BUSINESS, ACCOUNTING, FINANCE

            Business Manager--T7-0010-

            Student Services Billing Manager--T7-0020-

            Assistant Manager, Telecom Finance--T7-0030-

            Associate Director, Business & Financial Management--T7-0040-

            Fiscal Analyst--T7-2010-

DESC. NO.:              T7-0010
  JOB TITLE:             BUSINESS MANAGER

LAST UPDATE:      August 31, 2001                        

BASIC FUNCTION:

Perform, supervise and direct the work related to the business, personnel, and day-to-day operations of the Department. Related activities include management analysis, information/data systems development and management, bidding and contracts, enterprise budgeting/accounting, property/space/facilities management, and staff supervision. Plays pivotal role, bringing together the needs of various segments of the department into a single enterprise unit.

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Specific responsibilities include: 

1. Develop, present, execute and monitor a department enterprise budget of $XXX,XXX that grows at a rate of 5-10% per annum; modify a rolling five-year plan as necessary.

2. Develop and monitor telecommunications rates and charge back methodology. Provide detailed analysis and rational for same.

3. Monitor expenditures and revenues; supervise the maintenance of financial accounts and records, ensuring adherence to various internal and external regulations; prepare related analysis and reports for department, division and organization.

4. Design, recommend and implement cost saving methods, techniques, procedures and, where appropriate, procure necessary hardware, software and electronic components and services. This requires working knowledge of various elements of telecommunications hardware, utility tariff offerings and plant construction materials, as well as ability to work effectively in an ever changing technological environment.

5. Audit all invoices for telecommunication services and equipment to ensure all costs are proper and being re‑allocated appropriately. Participate in the development and management of mainframe and microcomputer information/data systems that interface with the administrative accounting systems and those other systems that are necessary for the smooth running and operation of the financial reporting systems of the organization.

6. Determine departmental purchases, rentals and/or leases that are most cost effective; e.g., vehicles, property/space management, electronic components, inventory, etc. Investigate financial feasibility of any new service the department is interested in providing; perform cost/benefit analysis as it relates to profit and loss; prepare and present business case and recommended customer pricing to division and/or Controller for approval.

7. Responsible for bidding and contracts management related to provision of extensive telecommunication services to support construction and major renovation projects across the organization; ensure adherence to contractual terms prior to acceptance and payment.

8. Recommend, create and monitor internal operating policies and procedures via development and maintenance of a departmental policy manual; serve as primary policy/procedure information source to staff.

9. Review and approve all expenditures, i.e., billing, travel, equipment, printed material, etc. Ensure proper maintenance of personnel and other confidential records; oversee the processing of personnel forms/actions and payroll, accruals for personal, health care and vacation needs.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED:

Receives general direction from the Director, Telecommunications Department. Also receives advice from standing and ad hoc committees established to oversee telecommunications services.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:

Responsible for staff that provides such essential and highly visible organization-wide services as the switchboard/console, centralized FAX/Telex message services, and customer service operations.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor's degree or equivalent necessary; advanced degree preferred. Minimum 5-7 years' administrative/office supervisory responsibility; telecommunications experience desired as is familiarity with FCC and local PUC communications tariffs. Excellent verbal and written communications skills required; accounting/budget experience required. Knowledge of organizations accounting system preferred but not required; must possess experience with computerized accounting and database management techniques. Works with a sense of urgency and tact.

DESC. NO.:              T7-0020
  JOB TITLE:             STUDENT SERVICES BILLING MANAGER

LAST UPDATE:      August 31, 2001 

BASIC FUNCTION:

Under general supervision, coordinates all aspects of providing telecommunications service to approximate­ly xx,xxx dormitory students. [number of students will vary with educational institution]

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Act as a customer service representative for approximately xx,xxx dormitory students. Process all residential billing claims and resolve discrepancies. Prepare third party miscellaneous bills by allocating cost to students. Prepare local Telco and OCC tapes and forward to the Computer Center for processing. Distribute third party and regular monthly bills to residential customers. Update tariff database as rate changes are established by interconnect telephone companies. Input all telephone payments provided by the Bursar's Office into PC and apply credits to appropriate accounts [in many educational institutions this process is automated]. Under general supervision, coordinate the bi-annual reconnect of new students residing in the dorms. Coordinate all aspects of payment collections on delinquent accounts. Prepare monthly Newsletter provided by Telephone Services for the students. Answer all student questions pertaining to the Residential Student Guide provided by Telephone Services. Coordinate with the Bursar's Office actions to be taken against a particular student who is consistently delinquent with payments.

