Cost Accounting/Central Effort Manager
UNC-Chapel Hill • Chapel Hill, North Carolina • Full Time
Posted on Thu, Jun 18, 2026
Position SummaryUnder the supervision of the Director of Cost Analysis and Compliance (Director), the Cost Accounting/Central Effort Manager will have responsibility for the University’s (research) cost accounting and the overall effort reporting functions in the Office of Sponsored Programs ( OSP ). The Manager’s responsibilities include: - Supervision of five Accountants (three Journey ( SHRA ) and two Accountant 2 ( EHRA )) - Monitoring the review and approval of all electronic payroll actions impacting sponsored research activities. - Managing the overall effort certification function at UNC -CH, using the Effort Certification & Reporting Technology system (ecrt), to ensure the University is in full federal compliance with Uniform Guidance and institutional effort reporting operating standards. - Preparation of the University’s Facilities and Administrative (F&A) cost rate proposal ensuring that it is prepared and submitted in a fashion that complies with federal guidelines yet maximizes overhead cost recovery for the University. - Assist the Director in conducting special cost reporting analysis and communicating employee fringe benefits rates for sponsored agreement budgeting as required to support the research division. The Manager works closely with campus constituents including faculty, deans and department chair offices, administrators and effort coordinators, certifiers, and other institutional compliance functions. This position must ensure that all work has a high level of accuracy. Anything less than 100% accuracy has a potential negative impact on future awards, revenue, and audit disallowances. Errors resulting in failure to exercise required accuracy would have a grave financial impact and ultimately would erode the credibility of the Office of Sponsored Programs as well as cause irreparable harm to the University. This position is a 100% remote work arrangement, consistent with System Office policy. UNC Chapel Hill employees are generally required to reside in North Carolina, within a reasonable commuting distance of their assigned duty station.Required Qualifications, Competencies, And Experience- Ability to lead, train, and mentor others. - Position requires strong knowledge of Microsoft products and demonstrated ability to adapt quickly to new applications and various computer tools. Position requires extensive knowledge of MS Excel. - Selected candidate must demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills. - Selected candidate must be well-organized, highly flexible, detail-oriented, and demonstrate an independent work initiative. - Demonstrates ability to establish operational objectives, work plans, and delegate to team members. - Candidate must possess strong analytical and creative troubleshooting and problem-solving skills. - Must be able to manage multiple tasks and have flexibility to adjust to changing priorities. - Must have the ability to work effectively under deadline pressures/ time constraints. - Mastery of core research competencies including federal (Uniform Guidance) and sponsor guidelines, compliance issues related to time and effort reporting, audit standards, cost sharing, and other areas of financial and non-financial research compliance. - Experience with data tracking and report preparation.Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, And ExperiencePreferred candidate will possess previous experience working with: - Effort administration on sponsored agreements. - PeopleSoft Financials ERP system. - Facilities and Administrative (F&A or Indirect Cost) rate proposal development. - Strong preference will be given to candidates with previous experience using ecrt (effort reporting software) and/or CRIS (F&A rate development software). - Two or more years’ experience managing staff is a plus.