Pay and Finance Specialist, Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology (Temporary)

Job Description

The Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology has an outstanding opportunity for a Pay and Finance Specialist to join their team.

About this Opportunity

The Pay and Finance Specialist provides centralized oversight of financial operations and compliance within the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology. Because faculty, fellows, students, and staff are funded through a complex mix of grants, clinical revenue, gifts, and institutional funds, this role ensures costing allocations are accurate, compliant with university and sponsor requirements, and aligned with departmental financial plans. This position supports the unit’s overall operations by strengthening financial controls and manages faculty efforts and grant and institutional (non-hospital funded) funding processes. Additionally, this role partners with finance, HR, and research administration teams to ensure costing/budgetary transactions support the department’s clinical, research, and educational missions while maintaining compliance and financial integrity.

This is a temporary one-year full-time day shift position located at the Financial Center in downtown Seattle. The specific work schedule will be discussed with the hiring manager.

The salary information is provided below.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Operations, Pay Accounting & Compliance (50%)

• Oversee and manage financial budgetary and costing pay operations for DLMP fellows, graduate students, and faculty.
• Oversee and process all costing allocations across budgets, grants, cost centers, and gifts, ensuring funding sources are applied correctly and proactively adjusted ahead of payroll deadlines. Collaborate with grant and finance managers to confirm allowability, resolve discrepancies, and maintain alignment with financial plans.
• Manage the complete payroll cutoff cycle, including reconciliation of in-flight transactions, validation of costing allocations, monitoring of financial workflow progress, and ensuring all actions are completed to support an accurate and timely monthly financial close for listed groups within DLMP.
• Oversee complex funding structures including split allocations, multi-grant distributions, period activity pay, graduate funding packages, and adjustments for over/underpayments.
• Provide oversight and strategic management of departmental default and holding worktags, ensuring compliance with School of Medicine financial standards, timely cleanup, and strong internal controls to safeguard financial accuracy.
• Evaluate compensation structures, including clinical compensation, supplements, and sponsored funding, to ensure compliance with UW financial policies, union agreements, sponsor regulations, and NIH salary cap requirements.
• Identify financial risks related to payroll and costing allocations; develop and implement internal controls and mitigation strategies to support compliance and reduce audit exposure.
• Review and resolve audit findings, exception reports, and error alerts; ensure discrepancies are corrected promptly and documented appropriately.

Financial Leadership, Training & Stakeholder Communication (15%)

• Provide financial training and guidance to administrators, faculty, and staff on costing allocations, compensation compliance, financial workflow processes, and internal controls.
• Serve as the primary subject-matter expert for pay compliance and costing for grants and non -hospital institutional funds, ensuring consistent communication and coordination across internal stakeholders.

Financial Analysis, Reporting & Continuous Improvement (15%)

• Analyze costing and personnel financial data to identify trends, variances, systemic issues, and process gaps including pulling and distributing payroll default, missing resource, and other miss match reports; develop and implement solutions that enhance accuracy, efficiency, and financial stewardship.
• Collaborate with Finance, HR, and Department leadership to ensure payroll processes support departmental financial strategies and long-term planning.
• Participate in or lead initiatives related to financial process improvement, compliance enhancements, and operational efficiency across the department.

Faculty Effort Management (10%)

• Provide oversight of faculty payroll and effort distribution, including maintenance of the University’s Mission Advance faculty effort-tracking system; ensure accurate alignment between payroll and funding sources, and prepare standard and ad hoc reports for leadership to support financial planning, analysis, and compliance.

Strategic Financial Support & Special Projects (10%)

• Provide financial oversight for grant-funded staffing, ensuring costing allocations, salary distributions, and funding plans remain compliant with sponsor requirements and award budgets.
• Assist leadership in planning, testing, and implementing new financial systems, policies, and procedures that impact payroll accounting, compensation structures, or departmental financial operations.

Required Qualifications

To be considered for this opportunity, your application must demonstrate you meet both the minimum qualifications and additional qualifications listed below. Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration.

Minimum Qualifications

Applicants who do not meet these qualifications WILL NOT be forwarded to the Hiring Manager.

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance or accounting.
• Three (3) years of experience in combination of following:
• Professional experience with financial reporting and audit, costing/budget review, correction, payroll processes related to reporting, budget audit and correction.
• Experience with Salary Over the Cap calculations for Institutions Base Salary (IBS) set by sponsors.

Additional Qualifications

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills; ability to exercise professional judgment.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced professional environment while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
• Strong communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with program or grant financial administration, including monitoring and reporting for sponsored programs.
• Experience preparing financial dashboards and reports for leadership decision-making.
• Experience with Workday financial systems or similar enterprise financial software.
• Knowledge of University of Washington financial policies, cost accounting standards, and internal control practices.

About the Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology

A regional resource for clinical laboratory services required for innovative patient care, research and educational programs, the Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology at UW Medicine combines the sophisticated testing and informatics capabilities of fully accredited laboratories with the resources of an academic institution in its delivery of clinical and anatomic pathology services. Recognized for excellence in clinical training, world-class research initiatives, and a commitment to community service, we serve labs and medical facilities both nationally and internationally.

Please visit our website to learn more about our department.

Compensation, Benefits and Position Details

Pay Range Minimum:

$69,720.00 annual

Pay Range Maximum:

$104,568.00 annual

Other Compensation:

-

Benefits:

For information about benefits for this position, visit https://www.washington.edu/jobs/benefits-for-temporary-per-diem-and-less-than-half-time/

Shift:

First Shift (United States of America)

Temporary or Regular?

This is a temporary position

FTE (Full-Time Equivalent):

100.00%

Union/Bargaining Unit:

Not Applicable

About the UW 

Working at the University of Washington provides a unique opportunity to change lives – on our campuses, in our state and around the world.  

UW employees bring their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to building stronger minds and a healthier world. In return, they enjoy outstanding benefits, opportunities for professional growth and the chance to work in an environment known for its diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty. 

Our Commitment 

The University of Washington is committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful and welcoming community for all. As an equal opportunity employer, the University considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, or veteran status consistent with UW Executive Order No. 81.

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or [email protected]. 

Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law.