Jobs UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOULDER

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Grant Accountant, Senior

Requisition Number:

59920

Location:

Boulder, Colorado

City

Boulder

State

Colorado

Employment Type:

University Staff

Schedule:

Full-Time

Posting Close Date:

27-Oct-2024

Date Posted:

14-Oct-2024
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Job Summary

The Campus Controller’s Office welcomes applications for the position of Campus Grant Accountant! The University of Colorado Boulder is a Tier One, nationally competitive research university with a $2.00B annual operating budget. The University is focused on cultivating its instruction and research, increasing its innovative impact at the national and international level through collaboration, transformation, and leadership. The Campus Controller’s Office (CCO) provides critical support to the mission by ensuring fiscal responsibility, accurate financial reporting, and compliance with laws, regulations, policies/procedures, and contract requirements. Research Financial Services (RFS) within the CCO ensures proper management and financial oversight for sponsored projects. RFS prepares financial reports and invoices, manages all revenue cycle activities for the research enterprise, coordinates financial closeouts, and works directly with the Office of Contracts and Grants (OCG) to coordinate information for post award activities. RFS works closely with campus partners to manage all aspects of the financial post award lifecycle including award setup, invoicing, revenue management, compliance monitoring, and closeout.

This position is responsible for handling a med-high to high complexity sponsor desk that includes 350+ projects and at least $150M in cumulative expenditures for active accounts.

The University of Colorado Boulder is committed to building a culturally diverse community of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to contributing to an inclusive campus environment. We are an Equal Opportunity employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

The Campus Controller's Office maintains and supports the university's fiscal responsibility through accurate financial accounting and reporting and in compliance with laws, regulations, policies/procedures and contract requirements for sponsored projects. We provide oversight, assistance and training in financial stewardship for the campus. 

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Administer fiscal operations of sponsored grants and contracts. (Strategic Priority: Process Excellence)
  • Analyze approved budgets and award/contract documents issued by funding agencies for all applicable fiscal, post-award, billing, payment, closeout reporting requirements, and terms and conditions for a specific award portfolio comprised of 400+ projects and at least $150M in cumulative expenditures. 
  • Notify campus partners (Principal Investigator, Dean/Director, and Department/Institute Research Administrator) through written and oral correspondence of specific grant/contract financial restrictions and terms and conditions. Notify campus partners of any subsequent changes to these terms and conditions. Maintain and enforce policies and procedures to ensure compliance with all fiscal requirements related to the assigned awards and/or contracts.
  • Interpret and analyze University accounting data for compliance according to the approved budget and all applicable policies and guidelines (i.e., University, Federal, State, funding agency). Communicate lapses in compliance to campus partners and CCO leadership as applicable. Coordinate the resolution of post-award issues in collaboration with campus partners, funding agency and CCO leadership.
  • Review and process requests from campus partners for administrative and/or processing changes (e.g. indirect cost and/or budget adjustments, cost transfers, spending control edits, project end dates).
  • Establish, maintain, and reconcile grant/contract records to ensure compliance with specific grant provisions or restrictions. This may include cost sharing, fixed assets, budgetary restrictions, etc. Sponsors for this position may include, but not limited to one or more of the following: National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Commerce, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) or National Institutes of Health (NIH). 
  • Facilitate award closeout procedures including performing final reviews of awards/contracts/project expenditures, payments and accounts receivable. Process closing entries in the University's accounting system as necessary.
  • Provide insight to the Office of Contracts and Grants (OCG) Contract Negotiation team to resolve contract negotiation questions related to invoicing and financial reporting.
  • Support University partners, including the OCG Subagreements Team, in their activities to initiate, prepare, compose, and negotiate subcontracts. Topics include invoicing, financial reporting, budgeting, and/or other relevant terms and conditions.
  • Assist with site visits, Federal and Non-Federal system audits, and/or individual project audits, in collaboration with the CCO Audit Coordinator and campus partners.
  • Accomplish other tasks as assigned.
Prepare and submit financial and other post-award reports for grants and contracts. (Strategic Priority: Process Excellence)
  • Facilitate, prepare and submit required interim and final financial reports through the use of agency-specific portals and templates.
  • Facilitate, prepare, and submit final post-award closeout reports, as applicable, in collaboration with CCO Property Control Team, OCG and campus partners.
  • Prepare semi-annual Small Business Subcontracting Reports for the Federal Government, as applicable.
  • Effectively manage all applicable financial, post-award, and closeout deliverables for the assigned awards and/or contracts by establishing and maintaining PeopleSoft milestones.
Administer Sponsored Projects billing and letter of credit activities. (Strategic Priority: Process Excellence)
  • Prepare and submit interim and final invoices using standard, manual, or agency specific invoices templates (i.e. SF-270 or SF-1034).
  • Prepare and submit Federal Letter of Credit draw requests.
  • Monitor sponsored projects accounts receivable. Collaborate with CCO Revenue Management on follow-up procedures for aged items in accordance with the CCO collection policies to encourage prompt payment. Consult with campus partners and CCO leadership to address uncollectible accounts receivable issues.
  • Reconcile payment receipts to funding agency records.
  • Determine when a refund of receipts payment is due to the funding agency and perform necessary actions to initiate a payment when appropriate.
Maintain extensive sponsored program knowledge and provide training, instruction, and guidance to campus partners. (Strategic Priority: University Satisfaction)
  • Develop and maintain an extensive working knowledge of University, State, Federal, and funding agency policies and procedures. Develop a strong rapport with funding agency personnel.
  • Develop and maintain an extensive working knowledge of University and UC System operations (e.g. Accounting, Purchasing, Property Control, etc.) and the inter-relationships between these operations and extramural support operations.
  • Maintain an extensive working knowledge of Uniform Guidance (UG), Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
  • Provide training, instruction, and guidance to campus partners regarding sponsored programs policies and procedures; interpreting University, Federal, State, and funding agency policies and procedures for the assigned awards and/or contracts; and interpreting extramural University accounting data. Frequent communication with both sponsors and departments is expected.
  • Prepare materials and present knowledge in meetings and formal training sessions to campus partners.
Training (Strategic Priority: People Development)
  • Attend meetings as CCO representative at the university, regional and/or national levels.
  • Seek opportunities for professional development and training for self.
  • Special Projects (Strategic Priority: Infrastructure Enhancement)
  • Develop/prepare reports or surveys requested by CCO leadership.
  • Assist in the origination, development and implementation of improved procedures and systems for grants and contracts management.