Most assignments are repetitious, but, as the need arises work will be assigned by the Assistant Director. Maintaining an acceptable level of professionalism when dealing with irate customers.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED:

Because of the very delicate nature of this position, most decisions made by the Student Billing Manager pertaining to providing service to the student population will be approved by the Director and Assistant Director. Daily activities will be directed by the policies and procedures established for dealing with the student population.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:

Exercises direct supervision of student part time workers.

QUALIFICATIONS:

A BS/BA degree with 6 months telecommunications billing experience [see Description No.

T8-2040 for a better and fuller Qualifications section]

DESC. NO.:              T7-0030
  JOB TITLE:   ASSISTANT MANAGER, TELECOMMUNICATIONS FI­NANCE

LAST UPDATE:      August 31, 2001                       
 

BASIC FUNCTION:

This position will have overall responsibilities for the fiscal operations of the Telecommunica­tions System/Office.

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Supervise the maintenance and reconciliation of the detailed budgets associated with the telephone, inter-campus network and CATV systems. Prepare the budget and develop equitable charge back rates for the organization.

2. Reconcile and supervise reconciliation of billings from telecommunications records and prepare invoices for payment.

3.  Extract data from the stand alone telecommunications management system as well as other organization systems. Utilize extracted data for analytical purposes, which include supervising the preparation of administrative reports as requested reflecting the financial status of the telecommunication system.

4. Monitor, review and approve departmental financial transactions (vouchers, journal vouchers, payroll, etc.). Supervise the billing of long distance services.

5. Participate in the general direction and management activities of the Telecommunications department. Make appropriate decisions for the department in the absence of other management staff.

6. Responsible for keeping track of value and cost of telephone equipment physical inventory.

7. Follow existing organization policies and procedures as they relate to overall application. Instrumental in developing departmental procedures regarding charge back philosophy as a result of cost studies on system.

8. Access personnel files for department employees, as they relate to supervising payroll preparation and developing budget and applicable charge back rates.

9. Improve existing procedures, develop procedures for determining equitable charge back rates to departments based on anticipated budget.

10. Appropriate rebilling of telecommunication charges to insure accurate, balanced departmental budget that is in excess of $XX million. This responsibility affects all end-users.

11. Advance and ongoing planning and monitoring of expenses verses income to know monthly if department is on target with operating budget.

12. As a member of the Telecommunications management staff, will actively participate in the general direction of department, as well as having primary responsibility for operational costs and budgetary requirements.

13. Perform other projects and assignments as directed.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED:

Reports directly to and receives supervision from the Director Telecommunications Office. Works closely with the organizations Accounting office.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:

Directs and manages own staff of accounting and billing clerks.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor's degree in accounting or business administration preferred with a CPA highly desirable, more than 3 years experience up to and including 4 years; however, equivalent education and/or work experience may be considered. Expected to have a working knowledge of accounting, capitalization and depreciation of inventoried assets, and preferably, in house experience with the organization's financial accounting system and other mainframe systems with which we interface.

DESC. NO.:              T7-0040
  JOB TITLE:   ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, BUSINESS & FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

LAST UPDATE:      August 31, 2001                       
 

BASIC FUNCTION:

Primary responsibility is the direction and management of the Billing and Administrative functions of the Switched Telecommunications department. Secondary responsibilities include assisting Director in general operations of department in administrative and technical matters.

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Reporting to Director, provide direction, administration, technical, and educational leadership in fulfilling the responsibilities of the departmental functions. Provides guidance and innovation in the implementation and development of financial, business billing and administrative systems and procedures. Direct and control development of information databases for inventory, billing, and accounting for the organization's telecommunications facilities and services. Direct and manage telecommunication Billing and Collections accounting and reconciliation activities that interface with organization financial accounting system for users of the organization's telecommunications services. Direct and manage all administrative functions for the department including budgeting, personnel and personnel reporting activities, purchasing, vendor relationships and service agreement and Accounts Payable activities, departmental services cost control and services pricing, organization payphone operations, and telephone Credit Card accounting, distribution, and administration. Direct and control collection and interpretation of various telecommunications traffic data for subsequent design updating of telecommunications network configurations. Direct and control applications of pertinent governmental tariff regulations and restrictions as it applies to the organization's telecommunications environment. Direct and control telecommunications administration, accounting, inventory, and billing activities at remote sites. Function as technical administration telecommunications advisor to organization telecommunications operations and activities at remote sites. Establish staff job functions as necessary, determining qualifications and characteristics for departmental staff members.

