Financial & External Award Analyst

493281

Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States

Dean's Office A&S

Accounting/Finance Data Analysis

Full-time Staff

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• $54,000+ commensurate experience Annual, Exempt
• 40 hours per week
• 100% Remote Work Availability: No
• Hybrid Work Availability: No

Purpose of Position

Provide management of financial activities through ensuring that objectives and goals of the college and its departments are met. This position will support components of externally funded research and serve as financial specialist for the dean’s office and departments within the College of Arts & Sciences. Key functions include the following.

• Budget set up and management
• Manage financial activities and assure accuracy of fund sources used for expenditures
• Initiate and/or manage procurement and payment processes for dean-level fund sources
• Establish and share college protocol for financial transactions
• Provide department-level advice regarding financial processes common across the college

Duties & Responsibilities

• Support for Externally Funded Grants and Contracts
  • Collaborate with Research & Sponsored Program Development staff, principal investigator (PI)/CoPIs to have a clear understanding of budget resources approved by sponsors of externally funded awards and ensure budget includes accurate financial information (salary, fringe rates, F&A rate) and determine reasonableness in relation to work proposed, agency regulations and University policy.
  • Review terms, conditions, and budget resources of awards to A&S PIs, and if there is any cost share related to awards, discuss with the PI/CoPIs and Grants & Contracts Accounting to ensure PI/CoPIs expectations are clear for proper recording and tracking of the cost share and that it is completed according to sponsor requirements.
  • Complete the Award Budget Setup (ABS) form utilizing the proposal documents and budget justification and send to Grants & Contracts Accounting for grant project setup.
  • Collaborate with PI to reconcile budget to actuals, and review transactions to ensure proper expenses, as necessary.
  • Collaborate with Grants & Contracts Accounting to assist in project closeout in the financial system.
  • Serve as a liaison between the PI and Grants & Contracts Accounting regarding project setups, overdrafts, unallowable expenses, cost share reporting issues etc.
  • Read and analyze opportunity notices/requests for proposals/solicitations to assist in preparing budget and budget justifications consistent with the requirements and maintain working knowledge of policies and procedures to ensure PIs and research staff are familiar with requirements related to sponsored projects.
  • Assist faculty, staff, and/or department staff with budget support and completion of required management reports, such as preparing monthly, quarterly, and annual grant financial reports, as necessary.
• Procurement and Budget Activities
  • Under direction of CBO, gather information and input budgets for A&S local funds during annual budget process. In consultation with CBO, initiate or direct transfer of funds as needed within A&S and its departments, and through coordination with other staff, ensure all steps for faculty research initiatives funded by the college are complete. This includes, but is not limited to recipient notification, determination of fund source(s), and transfer of funds. Track expenditures when necessary.
  • Distribute budget and fund information to departments at the start of each fiscal year and throughout the year as changes occur. Respond to resulting questions.
  • Gather information, initiate contracts, and manage payments for goods and services using UND’s procurement module for purchases >$10,000.
  • Manage purchasing processes & payments for goods/service, including travel expense reimbursements, oversee expenditures from A&S divisional appropriated, local and alumni funds to ensure availability of funds prior to authorization of payments, serve in the role of shopper and approver within Jaggaer for the Dean’s office and audit and approve departmental-level expenditures from college-level funds based on dean commitment.
  • Submit invoices to SSC for processing of payment. Routine payments may be assigned to other staff.
  • Collect financial commitments made by the Dean or administrative team. Create and maintain accurate record of dean-level commitments as a tool to be referenced by self and other members of the dean’s staff.
  • Manage daily financial decisions and determine appropriate source(s) for payment of expenses, track funding and appointment details for appointment of post-doctoral research positions that involve dean-level funding, and track new faculty start-up commitments and transfer funding according to contract agreement.
  • Responsible for budget transfers associated with college-level equipment allocation process research and resolve accounting discrepancies identified for all A&S divisional funds and assist departments as requested.
  • Request new fund numbers, maintain a Purchasing Card, serve as signing authority for Dean-level purchases and agreements as directed and initiate Facilities project requests and/or provide signature approval for projects approved by the dean.
  • Participate in monitoring of alumni foundation funds to ensure appropriate expenditure levels occur annually. Serve as liaison between department-level personnel and the Alumni Foundation to document difficulty spending funds according to fund criteria.
• Financial Advisor for Arts & Sciences (Initial College-Level Contact)
  • Serve as advisor to Dean, administrative team and department-level administration in regard to financial practices and allowable expenditures. Research and interpret financial regulations, policies and allowable expenses to ensure that the college adheres to university and state regulations. Enforce policies and procedures within the college.
  • Serve as A&S liaison between departments and Shared Services regarding contracts and services provided and run monthly budget deficit report, create an action plan alongside department-level personnel and communicate the course of action to SSC for resolution of fund deficits.
  • Create and communicate best practices to aid departments with planning and reimbursement of on-campus visits for new faculty recruitment and other payment processes that are common A&S departments.
• Manage Graduate Tuition Waiver Processes
  • Serve as dean-level contact and communicate college process to department personnel to communicate semester departmental allocations for graduate tuition waivers and collect, review, and process department-level graduate tuition waiver requests.
• Manage Inventory Processes
  • Serve as college level contact and liaison between Asset Management and A&S departments to manage inventory processes on behalf of Arts & Sciences and its departments, including managing annual Space Inventory, major equipment, and minor Equipment

Required Competencies

• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Excellent organizational and prioritization skills
• Ability to multi-task and manage complex processes
• Demonstrated leadership and problem-solving skills
• Ability to solve issues independently
• Ability to work collaboratively across all institutional lines
• Ability to communicate effectively with a diverse community of students, faculty, staff with tact and diplomacy
• Willingness to adapt to new technologies and process methods
• Self-initiative, integrity and reliability

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor degree in Accounting, Finance or related fields
• 3+ years experience in an academic, business or related setting or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Experience with Microsoft Office; Word, Excel and Outlook
• Successful Completion of a criminal history records check.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the US and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. This position does not support visa sponsorship for continued employment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with grants and contracts, federal and non-federal
• Knowledge and experience in PeopleSoft (HRMS, Finance), Jaggaer, and other NDUS financial systems
• Higher-Education or non-profit work experience, or equivalent combination of education/experience

To Apply

To assure full consideration, applications must be received by October 6, 2023