Associate Controller, Restricted Funds & Sponsored Research

Barnard College•New York City, NY

4d•$130,000 - $140,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Controller, Restricted Funds & Sponsored Research is the College’s primary control owner for the accounting, compliance, and stewardship of: Endowment funds Restricted private gifts and grants Sponsored research grants (federal, state, and private Reporting to the Controller, this role ensures donor and sponsor intent is honored, restricted and sponsored activity is accurately recorded and reconciled, Uniform Guidance requirements are met, and financial reporting is complete, timely, and audit-ready. This position serves as the Finance lead for post-award sponsored research accounting and is a key institutional control point for compliance with U.S. GAAP, NYPMIFA, and federal grant regulations (2 CFR 200).

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting required
Minimum of five (5) years of progressive accounting experience, preferably in higher education or complex nonprofit environments.
Demonstrated expertise in GAAP; NYPMIFA; endowment accounting; restricted fund compliance; Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200); and sponsored research compliance.
Experience supporting Single Audit strongly preferred.
Advanced Excel skills required.
Experience with Workday Financials and grant modules preferred.
Strong analytical judgment and ability to manage compliance risk.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Nice To Haves

CPA strongly preferred.
Experience with Workday Financials and grant modules preferred.
Experience supporting Single Audit strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Restricted Funds & Endowment Accounting Serve as the named owner of internal controls related to endowment and restricted fund accounting, ensuring compliance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), the New York Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (NYPMIFA), donor agreements, and applicable regulatory requirements.
Review and interpret restricted gift and endowment agreements; determine appropriate accounting treatment and classification in the College’s general ledger.
Establish new restricted and endowment funds in Workday and endowment systems, ensuring accurate worktag structure and documentation retention.
Oversee accounting for: Endowment investment activity Spending distributions Releases from restriction Related journal entries
Sponsored Research Grants (Post-Award Oversight) Serve as Finance lead for post-award accounting of sponsored research grants.
Ensure compliance with: Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) Federal agency regulations Sponsor-specific award terms Institutional policies
Manage and perform: Grant setup in Workday Budget alignment and cost allocations Fringe benefit; Interest & Indirect cost (F&A) recovery accuracy Effort reporting financial validation (in partnership with HR/Provost) Cost transfers and allowability review Matching contributions Subrecipient financial monitoring (in coordination with Sponsored Research | Institutional Funding)
Review and approve expenses charged to sponsored grants to ensure allowability, allocability, and consistency with sponsor requirements.
Support grant closeout processes, ensuring financial accuracy and timely reporting.
Coordinate preparation of federal financial reports (FFRs) and other sponsor financial deliverables.
Compliance, Monitoring & Stewardship Conduct monthly reviews of restricted and sponsored activity to identify: Misclassifications Overspending Unallowable costs
Maintain comprehensive documentation repository for: Donor agreements Grant award notices Sponsor correspondence Reporting history
Escalate compliance risks to the Controller in a timely manner.
Recommend corrective actions and process improvements to strengthen internal controls.
Reconciliations & Financial Integrity Maintain accountability for monthly reconciliation of: Restricted fund balances Sponsored grant balances Deferred revenue and receivables Net assets with donor restrictions
Ensure timely resolution of reconciling items.
Partner with Treasury & Reconciliation to align restricted and sponsored activity with cash and investment balances.
Oversee accounting and reconciliation of government grant activity, including financial aid programs where applicable.
Audit, Single Audit & External Coordination Serve as primary Finance lead for: Annual financial statement audit (restricted net assets & endowment) Single Audit (Uniform Guidance) Sponsor audits and desk reviews
Prepare and review: SEFA schedules Endowment rollforwards Restricted net asset rollforwards Grant compliance documentation
Respond to auditor inquiries and coordinate documentation under the Controller’s oversight.
Budget, Forecasting & Institutional Coordination Partner with Budget & Planning to: Forecast restricted fund utilization Model endowment spending Project sponsored research indirect recovery
Advise leadership on: Financial implications of donor restrictions Grant compliance risk exposure Sustainability of restricted funding streams
Systems, Documentation & Process Improvement Serve as Finance’s data steward for restricted and sponsored funds in Workday.
Ensure ongoing accuracy of worktags, attributes, reporting logic, and compliance flags.
Develop and maintain SOPs and RACI charts for restricted and sponsored processes.
Identify opportunities to strengthen controls and streamline workflows.
Additional Responsibilities Perform other essential duties and responsibilities consistent with the scope and accountability of the role, as assigned by the Controller.