Accounting, Grants & Finance Manager

University of Chicago•Chicago, IL

1d•$85,000 - $100,000

About The Position

The Accounting, Grants & Finance Manager independently administers a portfolio of funding for the Development Innovation Lab and affiliated programs, including finance management and pre- and post-award activities relating to grant and contract proposals and funding. The role monitors operating budgets and projects within the Social Sciences Division and/or University-wide administrative units, contributes to financial goals, business plans, and forecasts, and coordinates monthly, quarterly, and year-end reporting. The position manages post-award work such as proposal-guideline review, award closeout submissions, reporting, funding searches, budget development, and regulatory compliance monitoring. The manager oversees financial administration for restricted and unrestricted accounts, sponsored projects, gifts and endowments, departmental operations, and faculty research accounts. The role works with principal investigators, research staff, University Research Administration, and other University offices to ensure accurate budgeting, reporting, expense processing, and award closeout. It also provides account-administration support, trains research staff, communicates policy changes and best practices, and helps ensure compliance with University, divisional, departmental, agency, and federal requirements.

Requirements

College or university degree in a related field.
Five to seven years of work experience in a related job discipline.
Ability to create verbal and written reports.
Computer proficiency, including working knowledge of the MS Office Suite and email.
Intermediate Excel proficiency, including spreadsheets, linked documents, VLOOKUP, pivot tables, and macros.
High-level interpersonal and communication skills and ability to work with staff, students, faculty, and senior leadership.
Ability to organize and prioritize detail-oriented work during high-pressure, high-volume periods while remaining professional.
Ability to make independent decisions that positively affect sponsored-project management.
Ability to analyze data and formulate conclusions.
Ability to assign and prioritize duties across available resources.
Ability to work with minimal supervision and interact with faculty and administrators from different institutions and outside entities.
Ability to learn new skills, take on challenges, and collaborate with University administrators and faculty.
Ability to motivate direct reports.
Ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects and tasks and communicate verbally and in writing with internal and external stakeholders.
Self-motivation and sound judgment in prioritizing tasks.
Discretion and professionalism in handling confidential matters.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in accounting, business, finance, or a related field; a bachelor's degree in a related field is also identified as preferred.
Work experience in accounting or a related field.
Progressively responsible experience administering sponsored research, including pre- and post-award work.
Experience with enterprise-wide financial and sponsored-research systems.
Proficiency with University of Chicago systems such as AURA, Oracle, Workday, PECCS, and GEMS/Concur.
Proficiency with funding-agency systems.
Knowledge of University policies and procedures related to sponsored-research administration.
Knowledge of federal rules and regulations related to sponsored-research funding.
Commitment to continuous improvement in communication, planning, problem-solving, organization, project management, and customer service skills.

Responsibilities

Analyze and prepare budgets and monthly forecasts; create accounts; and use the financial accounting system to allocate, authorize, monitor, and control expenses.
Review financial reports for consistency, accuracy, and compliance; research and resolve errors with finance leadership, research staff, and principal investigators, and help prevent recurrence.
Lead the monthly and annual close process.
Analyze financial data, confirm account balances, review errors and inaccuracies, and provide spending analysis and recommendations.
Approve transactions charged to restricted and unrestricted accounts, ensuring expenditures align with account budgets, including travel.
Approve and transfer payroll and expenditures, monitor invoices and payments, and reconcile charges using monthly ledgers and Oracle.
Oversee gift and endowment accounts, departmental operating accounts, and faculty unrestricted research accounts.
Assist with financial statements in accordance with University accounting policies.
Meet with research managers, research directors, and/or principal investigators to review account portfolios.
Support budget realignments by interpreting sponsor formatting guidelines, preparing supporting documents, collecting proposal elements, and processing budget modification requests.
Manage procurement, allocate expenditures for authorization, and advise on communications with funding agencies, subcontractors, and others as instructed.
Provide primary account-administration support to account owners in a customer-service environment.
Provide specialized pre- and/or post-award administration for sponsored activity and serve as liaison among principal investigators, University administrative offices, and external agencies.
Prepare interim sponsored-project financial reports and closeout reports; work with University Research Administration on budget summaries for sponsored-project reports.
Coordinate annual, final, and ad hoc financial requirements and keep principal investigators informed of progress.
Manage post-award administration for the assigned portfolio, including award budgeting, management, reporting, and closeout.
Manage post-award activities including account creation, compliance monitoring, salary allocations and effort reporting, lab orders, invoices, payments, cost-center charges, cost transfers, summer salary, grant projections, grant closing, and account closing.
Partner with budget leads to navigate University and project finances, build trust through communication, and apply thoughtful analysis to solve problems.
Train and onboard research staff on financial policies and procedures.
Ensure service and communication to principal investigators, provide standardized information and best practices, and keep faculty and research staff informed of grant-policy changes.
Monitor industry trends and agency and regulatory changes; monitor compliance with University, divisional, and departmental policies and implement corrective actions.
Perform other related work as needed.