Student Financial Services Advisor

How to Apply

A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.

Job Summary

Department Summary:

Student Life Budget and Finance (SLBF) supports the Student Life departments of Housing, Dining, Unions, Conference and Events, University Health Services (UHS), Michigan Recreation and many departments, centers and programs within Student Life.  SLBF prepares monthly, quarterly and annual financial reports, prepares annual budgets, data analysis, procurement and accounts receivable support across Student Life. SLBF also facilitates the annual Internal Controls gap analysis process, provides financial system and business process training as well as updates to U of M processes and policies within Student Life.

Position Summary:

This position is responsible for supporting 1,700+ student organizations and assists with managing approximately 2,000 student organization accounts for the Student Organization Account Services (SOAS) office within Student Life. The SOAS office and this role act as a liaison between the student organization population and university financial units, including Share Services Center, Procurement, and others. This position will supervise one to seven student employees depending on semester and staffing levels and will report to the Financial Specialist Senior-SOAS Lead.

This role directly engages with both student organization leadership and UM departments to provide payment guidance, educate students on federal, state, and University policies, and guide them on accounting best practices. Responsibilities range from performing daily tasks to solving unique problems as they occur.

This position will manage the SOAS office and lead the daily operations as a whole.  Additionally, this position will manage calls, emails, and walk-ins when student employees are absent.

Responsibilities*

General questions & daily tasks- 45%

• Assist student leaders with all forms of payment processing and investigate transactions on behalf of organizations as they occur
• Daily tasks include setting up new SOAS accounts, submitting vehicle rental requests, payment approval workflows, managing returned check requests, among others
• Communicate through email, over the phone, and in person via walk-ups
• Update annual trainings and procedures
• Conduct group and individual trainings for Student Organizations
• Facilitate processes and projects that occur on differing timelines (per term/bi-annual, yearly, etc)
• Problem solving with other Student Life and University departments

Leadership- 25%

• Lead SOAS operations on a daily basis
• Train and supervise student employees
• Represent the SOAS office when collaborating with departments across the university
• Assist staff and advisors with questions

Manage Authorized Signer System- 20%

• Update the Signer Management system queue daily
• Confirm nominated Authorized Signers as needed
• Notify groups of their current status in the process

Miscellaneous- 10%

• Support student organization payment processes
• Pull reports and synthesize information from University systems, including MPathways and Business Objects
• Track and notify student organizations in deficit
• Facilitate processes and projects that occur on differing timelines (per term/bi-annual, yearly, etc)
• Other tasks/projects as assigned

Required Qualifications*

• Bachelor's degree or minimum 5 years of equivalent experience
• 1-3 years work experience in business, finance, or higher education administration
• Experience in customer service
• This position leads a student-facing department while managing a student staff, so a physical presence on campus is required and some flexibility to work remotely if needed

Desired Qualifications*

• Working knowledge of the University's policy and procedures
• Working knowledge of University systems (Google Docs, M-Pathways, Business Objects, M-Reports)
• Experience working with the University's Shared Service Center
• Experience working with diverse student populations

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Additional Information

This role may have reporting obligations under Title IX and Clery.

Authorization to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment and applicants for this position will not be sponsored for work visas.

Selected candidates whose start date is between 4/1/2026 - 9/1/2026 will not be eligible for the university FY26-27 salary/merit plan unless otherwise notified.

Salary may vary depending on qualifications, experience, and education of the selected candidate.

Relocation will not be offered for this role.

#studentlife

Position Responsibilities Criteria (leadership and behavioral qualities expected in this position):

• Ability to multi-task and be able to work independently in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to be proactive in creating new processes and improving current processes
• Strong attention to detail
• Must be able to concisely explain complex systems to those of varying knowledge
• Demonstrated excellent communication skills especially related interpreting policy/procedure to student groups
• Demonstrated excellent presentation skills utilizing current technology 

 Financial/Budgetary Responsibility:

Financial advisement on University and SOAS policies.  No budgeting or financial reporting

Working Conditions:

Deliver presentations to the University community which may occur after standard working hours
SOAS Office, 3021 Michigan Union 530 S. State Street Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1349
Hybrid: Onsite 4 days and remote 1 days

Direct Reports:

Supervises 1-8 temporary student employees.  Number of students determined by semester.

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.