Sr. Accountant (sponsored Projects Shared Services)

Sr. Accountant

We are seeking a Sr. Accountant who will utilize advanced, in-depth knowledge and understanding of a wide range of grants and contracts and serve as the subject matter expert for grants management accounting at the university.

Sponsored Projects Shared Services is responsible for the fiscal administration of all awards (grants, contracts and cooperative agreements) made to the university by governmental and private agencies. Additionally, the department is responsible for the related compliance of all divisions of the University. Functions of the department include sponsored award setup, sponsored award financial reporting, and sponsored award closeout.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Independently manage the full life cycle of complex research awards from NIH and other federal agencies, e.g. P50 (program projects). Complex research awards are large collaborative grants that include several sub-grants within a larger grant. Sub-grants may be assigned across departments, requiring collaboration with multiple departments across the university. Complex awards require advanced level reviews and reporting, including more complex analysis and problem solving to ensure accuracy and conformance with uniform accounting principles and practices.
• Responsible for the most complex departments which are more challenging due to a higher volume of research awards, and/or more complex awards. Requires working with multiple levels within the department.
• Independently interact with department administrators, external agencies, and senior management.
• Apply strong interpersonal skills to build and maintain customer service relationships through positive interactions.
• May represent the department at university-wide meetings.
• Communicate effectively at all levels.

Establish Master Data For Awards In Erp System

• Review the notice of award that is received from Research Administration in the document management system (Oculus) for terms and conditions in order to establish the award in the ERP accounting system.
• Establish master data by interpreting the terms and conditions from notice of award in order to comply with laws, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Establish budget data based on information from the notice of award to provide a level of control over revenues and expenditures charged to the award.

Execute The Financial Reporting Process

• Routinely execute reports by utilizing standard formatted reports to identify reports and prioritize own workload. Develop new reports as needed.
• Generate reports by award to obtain revenue and expenditure information in order to begin the financial reporting process.
• Analyze reports by comparing revenue and expenses to information in the notice of award and previous financial reports to complete the financial report accurately. Verify accuracy of itemized charges, account numbers, and total costs. Review account information to verify and balance for departments.
• Interpret financial transactions and events for users who must make economic or business decisions.
• Collaborate with departmental personnel by sending draft financial reports to the department in order to obtain department approval before submitting financial reports to the sponsoring agency.
• Verify documents for completeness and compliance with government and private agencies.
• Submit financial reports to the sponsoring agency per the terms and conditions of the award.

Monitor Awards For Master Data Changes, Compliance Issues And Overall Quality Assurance

• Update master data due to changes in the terms and conditions of an award in order to comply with laws, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Update budget data due to changes in the terms and conditions of an award in order to maintain the level of control for revenues and expenditures being charged to the award.
• Communicate with departmental personnel to obtain documentation necessary to support expenditures or revenues required as a result of an audit inquiry.
• Monitor costing compliance on research grants and contracts; perform various procedures on sponsored awards to maintain compliance with applicable regulations and award terms (e.g. appropriate treatment of administrative costs, unallowable costs, rebudgeting restrictions, etc.)

Execute The Award Closeout Process

• Analyze the award's revenues and expenditures by executing a data report to ensure that the AP data matches the financial report submitted to the sponsor.
• Communicate with departmental personnel to resolve outstanding encumbrances that need to be removed to formally close the award.
• Update master data, including the budget to formally close the award from accepting any further revenues or expenditures.

Provide Customer Service Support To The User Community

• Utilize interpersonal communication skills to address a wide range of questions from departmental personnel regarding sponsored awards in order to ensure compliance with laws, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Respond to inquiries from internal and external sources and review accounting transactions to locate and resolve discrepancies.
• Advise departments on compliance issues and the interpretation of applicable regulations (e.g., effort, cost allocations, allowability, etc.)

Mentoring Sponsored Projects Accountants

• Guide and support newly hired staff by teaching, advising and counseling on sponsored projects processes in order to promote professional development for all staff members.

Training User Community On Sponsored Processes

• Develop course materials to be used in the training of sponsored projects processes by the user community.
• Train the user community on sponsored projects processes.
• Train and advise staff on best practices, policies and procedures.
• Assist in developing policies, processes, and procedures to ensure consistent operations.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Business, Finance or related field.
• Three years of progressively responsible related experience.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond a high school diploma/graduation equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced knowledge of grants and contracts and Federal regulations.
• Advanced knowledge of the laws and regulations that apply to accounting functions and those required to ensure compliance.
• Advanced knowledge in the use of financial software applications, relational databases, spreadsheets, and/or word processing.
• Ability to use various software applications, such as spreadsheets, relational databases, statistical packages, and graphics packages to assemble, manipulate, and format data and/or reports.