Finance and administration specialist

Luogo di lavoro: Bologna

Main activities

Key Responsibilities

Finance & Business Operations

• Support budgeting, expenditure monitoring, cost allocation, reconciliations, and financial reporting.
• Manage invoices, payments, reimbursements, travel expenses, and other financial transactions, ensuring accuracy and resolving discrepancies.
• Support procurement, vendor management, contracts, approvals, and the financial administration of institutional events and activities.
• Provide administrative and financial support across Business Office functions, ensuring accurate documentation and compliance with University procedures.

Research, Grants & Project Support

• Support the financial and administrative management of grants, research projects, and externally funded activities, including budgeting, expenditure tracking, procurement, and reporting.
• Coordinate project-related activities and appointments with faculty and relevant HR, payroll, legal, and University offices.

Systems, Process Improvement & AI

• Use Excel, Workday, and other University systems for financial analysis, reporting, and administrative decision-making.
• Leverage generative AI and prompt-engineering skills to support data analysis, documentation, and operational efficiency.
• Identify opportunities to streamline processes, automate repetitive tasks, and improve workflows, contributing to special projects and evolving University systems and requirements.

Requirements

Must have:

• Several years of relevant professional experience in finance administration, business operations, accounting support, project administration or a comparable environment.
• Strong numerical skills and a practical understanding of budgets, financial reporting, administrative controls, and business processes, with the ability to apply them in varied operational contexts.
• Excellent accuracy, attention to detail, organizational skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines without losing sight of the broader objective.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build constructive working relationships with a wide range of constituencies, including students, faculty, senior administrators, colleagues, and external vendors.
• Professional fluency in both Italian and English.
• Strong working knowledge of Excel and Microsoft 365, together with the ability to learn Workday and other University financial and administrative systems quickly.
• Demonstrated practical competence with generative AI tools, including prompt design, document generation, information synthesis, data or financial analysis, and process improvement.

Nice to have:

• Experience in academic, international or multicultural environments.
• Familiarity with SAP, Concur or similar financial systems is considered an advantage but is not essential.
• Intellectual curiosity about AI and emerging technologies, with the initiative to test new tools and identify useful applications for day-to-day administrative work.

Benefits

• Dynamic international environment.
• Opportunity to contribute to the financial and administrative operations of a prestigious academic institution.
• Professional growth within a global and renowned academic institution.

Compensation Package

Compensation aligned with Italian labor law and market standards, commensurate with experience and qualifications, approximately €40,000-€45,000 gross annually.

This is a full-time in-person role based in Bologna.

Workplace Bologna Company

Our client is a distinguished American Graduate Academic Institution, located in Bologna, that serves as the European campus of a renowned school dedicated to advanced international studies.