Sponsor Research Analyst

DONALD DANFORTH PLANT SCIENCE CENTER•Olivette, MO

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Sponsor Research Analyst manages the financial administration of a portfolio of sponsored awards from setup through closeout. This role brings the financial skills needed to support overall financial accountability for the Center's sponsored research portfolio and to serve the scientific enterprise with financial management that is compliant, accurate, and gives Principal Investigators (PIs) the information they need to make sound decisions about their research financials. This role builds and maintains budget models and spending forecasts, performs variance and burn-rate analysis, reconciles award activity to the general ledger and prepares sponsor financial reports. The position oversees effort reporting and subrecipient financial monitoring and serves as a financial advisor to PIs, translating portfolio data into actional recommendations. The Sponsor Research Analyst ensures awards are managed in compliance with sponsor terms, federal regulations, and Center policies.

Requirements

Knowledge of accounting principles and practices, including reconciliations and financial reporting.
Familiarity with Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) cost principles, including allowability, allocability, and reasonableness.
Familiarity with post-award requirements, including sponsor prior-approval rules, rebudgeting authority, and closeout procedures.
Familiarity with effort reporting and certification requirements for federally funded personnel.
Familiarity with subrecipient monitoring requirements, including pass-through entity obligations.
Advanced Excel skills, including building and maintaining dashboards, budget trackers, and financial projections and forecasts.
Strong analytical skills for reviewing expenditures, identifying variances, and projecting burn rates.
Ability to prepare accurate, timely financial reports and budget revision requests.
Proficiency with accounting and financial systems.
Strong attention to detail and accuracy in financial data.
Ability to manage a portfolio of awards independently from setup through closeout.
Ability to identify financial risks and compliance issues early and recommend corrective action.
Ability to make sound judgments on cost allowability and when to escalate issues.
Ability to build productive working relationships with investigators, subrecipients, and sponsors.
Ability to meet recurring monthly and sponsor-driven deadlines consistently.
Ability to maintain confidentiality of financial and personnel information.
Bachelor's degree in accounting with 3-5 years’ experience, ideally in post-award grants administration or sponsored research.

Responsibilities

Builds award budget models and financial dashboards at setup, establishing budget-to-actual tracking by cost category and update them monthly with expenditures, encumbrances and forecasted spending through the end of the award.
Performs monthly variance and burn-rate analysis, projecting end-of-period balances, identifying over and under spending trends and modeling scenarios (e.g. personnel changes and no-cost extensions).
Leads in-person portfolio management meetings with PIs to communicate analysis, forecast and discuss spending strategy.
Reconcile award activity to the general ledger monthly, identifying and correcting misallocated charges and communicating with Grant Specialists to ensure well-documented, timely cost transfers are prepared and submitted.
Prepare and process budget revisions and rebudgeting requests, determining when sponsor prior approval is required and preparing those requests.
Coordinate the effort reporting and certification process, reconciling certified effort to payroll distributions and cost share commitments, and analyzing and resolving discrepancies with appropriate adjustments.
Prepare and submit sponsor financial reports on schedule and send reminders to PIs for technical and progress reports.
Analyze subrecipient invoices against approved budgets for allowability, allocability, and reasonableness; and monitor ongoing financial compliance and reporting.
Manage the financial closeout of awards, including final expenditure analysis and reconciliation, resolution of outstanding charges and residual balances, and preparation of final financial reports.
Other duties as assigned.