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Job Title:
Grants and Contracts Accountant
Job Family:
Professionals
Full-Time/Part-Time:
Full time
Compensation Grade:
7S
Pay Type:
Salary
Department:
Financial Services
Job Summary:
The Grants and Contracts Accountant is an integral part of Furman University's Finance and Administration Division and is responsible for managing the financial administration of externally funded grants and contracts while ensuring compliance with university, sponsor, and governmental regulations. The Grants and Contracts Accountant is responsible for the accounting, monitoring, reporting, and compliance activities related to sponsored research grants, contracts, and other special funding sources. This position works closely with the Grants office, principal investigators (PIs), department administrators, and external funding agencies to ensure proper financial stewardship of awarded funds.
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.
Education Requirements:
Certification Requirements:
Job Posting End Date (if date is blank, posting is open ended):
To apply, visit https://furman.wd115.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Furman_Careers/job/Main-Campus/Grants-and-Contracts-Accountant_R003265
Furman is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty and staff. The University aspires to create a community of people representing a multiplicity of identities including gender, race, religion, spiritual belief, sexual orientation, geographic origin, socioeconomic background, ideology, world view, and varied abilities. Domestic partners of employees are eligible for comprehensive benefits. je-6ea5b63510ec4e48a4c1e2f660398c52