Special Information

• This position is posted as Travel Specialist, Senior, which is a working title. The NAU system title for this position is Financial Administration Specialist, Senior.

About the Department/College

Reimbursement Processing Support Unit (RPSU), also known as the Travel Team, provides efficient and effective service for our faculty and staff. Department support includes employee and non-employee travel requests, as well as student group and candidate travel. Our primary role is to ensure that travel-related expenses are handled efficiently and in compliance with university and state policies.

About the Position

The Travel Specialist Senior at Northern Arizona University plays a critical role in supporting university-related travel through the Reimbursement Processing Support Unit (RPSU). This position ensures that travel requests, bookings, and reimbursements are processed efficiently, accurately, and in compliance with university and state policies.

The specialist serves as a primary point of contact for faculty, staff, students, and community members, guiding them through the travel lifecycle—from authorization and booking to expense reporting and reimbursement. Responsibilities include reviewing travel cases submitted through the Employee Service Center (ESC), coordinating travel arrangements (airfare, lodging, ground transportation), and ensuring all documentation meets audit and policy standards.

In addition to processing travel, the Travel Specialist Senior provides training and consultation to departments, helps troubleshoot travel-related issues, and supports compliance efforts by maintaining accurate records and advising on allowable expenses. They may also assist with cost comparisons, exception requests, and policy interpretation.

This role requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders. The specialist must stay current on travel policy updates and ensure that all travel activities align with NAU’s mission and fiscal accountability standards.

Responsibilities Include

65% - Data and Case Management

• Utilizes the university’s digital workflow management system, the Employee Service Center (ServiceNow), to manage financial and finance-related transactional work assigned to them, including but not limited to: verification of appropriate case type, all required approvals have been received, compliance with policy and processes, funding information and all transaction specific information and forms are present and complete, communications between service recipient departments and the service team.
• Initiates and completes Travel Specialist functions for assigned travelers, including but not limited to booking travel - conference & event registration, coordinating transportation needs, lodging accommodations, etc.
• Initiates and/or maintains travel related forms and documentation for processing travel advances and reimbursements, etc. - (Essential)

25% - Financial Processing

• Utilizes a university purchasing card to make travel related purchases on behalf of service recipient departments, as well as being responsible for completing timely reconciliation of purchases.
• Utilizes university financial systems to execute expense reports in a timely and accurate manner.
• Completes expense reimbursement related forms on behalf of service recipients specific to Check Request forms.
• Initiates Zelle payments for non-employee service recipients, for both travel and non-travel related expenses upon request. - (Essential)

5% - Training

• Assists in training internal employees, via job shadowing, on business processes and policies.
• Acts as a primary point of contact for assigned service recipient units seeking day-to-day financial administration support.
• Provides policy guidance and clarification to service recipient units as well as other team members.
• Answers finance-related questions and escalates issues to department coordinators or leadership when appropriate. - (Essential)

5% - Other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

• High school degree or equivalent AND
• 1 year of accounting or financial clerical experience

*A combination of related education, experience, and training may be used as an equivalent to the above Minimum Qualifications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Associate degree in accounting, finance, or related field or equivalent.
• Experience in processing financial transactions and/or arranging travel.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Experience maintaining basic financial and recordkeeping ledgers and documents.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Critical thinking and problem solving.
• Data entry.
• Adaptable to frequent change.
• Interpret financial reports and statements to identify trends or issues.
• Work collaboratively within a cross-functional team.
• Communicate effectively; in-person, email and by phone.
• Listen actively.
• Ability to process detailed information.
• Balance competing priorities.
• Work with highly confidential and/or sensitive information.

Compensation

Salary range is $$38,628 to $48,285. Annual salary commensurate with candidate's qualifications and related experience.

Pre-Employment Check

Northern Arizona University requires satisfactory results for the following: a criminal background investigation, an employment history verification and a degree verification (in some cases) prior to employment. You may also be required to complete a fingerprint background check. Also, as an employer in the state of Arizona, NAU is required to participate in the federal E-Verify program that assists employers with verifying new employees' right to work in the United States.

This position has been identified as a safety/security sensitive position. Therefore, per AZ Revised Statute, Northern Arizona University requires satisfactory results for the following: a criminal background investigation, employment history investigation, degree verification (in some cases) and fingerprinting. If you are applying for a job that requires a CDL, you will be required to register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse and adhere to the clearinghouse requirements.

Notice of Availability of the Annual Fire and Security Report

Each year Northern Arizona University releases an Annual Security Report. The report is a result of a federal law known as the Clery Act. The report includes Clery reportable crime statistics for the three most recent completed calendar years and discloses procedures, practices and programs NAU uses to keep students and employees safe including how to report crimes or other emergencies occurring on campus. In addition, the Fire Safety Report is combined with the Annual Security Report for the NAU Flagstaff Mountain Campus as this campus has on-campus student housing. This report discloses fire safety policies and procedures related to on-campus student housing and statistics for fires that occurred in those facilities. If you would like a free paper copy of the report, please contact the NAUPD Records Department at (928) 523-8884 or by visiting the department at 525 E. Pine Knoll Drive in Flagstaff.

Immigration Support/Sponsorship

NAU will not provide any U.S. immigration support or sponsorship for this position.

Submit your Application

To apply for this position, please click on the "Apply" button on this page. You must submit your application by midnight of the application deadline.

If you are an individual with a disability and need reasonable accommodation to participate in the hiring process, please contact the Disability Resources Office at 928-523-8773, DR@nau.edu, or PO Box 5633, Flagstaff AZ 86011.