Finance & Administration Specialist

Finance & Administration Specialist

The University of Southern Mississippi is currently accepting applications for the position of Finance & Administration Specialist.

Position Details

Location: Hattiesburg
118 College Drive
Hattiesburg, Mississippi, 39406-0001
United States

Division: School of Social Sciences and Global Studies

Position Type: Staff

Employment Status: Full Time

Grant Funded: No

Pay Grade: E07

Posting Close Date: June 22, 2026

Special Instructions to Applicants

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without the need for visa sponsorship. The University will not sponsor applicants for work visas (e.g., H-1B).

Job Summary

Coordinates financial, administrative, and grant activities, such as budget administration and control, recordkeeping, and project management in support of operations for CMCB faculty, staff and students. Supports CMCB Director and faculty in meeting the operational requirements of the Center and coordinating specified administrative activities and reporting requirements. This position is essential as it is the first point of contact for anyone within the Center, university community, and public.

Primary Job Duties and Responsibilities

1. Provide administrative support for the Center faculty, staff, and students, including, but not limited to, event planning, calendar/scheduling and correspondence and acts as support for Center to include, but not limited to, corresponsing with persons/institutions associated with or interested in Center, preparing and sending necessary forms, maintaining appropriate files and working with Center faculty, staff, students, university community, and public to ensure success; responsible for maintaining Center's social media, website, and public relations documents for Center.
2. Monitors, reconciles, and assists with fiscal administration for the Center and Center faculty, including but not limited to budgets, funding, grant proposals and award management, contracts, payroll, employment, travel, and/or purchasing. Assists Director in the preparation of annual budget requests to the University.
3. Assists in administrative problem solving, program/project planning, development, and execution of Center goals and objectives. Efforts may include researching information, compiling statistics, and gathering and computing various data; preparing special and/or one-time reports, summaries, or replies to inquires, selecting relevant data from a variety of sources.
4. Coordinates and completes necessary processes and forms to administer the hiring of Center faculty, staff, student workers and graduate/teaching assistants. Remains in communication with Human Resources to ensure that new hires are onboarded appropriately.
5. Prepares and processes all requests for purchases and other expenditures from school accounts, which includes reviewing for availability of funds, communicating with vendors, transmitting approved requests to the appropriate university unit, and monitoring requests through to delivery for Center and Center faculty.
6. Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and 2 years of related experience; or Associate's degree from an accredited college or university and 4 years of experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified (directly related experience can be substituted for education on a year for year basis).

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA)

• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to gather data, compile information, and prepare and edit reports.
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence in Microsoft Office.
• Knowledge of human resources concepts, practices, policies, and procedures.
• Ability to maintain cooperative relationships with colleagues.
• Ability to analyze and solve problems.
• Ability to train and supervise assigned student workers.
• Skill in organizing resources and establishing priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal, organizational, oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to exercise discretion, confidentiality and judgement in dealing with sensitive issues.
• Ability to make day-to-day operational decisions.
• Knowledge of computerized information systems used in financial and/or accounting applications.
• Ability to maintain and perform basic budgetary functions.
• Knowledge of general accounting principles

Preferred Qualifications

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in office administration, accounting, business administration, or finance.

The University of Southern Mississippi has remained dedicated to preparing students for success since our founding in 1910. We deliver programs to more than 13,000 students in Hattiesburg and Long Beach, at teaching and research sites across the Mississippi Gulf Coast, as well as online. We are a community-engaged Carnegie R1 university, earning distinction as one of the nation's leading research institutions.

Southern Miss is known for pioneering work in polymer science, ocean science, spectator sports safety and security, and bringing language to children with communication disorders. We are also a national leader in a broad range of disciplines, including cybersecurity, hydrography, nutrition, aquaculture, kinesiology, and economic development, among others.

We produce graduates ready to enter fields that are leading the way in emerging technologies through programs such as computer engineering, information technology, and ocean engineering. We're developing the next generation of business leaders, while also responding to critical workforce shortages by producing skilled professionals in education and nursing. With a tradition of excellence in the arts, we are one of only 36 public institutions in the nation accredited in four major areas of the arts. Home to the Golden Eagles, our student-athletes compete in 17 NCAA Division I sports. With a culture marked by passion and persistence, Southern Miss is delivering graduates who are ready for life.

The University of Southern Mississippi is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. EOE/VETS/DISABILITY.