Job Title: Financial Analyst
Duration: 1–2 years (based on performance and business need)
Location: North Chicago, IL 60064
Work Schedule: Hybrid (3 days onsite / 2 days WFH)
 
Job Overview:
This is a contract role supporting Business Operations Finance within Product Development Science & Technology (PDS&T). The Financial Analyst will focus on external spend tracking, contract management, and invoice oversight, supporting third-party vendors, outsourcing partners, and internal research teams. This is not a core accounting role—the focus is on procurement financial tracking, invoice resolution, and operational efficiency.
The role involves multi-project coordination across departments, frequent stakeholder communication, and ensuring visibility of external spend. The analyst will identify payment risks, delays, and financial discrepancies, and contribute to process improvement initiatives.
 
Key Responsibilities:

• Track, gate, and reconcile external spend vs contracted amounts.
• Resolve payment issues and manage outstanding balances.
• Utilize internal systems to create, collect, summarize, analyze, and consolidate payment history and reconcile with plans.
• Accurately enter plan and track actuals for invoice payments and milestone schedules.
• Work with cross-functional partners to ensure accurate spend tracking.
• Review contracts, purchase orders (POs), and vendor invoices to support financial tracking and invoice resolution.
• Support third-party vendors, outsourcing partners, and internal research teams.
• Coordinate across multiple projects, departments, and stakeholders.
• Challenge the status quo and ensure accuracy of final deliverables.
• Contribute to process improvement and operational efficiency initiatives.
• Maintain clear communication with internal teams and external partners regarding payments, invoices, and contracts.

 
 
Required Qualifications & Skills:
Education: 

• Bachelor’s or Associate’s degree preferred. High School diploma considered if 5+ years of relevant experience.

Experience:

• 1–2+ years with Associate/Bachelor’s degree OR 5+ years with High School diploma.
• Strong experience in SAP, preferably SAP S/4HANA.
• Strong proficiency in Excel (minimum 2+ years), including formulas, VLOOKUPs, and pivot tables.
• Experience with purchase orders, invoices, and vendor contracts.
• Background in contract financial management and spend reconciliation.
• Experience in invoice resolution and payment discrepancy handling.
• Familiarity with procurement processes and milestone-based vendor payments.

Skills:

• Strong analytical, organizational, and team skills; ability to work independently in a matrix environment.
• Excellent communication and coordination skills; comfortable interacting with multiple stakeholders.
• Ability to multi-task and adapt quickly to change.
• Familiarity with financial/accounting principles, budgets, and contracted spend.
• Strong attention to detail and accountability for accuracy.
• Comfortable reading and interpreting contracts.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Exposure to SAP S/4HANA, shopping cart creation, and purchase requisitions.
• Experience working in procurement, outsourcing, or business operations finance.
• Experience supporting scientific or research teams in a financial capacity (science knowledge not required).
• Familiarity with financial reporting tools.

Additional Notes:

• Forecasting responsibilities are limited to invoice timing and milestone payments, not budget creation or financial planning.
• The role requires professional communication with scientists and other stakeholders to gather financial data for tracking and milestone forecasting.
• Industry experience is flexible—candidates from healthcare, pharma, or other industries with procurement, invoicing, and financial process experience are welcome.
• Strong purchasing experience can compensate for limited SAP shopping cart experience; training will be provided.

 
 
At SPECTRAFORCE, we are committed to maintaining a workplace that ensures fair compensation and wage transparency in adherence with all applicable state and local laws. This position’s starting pay is: $ 40.00/hr.