Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
Profile Accomplishments
Other Credentials
Profile Accomplishments
AdministrativeAssistant
Valerie L. Howard

Valerie L. Howard

Finance Specialist
Chicago,IL

Summary

Business Administrative Associate with extensive experience at the University of Illinois at Chicago, specializing in vendor management and financial analysis. Demonstrated success in optimizing procurement processes and maintaining compliance standards. Skilled in event coordination and communication, achieving positive results in high-pressure situations. Dedicated to providing exceptional administrative support and project management.

Overview

21
21
years of professional experience

Work History

Business Administrative Associate, Procurement

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO
Chicago, IL
11.2022 - Current
  • Facilitated purchasing and payables contracts in Accounts Payables, including vendor management.
  • Delivered training on P-Card, T-Card, Chrome River, iBuy, iTravel, My-UI-Financials, Banner, EDDIE, Fact Sheets, and TeamDynamix.
  • Delegated tasks related to P-Card, T-Card, iTravel, and Chrome River usage.
  • Ensured compliance with internal controls across financial operations.
  • Contributed to college strategic planning focusing on financial and environmental sustainability.
  • Executed essential administrative tasks for Dean’s Office operations.
  • Managed daily operations within assigned units of College of Nursing while adhering to university policies.
  • Maintained confidentiality of sensitive documents across personnel, institutional, and historical records.
  • Created spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel for record-keeping and reporting.
  • Reduced financial discrepancies by accurately analyzing and managing customer orders and invoices for various Fortune 500 companies.
  • Assisted in scheduling meetings and preparing agendas for executive staff.
  • Processed invoices and expense reports, adhering to budget guidelines.
  • Assisted in preparing reports and presentations, ensuring high-quality documentation.

HR Associate, Anesthesiology

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO
Chicago, IL
04.2022 - 11.2022
  • Managed active recruitments and searches for faculty, academic professionals, civil service, and post-doctoral employees and arrange interviews, including using university-specific software, posting job ads, scheduling and coordinating interviews, and collecting feedback from interviewers to present to the search committee
  • Prepared offer letters, onboard new employees including employment verification and submission of electronic HR file to the university, and arrange health services appointments, orientation, and training
  • Managed all current HR and benefits requests and changes for current employees
  • Responded to all HR and related questions from the college and the university
  • Completed all leave processing and documentation and maintain paid time off reports
  • Served as HR liaison with other departments, OIS, colleges, and the hospital, and attended HR meetings
  • Assisted with Promotion and Tenure paperwork and Salary Planner Activities
  • Performed general office duties and related projects as assigned

Business Administrative Associate|Assistant to the Assistant Director|Office Support Specialist|Operations Clerk

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO
Chicago, IL
06.2011 - 04.2022
  • Assistant to Assistant Director responsible for end-to-end financial analysis and reporting process
  • Managed and processed payments using procurement card, travel card, and iBuy systems
  • Calculated utility (i.e., gas, electric, water/sewer, and steam) consumption and distributed costs to the appropriate units
  • Generate utility and energy reports based on data and readings
  • Prepared and processed invoices for standing orders, maintenance services, and rental services
  • Assisted in budget preparation by providing statistical and accounting data related to operating expenditures
  • Account Management: ComEd, Peoples Gas, Nicor, City of Chicago, American Water, Village of Glenview, and Solar Turbines vendor invoice payables, check analysis, disconnection notices – payment and non-payment related, invoices on hold and exceptions
  • Cost Accounting: Utilities revenue reconciliation
  • Responsible for managing intern recruitment processes, which involved creating job postings, contacting applicants, arranging interviews, placing advertisements, and responsible for leave reports and payroll
  • Managed administrative and office tasks, such as keeping central filing, faxing, scanning, mailing, copying, and typing

Reservations Agent – Ground Transportation

AIRPORT EXPRESS
Chicago, IL
05.2007 - 01.2012
  • Answered a high volume of calls accurately and expeditiously
  • Processed credit card payments
  • Assisted customers in answering most often asked questions
  • Provided excellent customer service skills to passengers