What You Should Know

Hybrid work modality offered. 

What We Can Offer

  • The salary range for this position is $65,000 - $72,000 per year.

Benefits

The University of Colorado offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO Pass. The University of Colorado Boulder is one of the largest employers in Boulder County and offers an inspiring higher education environment. Learn more about the University of Colorado Boulder.

Be Statements

Be adaptable. Be proactive. Be Boulder.

What We Require

  • A Bachelor’s degree. 
  • Three years of accounting or research administration experience. 
  • Equivalent combination of education and experience may substitute.

What You Will Need

  • This position requires excellent interpersonal skills, the ability to collaborate with varying levels of authority and reliability.
  • The successful candidate will pay attention to detail, use sound judgment, be a problem solver, work independently, meet deadlines and enjoy a variety of challenging work.
  • The ability to prioritize, work independently and understand and apply policies and procedures.
  • The ability to recognize unusual situations, question them and provide alternative solutions is also necessary.
  • Analytical thinking along with the ability to question the logic of information is essential.
  • Knowledge of Uniform Guidance (UG), Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

What We Would Like You to Have

  • Experience working with complex, multi-project, and high dollar contracts and grants in research administration or related field.
  • Experience working with National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Commerce, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), or National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants, contracts or related research programs.
  • Work experience in a higher education environment is highly desired.
  • Experience with letter of credit (LOC) draws and reconciliation. 
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, especially Excel and familiarity/knowledge of Access, ability to learn and use new software systems is necessary.
  • Familiarity/knowledge of PeopleSoft, or related enterprise software, is a plus.

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials: 
  1. A current resume. 
  2. A cover letter that specifically tells us how your background and experience align with the requirements, qualifications, and responsibilities of the position. 
We may request references at a later time.

Please apply by October 27, 2024 for consideration.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, please apply through CU Boulder Jobs.

In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

Posting Contact Information

Posting Contact Name: Boulder Campus Human Resources

Posting Contact Email: Recruiting@colorado.edu