Grants and Contracts Accountant

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Job Summary:

Job Description:

Responsibilities:

Grant and Contract Management

• Monitor financial activity for federal, state, local, and private grants and contracts.

• Review expenditures to ensure allowability, allocability, reasonableness, and compliance with sponsor requirements.

• Establish and maintain grant and contract accounts within the university's Workday system.

• Reconcile grant and contract accounts on a regular basis based on requirements.

• Track grant budgets and expenditures to prevent overspending or fund deficits. Communication with PIs and departments when overspending occurs.

• Recording of receivables and deferred revenue at year-end, providing detailed listings by grant that make up each total for year-end schedules.

Financial Reporting

• Prepare and submit financial reports required by sponsoring agencies.

• Generate monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting for grant-funded projects in conjunction with preparing invoices for each sponsor and related documentation requirements.

• Assist departments and principal investigators with budget monitoring and financial analysis.

• Prepare reports for university leadership regarding sponsored programs.

• Prepare annual SEFA-Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards.

Compliance and Audit Support

• Ensure compliance with federal regulations, including Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200), sponsor requirements, and university policies.

• Assist with internal and external audits of grants, including the Single Audit, Research & Development cluster when applicable.

• Maintain supporting documentation and audit trails for all financial transactions.

• Complete journal entries as needed, and grant closeout activities.

• Overseeing and monitoring of time and effort reporting for all grants.

Budget Development and Analysis

• Assist faculty and administrators with grant budget preparation.

• Analyze budget variances and provide recommendations for corrective actions.

• Ensure sub recipient monitoring analysis is performed and tracked on an annual basis, including SAM.gov debarment requirements are met.

Grant Closeout

• Coordinate financial closeout of grants and contracts.

• Verify that all expenses have been properly recorded and reported.

• Prepare final financial reports and reconciliations.

• Ensure timely return of unspent funds when required.

Collaboration and Customer Service

• Serve as a financial resource for faculty, staff, and department administrators.

• Provide training and guidance regarding grant accounting procedures and sponsor regulations.

• Work closely in coordination with the Grants Office and Principal Investigators (PIs).

• Works daily with members of Financial Services to plan, coordinate, solve problems, and present information and suggestions related to mutual goals.

Other Tasks

• Annual preparation HERD survey

• Prepare Indirect Cost Proposals

• Perform physical inventory of equipment purchased with federal funds

• Drawing down funds from government agencies and sponsors according to prepared invoices and reconciling to the General Ledger.

• Maintain files for each grant/contract.

• Assist the Finance team with backup and coverage for other positions as needed.

• Assists in testing Workday related upgrades and providing training programs for university staff for new or revised processes and procedures.

• Provides support on special projects and data analysis for the Associate Vice President of Finance, Controller, Director of Budget and Resource Management, and Director of Procurement as needed.

• Pursues professional development opportunities to keep pace with demands for services and information, including maintaining relevant information about the department and university.

• Completes the annual performance review process with supervisor to understand job performance expectations and department and university goals.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance.

• Two to five years of accounting experience, preferably in higher education, government, nonprofit, or grant accounting.

• Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

• Experience with financial reporting and account reconciliations.

• Proficiency with Excel spreadsheets including pivot tables.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with sponsored research accounting in higher education.

• Knowledge of federal grant regulations and Uniform Guidance.

• Experience with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems such as Workday.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Attention to detail and accuracy.

• Ability to interpret grant agreements and sponsor regulations.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities.

• Knowledge of basic principles, concepts and methodology of accounting required.

• Ability to use independent judgment in planning and controlling non-routine activities.

• Ability to maintain confidentiality of accounting records.

• Advanced Excel and financial reporting skills.

Relationships

Continuous contact with members of own work unit, Financial Services, Facilities Services, Information Technology, Human Resources, President’s Office, Vice Presidents, division directors, and members of other departments to exchange information and explanation of policies, procedures, regulations, acceptable practices and functions.  Developing positive, collaborative working relationships is essential to the success of this position. Clear and concise communication is required to successfully fulfill job duties efficiently and effectively.

Reports To: University Controller

This position reports directly to the University Controller in the Finance and Administration department with a dotted line reporting structure to Director of Grants and Research Administration. This position will work closely with the Grants Office and receive training, direction and guidance from the Grants office.  Work is performed independently except where the interpretation of law, policy, rule, complex procedure or request for exception is required.

Working Conditions

• Work is performed under usual office conditions with long periods of working at a desk and in front of a computer screen. The Grants Accounting position will be eligible for one or two remote workdays per week after one year of service, with supervisor approval.

• Responsible for own work. Exercises independent judgement and discretion, as it relates to the application of established University policies and procedures.

• Routine work is performed independently, involves deadlines, interruptions and handling multiple tasks.

• Tasks involve multiple procedures with interrelated processes or steps. Work involves choosing the appropriate option or procedure to follow and applying established rules and procedures.

• Understanding of how workflows are structured is essential to completing work related tasks in a timely manner.

• Errors are readily detected in the normal course of work by standard check or crosscheck.

• Follows safety procedures consistent with an office environment. May frequently travel to other parts of the University campus, with infrequent off-campus travel.

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