MILENA TORRES

Perform complex accounting, reporting, reconciliation, and control functions with accuracy and timeliness; providing organizational leadership through subject matter expertise; coordinating interaction with other departments and third parties contributing to CLS objectives; and playing proactive role as controller, business partner, and change agent.

• Perform complex accounting & billing processes, monthly closings & trial balance reviews, and related financial reporting to management and third parties while developing/maintaining strong internal control & compliance disciplines.
• Independently analyze assigned accounts to ensure revenues and expenses are recorded properly and prepare monthly balance sheet reconciliations.
• Prepare internal & external financial statements/schedules/footnotes and provide audit, tax, and management decision support.
• Proactively identify controllership issues/opportunities and execute continuous process improvement.
• Other duties or tasks as assigned by management.

Under the direction of the Assistant Director of General Accounting, responsible for ensuring accurate General Ledger account balances through analyses and reconciliations and assist in preparing audited Financial Statements.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Reduced paperwork by 50% by converting all desktop procedures and Donor Agreements to electronic forms
• Significantly increased productivity levels by streamlining accounting processes.
• Maintained and ensured accurate general ledger account balances through analyses and reconciliations and assisted in preparing audited financial statements.
• Handled all aspect of restricted event fund and assisted in monitoring all gifts for proper general ledger handling and valuation and set up of Banner restricted funds.
• Prepared journal entries, and any related analysis, including variance analysis of budget vs Actual Results for assigned areas, providing explanations of any material variances.
• Implemented corrective measures that decreased minor accounting discrepancies in the bank reconciliation by 50%.
• Reviewed and reconciled University Advancement (Raiser’s Edge) systems interface to the Banner Finance system and investigated discrepancies.
• Reconciled pledges receivable from Raiser’s Edge to Banner general ledger and calculated year-end discount and Allowances for doubtful accounts.
• Assisted in closing financial books and records, monthly and annually.
• Prepared year-end audit schedule and confirmations.
• Worked closely with Business Information Systems and Financial Systems and Innovation to have document text for restricted funds displayed via Pipeline and Unimarket.
• Managed and ensured accuracy of revenue, receivable and expense accounts.
• Analyzed deficiencies and recommended improvements to senior management: numerous ideas were adopted and used as standards to improve efficiency, workflow, accuracy, policies and procedures.
• Updated all necessary spreadsheets including Federal and State Grant analysis and other using V-Look Ups and Pivot Tables.
• Assisted in the preparing annual non-research portions of Federal A-133 and State 15-08 reports.
• Assisted in compiling information for Federal 990 for Foundation at New Jersey Institute of Technology.
• Reviewed and approved all non-research restricted funded purchase requisitions after ensuring the expense complies with donor restrictions, if any, and the functional expense classification is proper.
• Prepared reports and analyses using Banner and Cognos queries.
• Assisted stakeholders and requesters in understanding account balances and contents.

• Identified and investigated variances to financial plans and forecast.
• Played a key role in annual audits, compilation of date and preparing detailed reports.
• Reduced liabilities by accurately managing voucher approvals, mailings, journal entries, payments and transfers.
• Developed new and complex spreadsheets to help produce monthly management reports much quicker, reducing production time from five days to two.
• Responsible for preparing monthly bank reconciliation statements and adjusting journal entries.
• Oversaw transaction and general ledger account reconciliation process.
• Responsible for completion of Financial Data Section for IPEDS and Middle States reports.
• Received multiple reviews acknowledging level of dedication to excellent customer service.

• Handled all functions related to accounts payable.
• Ensured proper coding, voucher entries and prepared daily check runs.
• Set up new vendors and maintained vendor database and files.
• Assisted in preparation of journal entries for monthly financial statements
• Handled accounts payable related inquiries.
• Bank and GL account reconciliations.
• Assessed and reviewed all invoices/paperwork processed for price discrepancies and confirmed applicable sales.
• Tax and IRS mileage rates rules and regulations.
• Followed up with vendors to collect specific financial information and verify details for preparation of annual 1099 forms.
• Determined and recommended adequate financial and internal controls.
• Administer and overlook approximately 200 expense reports for all departments and enforce compliance rules and regulations.
• Performed online banking functions, such as check upload for positive pay information.
• Analyzed and reviewed expenditures of funds for Federal grants to ensure compliance.
• Responsible for booking monthly mailroom charges and office supplies expenses.

• Performed variety of administrative and general office services to support operations department.
• Collected and reviewed data and maintained data entries within a computerized system.
• Maintained strict confidentiality and security of records, received and disseminated correspondence to appropriate staff, and handled data security coding.
• Coded and keyed data for ID card processing and parking tags for all faculty, staff and students.
• Identified and resolved production related errors.
• Maintained control logs, records and coding schemes to process source data using pre-established guidelines to perform functions.
• Reduced coding and keying time by 80% by implementing system.