Dartmouth Finance Training

Purpose

The Dartmouth Finance Training program will equip divisional and departmental fiscal and finance administrators with the knowledge, skills, tools, and strategies required to effectively steward resources, understand and explain financial information, and to support informed decision-making.

Outcomes

• Staff time will be optimized because everyone will be trained in efficient methods for completing their work.
• Transactions will be more accurate and completed according to defined best practices.
• Institutional decision-making will be better supported through consistent and accurate analysis and reporting.
• Practices across the institution will be standardized according to defined best practices.
• Staff in financial positions will have transferable skills enable them to move within the organization.

Finance Training Program

• Module 1: Financial Landscape at Dartmouth
• Module 2: Employee Lifecycle Management
• Module 3: Procurement
• Module 4: Ethics, Compliance, and Internal Controls
• Module 5: Analysis and Budgeting
• Module 6: Sponsored Projects Management
• Module 7: Financial Reporting
• Module 8: College Accounting
• Module 9: Financial Communication

Module 1: Financial Landscape at Dartmouth

This course will focus on building an understanding of the financial landscape at Dartmouth College. Participants will become familiar with the higher education business model, Dartmouth organizational structure and financial picture, and how their roles fit into the broader Dartmouth financial picture.

Module 2: Employee Lifecycle Management

The Employee Lifecycle session of Dartmouth’s comprehensive Financial Training will educate individuals in financial roles about expenses that are incurred for or by employees. The class will provide information on applicable processes, systems, and policies as well as an understanding of the roles and responsibilities in managing employee expenses.  Small groups will explore the many facets of employee expenses and gain an understanding of where to find resources and support for exceptional employee financial stewardship.

Module 3: Procure-to-Pay Lifecycle

This course offers participants a comprehensive understanding of the Dartmouth Procurement process, from sourcing to payment. The lesson will follow the stages of the “Procure to Pay Lifecycle,” guiding participants towards an understanding of how the policies, processes, and systems work together at each stage. Reference materials will be shared to guide participants through the various processes after the training.

Module 4: Ethics, Compliance, and Internal Controls

Dartmouth employees encounter many compliance requirements as they conduct their work on behalf of the college. This module will explore these requirements along with internal controls and ethics strategies and tools.

Module 5: Analysis and Budgeting

The objectives of this module are to introduce critical thinking and basic analytical techniques to a general audience of financial and administrative professionals. To have the participants understand different budgeting models, the budget process at Dartmouth and how projections fit into the overall budget process.

Module 6: Sponsored Projects Management

The course will provide a broad overview of the research funding landscape at Dartmouth along with the regulatory and compliance framework for providing appropriate oversight and stewardship of sponsored funds. Sponsored funding awards include terms and conditions that govern not only the spending on awards, but also seek to address a myriad of public policy and research integrity concerns. The session will introduce the audience to the various offices and roles that are involved in managing sponsored research funds and provide an overview of the framework for managing sponsored awards. This course is not intended as training for those specialized in managing grants and contracts.

Module 7: Financial Reporting

The purpose of the Financial Reporting course is to introduce the reporting tools and reports commonly used by College fiscal administrators, and to provide information and resources to encourage and facilitate future training in this area.

Module 8: College Accounting

This course will provide participants with a comprehensive overview of the accounting structure, systems, resources, and best practices used to effectively manage the financial transactions carried out at the College. Topics include understanding the chart of accounts, accounting for reserves, gifts, and endowments, as well as external and student billing and capital projects.

Module 9: Financial Communication

Learn how to effectively display and communicate financial information to ensure clear delivery and understanding of the audience. This is not a public speaking course.