Human Resource Associate

PROSPECT EQUITIES
Chicago, IL
07.2010 - 09.2011
  • Provided human resource assistance
  • Posted apartment and housing ads on Craig’s List
  • Utilized various industry tools, like MLS Connect, Rentjuice, Adhelper, Yardi, You Got Listings, and Lexus-Nexus websites
  • Supplied customer service via various media like email, phone, and internet
  • Set up appointments for tours
  • Aided with lease signings and rent collection

Billing Specialist/Billing-Finance, Drug and Alcoholism Rehabilitation

HAYMARKET CENTER
Chicago, IL
08.2006 - 10.2010
  • Prepared and gathered documents for various grants and contracts to generate billing for outreach services and received remittance advice forms
  • Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable
  • Records Management
  • Analyzed all data entered in the database
  • Verified Insurance
  • Performed quality improvement checks on each client
  • Prepared spreadsheets

Assistant to the Associate Director, Physical Plant

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO
Chicago, IL
05.2004 - 06.2006
  • Oversaw administrative and office tasks, such as filing, faxing, mailing, copying, and typing
  • Performed human resource duties, such as writing disciplinary letters; creating, processing, and keeping employees' attendance, leave records, and benefits, processed timecards and time used charged accordingly; distributed checks, maintained employee records; processed, and tracked FMLA hours, I-9, and updated job descriptions
  • Directed daily activities of 140 employees and coordinated work schedules between staff and supervisors
  • Provided follow-up correspondence with clients and prepared management reports
  • Arranged conferences, seminars, meetings, and gatherings
  • Provided first-line customer experience via answering phones, greeting, and assisting visitors

Education

Bachelor of Business Administration - Management

Robert Morris University
Chicago, IL
12-2011

Associate of Applied Science - Computer Science

Robert Morris University
Chicago, IL
01.2002

Skills

  • Vendor management
  • Accounts payable
  • Financial analysis
  • Budget preparation
  • Procurement processes
  • Compliance management
  • Event coordination
  • Office administration
  • Customer service
  • Effective communication
  • Problem solving
  • Time management
  • Multi-tasking
  • Purchase Ordering
  • Analytical thinking
  • Business administration
  • Multitasking and time management
  • Travel arrangements
  • Invoice processing
  • Workflow management
  • Order placement
  • Excel
  • Mail management
  • Meeting facilitation
  • Project coordination
  • Document retrieval
  • Database management
  • Recordkeeping and bookkeeping

Timeline

Business Administrative Associate, Procurement

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO
11.2022 - Current

HR Associate, Anesthesiology

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO
04.2022 - 11.2022

Business Administrative Associate|Assistant to the Assistant Director|Office Support Specialist|Operations Clerk

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO
06.2011 - 04.2022

Human Resource Associate

PROSPECT EQUITIES
07.2010 - 09.2011

Reservations Agent – Ground Transportation

AIRPORT EXPRESS
05.2007 - 01.2012

Billing Specialist/Billing-Finance, Drug and Alcoholism Rehabilitation

HAYMARKET CENTER
08.2006 - 10.2010

Assistant to the Associate Director, Physical Plant

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO
05.2004 - 06.2006

Bachelor of Business Administration - Management

Robert Morris University

Associate of Applied Science - Computer Science

Robert Morris University

Profile Accomplishments

Proficient with Banner, Eddie, Procurement Card System, iBuy System, FMWeb, Oracle General Ledger, HR Front End, PARIS, JDXpert, Chrome River, Webtools, Cornerstone, I-9 Tracker, Spreadsheet Development (Microsoft Excel), Database Management (Microsoft Access and Oracle), Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word, Go Time Approver, Web Time Entry Superuser and Qgenda.

Other Credentials

Available upon request

Profile Accomplishments

Proficient with Banner, Eddie, Procurement Card System, iBuy System, FMWeb, Oracle General Ledger, HR Front End, PARIS, JDXpert, Chrome River, Webtools, Cornerstone, I-9 Tracker, Spreadsheet Development (Microsoft Excel), Database Management (Microsoft Access and Oracle), Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word, Go Time Approver, Web Time Entry Superuser and Qgenda.

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Valerie L. HowardFinance Specialist