Works closely with all Managers of Information Systems, User Services and Systems/Applicat­ions Managers and other organization personnel as is appropriate.

Performs other duties and assignments as directed.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED:

Performs under the general direction of the Director, Information Services Support Operations. Performs with a great deal of latitude for decision making.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:

Provides direct supervision of managers and staff to fulfill the above functions and responsibili­ties.

QUALIFICATIONS:

College degree, preferably B.S. or B.A. in Business Administration or Engineering, five years direct responsibility and supervision of a large telecommunications system with at least ten years management of telecommunications administration, or a combined equivalent of education and work experience. Experience in telecommunications billing and inventory database management control and accounting procedures. Knowledgeable in organization Financial Accounting System procedures extremely helpful. Experience in a large, complex organization or corporate structure environment required.  Strategic planning and decision making experience. Must have excellent supervisory, interpersonal, verbal, and written communications skills. Ability to interface with users and staff. Must be able to work in stressful situations. Working experience with PC's or main frame computer telecommunications accounting software.

DESC. NO.:              T7-2010
  JOB TITLE:             FISCAL ANALYST

LAST UPDATE:      August 31, 2001                        
 

BASIC FUNCTION:

Provide financial and statistical information that is used to control cost and/or generate revenue and assist with the general operation of the financial unit of the Telecommunications Department.

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Compile monthly and quarterly financial and statistical reports. Analyze results to identify discrepancies in revenues/expenditures versus budgets. Data is presented in written, tabular, and graphic formats. 

2. Monitor and review departmental expenditures for supplies, services, travel, etc. Reconcile expenditures to organizations accounting reports.

3. Handle requests from various departments for changes in account code identification for Telecommunication services. Research and resolve erroneous equipment billing and edit entries. 

4. Assist in preparing departmental budgets and charge back rates. Keep rates updated in appropriate computer billing software.

5. Supervise data input function for all charges and credit, and calling card master. Research and resolve unbalanced accounting batches and billing errors, determine and recommend billing procedure changes needed.

6. Supervise time studies monthly and present results for cost allocations. Maintain cumulative report of costs of effort and analyze status of cost recovery.

7. Assist with monitoring flow and completion of billing activities and financial projects by maintaining a monthly production calendar and a project status report.

8. Assist in development and implementation of plans, procedures, and policies for the financial aspects of Telecommunications operations. Submit newsletter articles on policies to Assistant Manager of Customer Service.

9. Provide back up assistance for financial unit including being in charge in the absence of assistant manager.

10. Supervise the record retention of Telecommunication fiscal documents. Examine costs and determine best method for retention.

11. Maintain file of capital equipment additions and deletions to insure that proper use fees are transferred to reserve funds to be used for future acquisitions and upgrades.

12. Supervise the physical inventories taken quarterly and report results. Assist with analysis of problem areas where shrinkage is occurring and recommend corrective actions.

13. Supervise the collection of Fax revenues and analyze costs vs revenues to determine profitability of service. Results may lead to recommendation for increases or decreases in international and/or domestic Fax rates.

14. Maintain detailed spreadsheets of certain expenditures and revenues to help control costs and losses ‑ i.e. manuals, publications and subscriptions: computing expenses by project; payphone commissions; WATS expenses, etc.

15. Assist with annual inventory of telephone services and equipment.

16. Assist with forms development for various functions.

17. Perform other projects as assigned.

 SUPERVISION RECEIVED:

Receives direct supervision from the Manager of Telecommunications.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:

Provides no direct supervision.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Minimum qualifications include: a B.S. or B.A. in Accounting, Finance or Business, more than 3 years up to and including 4 years experience in accounting, business writing, analysis, methods and procedures. Knowledge of personal computers and computer programming required.