Purchasing Accounting Assistant II

Special Instructions to Applicants:
All interested applicants should attach a résumé in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

About Rice:
Boasting a 300-acre, tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio and a residential college system that supports students intellectually, emotionally, and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lecture series, courses, and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff, and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture. They are reflected in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name — RICE — Responsibility, Integrity, Community, and Excellence.

Position Summary:
BioSciences at Rice is home to undergraduate and doctoral degree programs in Biochemistry & Cell Biology and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology. We also participate in multidisciplinary degree programs in Biological Science, Environmental Science, and Neuroscience, as well as professional science master’s programs in Bioscience & Health Policy and Environmental Analysis.

The Purchasing Accounting Assistant II is responsible for assisting the BioSciences at Rice Department with budgeting and financial recordkeeping. They will serve as the purchasing agent for the department and will be responsible for processing purchase orders and reconciling purchasing card reports for a large population of faculty and postdoctoral researchers. This includes, but is not limited to, supplies, travel, and other lab-related expenses. The ideal candidate has experience working in a college or university accounting support role.

Workplace Requirements:
This position is offered as a hybrid role, combining both in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration after a probationary period. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

Hiring Salary: This position is hiring at a starting hourly rate of $18.90/hr.

*Non-Exempt (hourly) positions under FLSA are eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements:

• HS diploma

• 2+ years of related administrative and/or accounting experience

  • In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education, above and beyond what is required, may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis

Skills:

• Advanced knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet, email, and database software programs to complete work assignments

• Advanced attention to detail and accuracy

• Good listening, verbal, and written communication skills

• Ability to work and participate in a team environment

• Ability to plan and schedule effectively

Preferences:

• Bachelor’s degree

• Bookkeeping and/or accounting coursework

• Three years of experience working at a university

• Experience at Rice University

• Experience using Oracle

• Experience working in a college or university accounting role

Essential Functions:

• Prepares, reviews, processes, and reconciles invoices and expenses

• Prepares detailed expenditure and budgetary reports

• Serves as the purchasing agent for the department

• Reviews and interprets legal documents for financial terms and conditions

• Performs all other duties as assigned

Additional Functions:

• Maintains proper records related to purchasing card purchases in accordance with University purchasing card policies and procedures

• Assists faculty, students, and staff by responding to inquiries about purchase orders and obtaining quotations

• Prepares and submits accounting forms as needed during reconciliation (e.g., budget transfers, expense and revenue corrections, internal department transactions)

• Researches and resolves problems associated with invoice discrepancies

• Reconciles monthly credit card statements by gathering supporting documents

• Trains faculty, students, and staff on the use of Oracle

• Assists accountants as needed with report distribution, fund and grant reconciliation, and special projects by compiling reports, payment records, and other supporting documentation

• Assists the department chair, accounting manager, and executive administrator with projects and/or reports as requested

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits 
Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University 

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please get in touch with Rice University’s Human Resources Office via email at [email protected] for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at [email protected] . Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.