Career Center

This position is responsible for providing professional financial support to faculty across sponsored and nonsponsored accounts. This person will serve as a liaison to Principal Investigators and provide pre-award accounting support to them on sponsored projects. As you gain confidence and expertise, you will have the opportunity to learn how to manage post-award processes, too. This position reports to the Research Accounting Finance Manager. This is a civil service position governed by the Civil Service Rules at the University of Minnesota.

Job Duties:

Prepare budget and support grant proposal submissions (40%)
•        Read and interpret proposal solicitations for budget instructions.
•        Prepare proposal budget using solicitation instructions and faculty input.
•        Determine appropriate rates to use for personnel, fringe and indirect costs.
•        Lead the proposal preparation process with the faculty and subcontracts, as needed.
•        Responsible for timely proposal submission to SPA and agency and coordinating information between SPA, PI, and agency, as needed.
•        Collaborate with post award accountants on proposal details, as needed.
•        Maintain official proposal data for the department.

Department Approver (30%)
•        Provide approvals for financial transactions to include travel reimbursements, requisitions, journals, deposits, vouchers, and procurement card (PCARD) activity.
•        Audit and approve expenditures on sponsored research projects.
•        Interpret grants/contract regulations and how they relate to University policies/procedures, identify areas of concern, and recommend solutions.
•        Provide expertise on expenditure requirements and policy.
•        Assist with various internal audits of business operations to ensure compliance.

Accounting Support (20%)
•        Support the transactional accounting work of faculty’s financial portfolio to include preparing JEs and RTDs.
•        Prepare financial ad hoc reports, as needed.
•        Provide support during effort reporting and other deadlines.

University-Wide, Collegiate & Department Citizenship (5%)
•        Serve on committees as needed for the University, College and Department

Other Duties as Assigned (5%)
•        Attend GMUN, FSUN and SPA Symposium and appropriate training opportunities.
•        Work with unit administration on annual budget preparation and entry.
•        Other duties as needed to manage the accounting function in the department.

Required Qualifications:
•        BA/BS in accounting or related field and 2 years of relevant work experience OR a combination of education and experience to equal 6 years.

Preferred Qualifications:
•        Familiarity with University systems such as PeopleSoft, EFS, UM Reports, ECRT and EGMS.
•        Demonstrated ability to proactively identify and resolve complex problems.
•        Demonstrated ability to organize and direct multiple projects and interrelated financial activities with major operational or funding impact.
•        Strong customer service skills.
•        Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
•        Familiarity with University and sponsor accounting (Federal and non-Federal) regulations.
•        Strong organizational skills with demonstrated ability to simultaneously work on multiple projects with fixed deadlines and ability to re-prioritize tasks as needed to successfully meet all deadlines.
•        Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external organizations, groups, team leaders and members and individuals.
•        Demonstrated experience communicating clearly and effectively to a diverse group of stakeholders and customers.

*Please note that the University's financial systems require training and demonstrated proficiency before access will be granted to those systems.*