A lot has changed in UVAFinance in the past few years (understatement!). There are many new faces, changes to the organizational structure, and lots of differences in the way we do our jobs. When remote and hybrid work is added into the mix, it's easy to become unsure about which department does what and who works where.
Introducing UVAFinance is a recurring blog feature created to introduce our team to our team, a couple of members at a time. Every other week, we'll present readers with two team members to get to know. To understand how these colleagues are situated within the greater UVAFinance structure,
check out this resource on the UVAFinance website. (Keep in mind that it's not an org chart, but rather a map of what functions of central finance exist in which general areas.)
Let's go!
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Linda Estepp, Local Support PartnerWhat do you do as a Local Support Partner?
Local Support Partners, or LSPs, are part of a partnership with all schools and units and ITS; we're registered with ITS as a person providing technological support for an internal department. We're the first line of support when something goes wrong with your laptop, printer, the conference room technology, etc. We also provide guidance on what technology is available to assist with their specific needs.
Who do you work with on a regular basis?
I work with all finance departments, plus Student Financial Services (SFS), the University Registrar (UREG), and Information Security. And of course, I work with my teammates Mike Hayton and Micah Boothe.
What seasons are busiest, or what rhythms exist in your job?
Our time is regulated by our customers' needs, so day to day, it varies. We are busy at the end of the fiscal year, and busy during registration because we support SFS and UREG. It's been interesting how the hybrid work environment has impacted us: people aren't always in set spaces, sometimes they are only in the office for a short while and need something looked at. It has changed the dynamic somewhat.
What might surprise people about the work you do?
One thing that might surprise people is that not all technical support people at the University are LSPs. Another interesting fact is that we onboard an average of five new users per month.
What do you like best about working in UVAFinance?
I used to support just Procurement, all by myself. Now that I work for UVAFinance as a whole, I get to work with other LSPs and that has helped me as a professional. I have colleagues who do the same work as me to consult with and troubleshoot with.
How do you connect your work with the UVAFinance values?
Our team really does try to provide excellent service and support, and through our work, we want to be a trusted partner for our UVAFinance teammates.
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Jack Jensen, Training & Development SpecialistWhat do you do as a Training & Development Specialist?
My job primarily involves developing training classes and training materials, which include Quick Reference Guides (QRGs) and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). My areas of responsibility include departmental training for Procurement and Accounts Payable functionality, and the finance side of the Payroll functionality, which is mainly Costing Allocations and Payroll Accounting Adjustments. I have been heavily involved in the development and delivery of the Lean training classes. I also serve as a departmental problem-solving contact in these areas.
Who do you work with on a regular basis?
In my training development role, I work closely with our other trainers and functional Subject Matter Experts to make sure we are providing consistent, accurate, and thorough training materials. I also work closely with departmental finance professionals to provide them with the information and training that they need, and to help them resolve problems that they encounter in their daily work.
What seasons are busiest, or what rhythms exist in your job?
I wouldn’t say that we really have a busy season. Obviously, we were extremely busy during the Workday development and implementation process. That has slowed down considerably as everyone is getting used to the nuances of Workday. We are now beginning to focus more on other training initiatives, such as starting up the Lean training again.
What might surprise people about the work you do?
A good portion of my daily work is working 1:1 with departmental finance professionals to answer questions that they may have and help them solve problems that they encounter. I have an hour blocked off in my schedule four days a week for 1:1 time with departments.
What do you like best about working in UVAFinance?
Without question, it’s the people. I have been blessed with some incredible colleagues and a wonderful director in our training department. I couldn’t ask for a better team. Everyone in central finance has been so helpful and nice to work with. While I really enjoy training development, the part of my job that I enjoy the most is the 1:1 problem-solving with departments. I have developed some strong working relationships with a number of people in departments across grounds and enjoy my small part in helping them do their jobs well.
How do you connect your work with the UVAFinance values?
The UVAFinance Values are at the heart of what we do in the training department. Values of continuous improvement, service excellence, collaboration, and delivery of accurate, consistent, and reliable information are who we are and what we strive for.
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UVAFinance Mission & Values / UVAFinance Organizational Structure / Past Introductions can be found on our site under "Resource Shelf"
Would you like to be featured in Introducing UVAFinance? Want to suggest a colleague to be featured? Email bv8h@virginia.edu
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