing purchase orders; schedule animal deliveries and verify for accuracy upon confirmation and arrival to avoid discrepancies (e.g. strains, genotypes, genders, quantities, and delivery dates); pursue credits and replacements of unacceptable animals; and confer regularly with animal vendors regarding the federal, state, and departmental regulations which apply to animals in research.

•Oversee verifying that animal requests are placed by authorized personnel under approved animal use protocols and active University of Washington budgets; expedite the approval of orders requiring Material Transfer Agreements (MTA) by coordinating with the UW Technology Transfer Department, the UW Purchasing Department, the Office of Animal Welfare, the requestor, the requesting department administrator, and the vendor.

•Contribute to development and implementation of program policies and procedures and standards of work, using a high degree of independent judgment. Direct and oversee animal ordering standard operating procedures preparation.

•Direct and monitor data integrity in AOps, tracking, filing, and archiving activities. Assist the Administrator with filing and archiving animal cage card related documentation.

•Manage and perform data entry in the Animal Operations system and ARIBA; create and maintain open purchase orders for established animal and transportation vendors; monitor purchases and expenditures; maintain ordering records; prepare, compile, and provide annual fiscal reports on animal expenditures.

•Contact research laboratory personnel with counteroffers proposed by vendors and notify them of wait listed or unavailable orders.

•Maintain ordering records in ARIBA and resolve problems, review and verify the information in the billing system; approve and allocate purchases to proper budgets and account codes to ensure compliance with Comparative Medicine departmental policies and procedures.

Financial Management:

•Manage fiscal reconciliation for all departmental budgets.  Oversee fiscal records and take corrective action when needed.

•Review all department ProCard transactions monthly; update departmental policy and procedures for ProCard transactions as needed.

•Perform billing data entry in the AOps at the close of each month as needed.  Analyze and reconcile per diem activity sheets, verifying the accuracy of budgets and animal transfers.

•Work closely with the Administrator in updating departmental standard operating procedures; and in performing complex, including non-routine, fiscal analysis and reporting for the department’s six recharge/service centers and other departmental budgets

Faculty and Administrative Support:

•Miscellaneous duties as assigned.

Lead or Supervisory Responsibilities:

•Assign animal ordering or fiscal related work, to the department staff; position will monitor and audit training of staff.  May supervise fiscal staff. or student personnel, as needed.

•Train new staff assigned to animal ordering or fiscal related work.

•Work closely with direct supervisor that may lead to, but not limited to corrective action, time keeping, competency checks, and training.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

•Bachelor's degree in business or related field

•At least two years of work-related experience in departmental fiscal administration, or equivalent combination of education/experience

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

•Excellent Excel skills

•Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills

•Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail

•Ability to be flexible and resourceful when problem-solving

•Ability to prioritize competing demands to successfully meet deadlines and project milestones

•Ability to work independently and make decisions as necessary

DESIRED EXPERIENCE:

•Two to three years of work-related experience in a fiscal position

•Experience working in increasingly responsible positions in an academic research setting

•Experience working with UW systems including Workday, ARIBA, PurchasePath, MyFD, IACUC (HoverBoard) and AOps

•Experience with ProCard purchasing and reconciliation

•Experience working with Quickbooks

•Knowledge of and experience working with animal operations; knowledge of and experience working with complex, high-volume billing and ordering policy and procedures

•Experience with leading and coordinating complex projects and working with project management teams on continuous improvement in developing systems

•Working knowledge of Microsoft Access

•Basic knowledge of terminology used in biomedical research

Application Process:

The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process.  These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others.  Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.