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 present readers with a team member or two to get to know.
NEW Resource: UVAFinance by Department
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| Sri Murthy |
What do you do as a Business Analyst?
As an Analyst, I perform two types of activities- short term fixes and long-term solutions. This involves doing certain daily activities to keep systems and processes going. This daily sense check of operations helps us identify patterns of issues that are existing in the life cycle of PSDS and gets our brain churning on how we can eliminate these problems. Our team is also part of larger cohorts that implement solutions that are helpful in enhancing the overall functionality of UVAFinance. For instance, I am now actively working on the implementation of a new OCR tool for invoice processing and also involved in improving PaymentWorks as a supplier management tool.
Who are the people/departments you work with on a regular basis?
As part of our daily work, I have the pleasure of interacting and collaborating with various units of PSDS, UVAFinance, and other UVA departments as well. We also closely collaborate with our third-party providers like Jagger, PaymentWorks, Nimbello, etc., especially during implementations of new projects or fixes to existing problems. And of course, we collaborate very closely with our vendors to help with not just reconciling their payments but to improve their overall experience with UVA.
What seasons are busiest, or what rhythms exist in your job?
As analysts, we get data and process enhancement requests all year long. This could be as simple as a question about their roles or access to the different tools, or more detailed reports that they need to help in their decision making. Having said that, Fiscal Year end is one of our busiest times, packed with current year-end closure and new fiscal year rollover activities.
What might surprise people about the work you do/this role/your department or area?
This is such an interesting question because we get from a lot of people, "what does your team actually do?" Our team is not focused on any one particular skillset, but in fact helps in problem solving and enhancing functionalities across Departments and Technologies. We need to ensure we have enough knowledge and understanding of all the tools and processes used at UVAFinance because we get questions from all over. We are who people come to when they get stuck or are not sure how to do something r how to make something better.
What do you like best about working in UVAFinance?
Definitely the people- work will be the same no matter where you go, but who you work with makes a lot of difference. I was fortunate to have found a wonderful team with amazing leaders to work with and this makes everyday work a lot more enjoyable. I love how seamless my transition was from fully on site to now fully remote. I am always able to find answers from my UVAFinance mentors and friends.
How do you connect your work with the UVAFinance Values?
As an analyst, our primary focus is data and the insights we draw from that data. A lot of people rely on the insights we provide and so it is particularly important that we deliver accurate and consistent information. I also genuinely believe in being a collaborative partner- talking to more people helps understand the problems that are out there and where we can lend a hand to jointly fill the gaps. Another key value I resonate with as an engineer is to provide innovative solutions to problems. We are in the best possible era of technology with so many advancements in AI and it is great to see UVAFinance taking the steps to be part of this revolution.
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| Patrick Wood |
What do you do as Procurement Sourcing Specialist?
Sourcing specialists assist companies in effecting more efficient sourcing processes to save costs and maximize profitability. They negotiate with suppliers to obtain goods, materials, and services at the best prices using strategic sourcing strategies and extensive knowledge of their commodity industry.
Who are the people/departments you work with on a regular basis?
I work with all departments across Grounds. However, my primary commodities include Catering, Moving & Relocation, and Athletics.
What seasons are busiest, or what rhythms exist in your job?
Our work is constant and consistent throughout the year, however purchasing may get a little more frantic during the period of fiscal year-end closing.
What might surprise people about the work you do/this role/your department or area?
Something that may surprise people is that actually, so few people handle the vast quantities of agreements for the entire university and for the level of complexity the work holds.
What do you like best about working in UVAFinance?
The depth of the information we acquire in handling the university's expenditures and knowing how to accomplish purchases are some of my favorite things about working in UVAFinance.
How do you connect your work with the UVAFinance Values?
I adhere to the key initiatives of the 2030 plan of cultivating staff success- we cannot achieve our aspirations unless we have a talented and fulfilled University staff. We will prioritize recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and creating an inclusive and supportive environment in which staff are recognized as integral to the success of our mission. We will also build on existing leadership programs and develop robust career paths across the University.
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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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