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Minneapolis, Minnesota
Grosse Pointe Woods, MI
Austin, Texas
Menlo Park, California
Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan
This role is Hybrid with a maximum of 2 days per month in our King of Prussia, PA Office.
Posted: 31-Oct-23
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Salary: 54,475.20 - 99,860.80
Internal Number: 358415
Position Summary
Serve as sponsored and non-sponsored accountant for assigned faculty and their chartstrings, including responsibility to monitor and report financial activity, provide fiscal oversight, audit, reconcile, forecast accurate balances, and analyze data and transactions for compliance. Interpret award regulations and relate to principle investigators and lab staff, as well as proactively identify and resolve issues related to carry forward requests, no cost extensions, rebudgeting requirements, grant close-outs, changes in personnel, cost-share/salary cap compliance, and effort certification. Provide expertise to faculty and other stakeholders on complex financial accounting, reporting and fiscal management issues. Demonstrate proficient knowledge base, strong communication skills, and capacity to work both independently and as part of a team.
Position Description
25% - Prepare monthly and annual reports for assigned faculty and departmental accounts. Prepare detailed and complex financial analysis of assigned accounts to problem solve, identify areas of concern, document for audit purposes, and recommend a course of action to resolve any issues. Analyze situations that arise and use judgment to interpret grant, contract, and University regulations. Monitor spending activity on assigned accounts and reconcile account activity on a monthly basis; resolve accounting issues identified during reconciliation. Must be proficient to interpret and apply policy to grant management situations outside of the box.
20% - Facilitate meetings with principal investigators regarding the monitoring of grant expenditures and balances, and advise on other related non-sponsored financial accounting matters by keeping the principle investigator and the finance manager informed of current and projected balances. Provide data and recommendations regarding account balances, budgeting practices, and accounting functions. Provide support and recommendations regarding administrative requests to the sponsor such as submission of re-budget requests, no-cost extension letters, changes to key personnel, requests for carryover of unspent funds, budget short falls/overruns, as well as subaward activity and contract set up and amendments.
15% - Serve as a resource, consulting with principal investigators, administrative/lab staff, and other accounting and payroll staff regarding financial services, practices, and policy and procedure interpretation related to procurement allowances, travel, appropriate justification preparations, p-card usability, and other financial regulatory activities. Serve as liaison between the principal investigator and the Office of Sponsored Projects Administration, Sponsored Financial Reporting and department staff, interpreting and explaining policy and procedural requirements. Work within the team to provide information to resolve gaps in processes or procedures. Analyze the efficiency and adequacy of established department accounting procedures; and develop and implement changes in collaboration with the Finance Manager.
15% - Coordinate effort certification for assigned faculty and grants, including managing and monitoring payroll distributions, effort, salary commitments, salary cap issues, and budgetary implications. Communicate regularly with principle investigators regarding necessary distribution changes; process necessary corrections and set up required cost-share/salary cap correctly.
15% - Perform departmental approvals and serve as a departmental Certified Approver, including serving as point of contact for trouble-shooting and problem-solving sponsored activity issues that arise within assigned accounts. Audit and approve/deny expenditures on assigned sponsored and non-sponsored accounts based on administrative requirements of the University and sponsor. Prepare journal entries for funding transfers, cross- charges, adjustments and corrections.
10% - Attend classes, workshops, seminars, and other meetings to remain up-to-date on system and policy changes, maintain Certified Approver status, and continue professional development. Serve on various central and local committees, advisory boards and user groups.
Qualifications
All required qualifications must be documented on application materials.
Required Qualifications
- BA/BS degree plus at least 4 years of professional accounting experience or a combination of related education and relevant work experience to equal eight years.
- Experience with Excel and Word, analyzing and reconciling data in multiple systems.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external organizations, groups, team leaders, and individuals.
- Ability to prioritize multiple competing tasks with strong organizational skills.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in an academic environment and fund accounting.
- Ability to work successfully with senior management, faculty and staff at all levels of authority.
- Experience with University systems such as PeopleSoft, HRMS, EFS, Reporting Center, ECRT and EGMS.
- Familiarity with University and sponsor accounting (Federal and non-Federal) regulations.
- Demonstrated ability to anticipate business needs of the PI and/or Center, develop and analyze alternatives, and make recommendations to faculty and unit leaders regarding budgets and financial impact.
- Certified Approver
