Accounting Clerk - Research

Job Summary:
Reporting to the Finance Manager, Restricted Funds or designate, the Accounting Clerk – Research prepares external research grant financial statements, financial reports, reviews and monitors grants files and sets up new grant accounts in a grant database.  The Accounting Clerk - Research prepares invoices for grant agencies and other agencies and reconciles grant sub-ledger accounts to the general ledger.  Assists with national and international granting and industry audit teams as required. The Accounting Clerk-Research also recommends changes to accounting procedures and implements as approved.

Duties/Accountabilities:

1. Prepares external research grant financial statements such as income statements by performing tasks such as monitoring grant agency and industry contract guidelines, and monitoring transactions and expenditures of monies received from grant agencies.
2. Develops and prepares periodic financial reports such as grant reporting schedules for each agency to meet their specific and varied requirements.  Extracts and compiles information from payroll, general ledger and human resource computer programs to track expenditures.
3. Investigates and resolves overdue grant accounts by performing tasks such as preparing accounts receivable listing of overdue grants and reconciles to the general ledger account, identifies accounts in a deficit position and follows up by initiating or responding to granting agencies and research department’s via correspondence or telephone inquiries.  Prepares high volume invoices for grant agencies on a quarterly basis on a tight deadline.  Posts computerized billing information and related receivables data.
4. Reviews policies and procedures related to research projects for efficiency and makes recommendations for changes to improving collection of outstanding invoices, CIHR-UBC invoicing, accruals, project setup etc. Recommends changes to Manager and implements upon approval.
5. Responsible for maintaining recurring journal entries by performing duties such as adding, deleting, and changing standard journal entry set-ups.
6. Processes general ledger journal entries for all research projects by performing tasks such as reviewing all entries for accuracy and referring incorrect entries to appropriate staff for correction. Corrects journal entries as required.
7. Performs financial analysis such as variance analysis of expenditures and revenues by performing tasks such as income statements and balance sheet accounts, and making comparisons to budgets or prior year data, and reviewing financial statements to ensure all journal entries have been accounted for and all charges have been put into the proper accounts.
8. Maintains research grant database by performing tasks such as setting up new grant accounts in the database by inputting granting agency terms and conditions, total funding dollars, and reporting schedule, extracting information identifying parameters and provisions of grants, and monitoring items such as terms, conditions, encumbrances and deadlines.
9. Reconciles grant sub-ledger accounts to the general ledger by performing tasks such as reviewing and checking data input for accuracy, following up on discrepancies, adjusting journal entries to rectify discrepancy or forwarding correction to payroll and referring any unresolved discrepancies to the manager.
10. Prepares year end working papers such as lead sheets for balance sheets and income statement, as well as any required supporting schedules for auditors. Also liaises with the auditors to provide them with explanation, information and analysis for research projects.
11. Prepares financial and statistical standardized reports such as the number of grants currently open and the FTE count, using spreadsheet and database software.  Reviews data to ensure accuracy of information and reports any anomalies to the manager.
12. Prepares routine journal entries from a variety of source documents such as department usage reports, invoice requests and cash reports.
13. Performs related duties assigned.

Qualifications:
Education, Training and Experience

• Grade 12, completion of two years of the CMA or CGA program and four years’ recent related experience or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to deal with others effectively.
• Physical ability to carry out the duties of the position.
• Ability to supervise
• Ability to organize work.
• Ability to operate related equipment.