Accountant II

University of Rochester • City of Rochester, NY

1d • $27 - $38 • Onsite

About The Position

As a community, the University of Rochester is defined by a deep commitment to Meliora - Ever Better. Embedded in that ideal are the values we share: equity, leadership, integrity, openness, respect, and accountability. Together, we will set the highest standards for how we treat each other to ensure our community is welcoming to all and is a place where all can thrive.

Performs pre- and post-award professional accounting work in the Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health (EMPH). Working closely with the finance team in EMPH, this role is directly responsible for the management and oversight of pre- and post-award sponsored research activities for a variety of accounts (research grants, foundation, institutional, endowment, etc.). Performs professional accounting work and administrative support related to the operations of the EMPH. Utilizes knowledge of the University accounting platform (UR Financials), grants management system (IORA) and University policies and procedures to provide proper review and control over all currently funded projects, including cost analysis and distribution, classification of accounts and funds, and study of accounting systems and sponsored programs accounting. Initiates requests for research payroll-related paperwork for the department. Knowledge of and adherence to institutional and sponsor policies is a critical component in the management of sponsored research projects and is essential to the functional responsibilities of this position. Understanding of encumbrance accounting principles is required. Possesses strong organizational and interpersonal skills, and the ability to handle confidential information in a professional manner.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required
• 3 years of relevant experience setting or equivalent combination of education and experience required.
• Experience with NIH grant application submissions, UR purchasing systems and practices, accounts payable processes, UR Financials, URGEMS (UR Grant Encumbrance Management System), Procure-to-Pay (P2P) purchasing system, IORA and familiarity with HRMS payroll system preferred.
• Knowledge of general accounting theory, techniques, and practices required.
• Knowledge of NIH policies and procedures regarding sponsored research program accounting required.
• Experience with personal computers and MS Office (MS Word, Power Point, Excel, etc.) required.
• Must be organized, detail oriented, able to work in a team environment, and be able to anticipate needs, prioritize assignments and proactively resolve issues/problems required.
• Ability to take responsibility for multiple accounts in a complex granting structure and show initiative and independent thought in making decisions required.
• Ability to manage multiple activities under pressure and demonstrated ability to meet deadlines in a timely manner required.
• Ability to interact with all levels of faculty and staff from other departments throughout the University as well as outside agencies required.
• Must be able to demonstrate initiative and resourcefulness in managing priorities and take responsibility for accomplishing his/her own work while maintaining confidentiality of information required.
• CLASP certification required

Nice To Haves

• Experience with NIH grant application submissions, UR purchasing systems and practices, accounts payable processes, UR Financials, URGEMS (UR Grant Encumbrance Management System), Procure-to-Pay (P2P) purchasing system, IORA and familiarity with HRMS payroll system preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develops and maintains financial reports for sponsored projects to ensure compliance with sponsor and University policies.
• Reviews expenditures, reconciles accounts, and advises research administrators and principal investigators on budget variances, questionable charges, and required corrections.
• Projects future spending trends, prepares account closeouts, and provides regular reporting to faculty, departmental leadership, and central offices.
• Creates and updates reports, tracking systems, and financial projections to support grant management and departmental planning.
• Leads financial troubleshooting, resolves reconciliation issues, and collaborates with staff and central finance offices to implement solutions.
• Maintains accurate records and documentation, ensuring timely and compliant grant accounting across all funding sources.
• Manages financial activities for sponsored projects and research-related accounts, including maintaining accurate records, reconciling payroll and non-payroll expenditures, and ensuring compliance with University and sponsor regulations.
• Oversees participant incentive accounting, including activation and tracking of research participant payments in accordance with policy.
• Supports data use agreement accounting by monitoring agreements, coordinating payments, and ensuring compliance with approved data management plans.
• Prepares and submits invoices for external contracts and agreements, and collaborates with central offices, research administrators, and project leadership to resolve issues, meet deadlines, and ensure accurate reporting.
• Manages a variety of departmental financial activities, including developing annual and project budgets, preparing invoices, processing journal entries, and providing regular financial reporting to leadership.
• Oversees start-up accounting and reconciliation of departmental operating accounts and cumulative salary ledgers, researching and preparing journal entries as needed.
• Serves as departmental subject matter expert on URFinancials, training and supporting staff in generating reports, processing entries, and preparing SIRs.
• Proactively monitors account number changes and initiates payroll costing allocation forms, payroll accounting adjustment forms, and NIH salary cap forms, using the MyURHR system for personnel in assigned accounts obtaining appropriate signatures for approval of payroll changes and effort reporting (some of whom may be in other departments).
• Sets up accounts in URGEMS using ORPA’s Notice of Award (NOA).
• Reviews NOA for accuracy based on sponsored award letter and contacts ORPA and ORACS with corrections.
• Compares proposed budget to awarded budget and notifies PI of any major differences.
• Reviews and inputs data into URGEMS from various payment mechanisms for all department accounts, double-checking appropriateness of expenditures and FAO spend category designations.
• Initiates travel & conference reimbursements and serves as a resource for lab staff regarding Procure-to-Pay purchasing system and general Purchasing policies to ensure University approved vendors are used.
• Assists faculty with grant budgets.
• Ensures that all proposals adhere to University and sponsor guidelines and policies.
• Creates timelines with PI so that all application materials are gathered and uploaded in systems in advance of University and sponsor deadlines.
• Attends and participates in post-award related user groups such as URGEMS, UR Financials, or monthly CLASP meetings to maintain CLASP certification.
• Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• The referenced pay range represents the minimum and maximum compensation for this job. Individual annual salaries/hourly rates will be set within the job's compensation range, and will be determined by considering factors including, but not limited to, market data, education, experience, qualifications, expertise of the individual, and internal equity considerations.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level