Finance and Grants Analyst

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Building: Morningside
• Salary Range: $66,300 - $70,000

Position Summary

Columbia University School of Engineering is seeking a Finance and Grants Analyst to join the Grants Team of their Computer Science Department. Reporting to the Associate Director of Grants and Finance, the Finance and Grants Analyst will provide support for all restricted/unrestricted-related pre- and post-award administrative activities of the Department of Chemical Engineer.

Responsibilities

(70%)

Pre-Award Support (Grants and Unrestricted funding sources) :  

Award/Contract/Subaward set-up

Works with Grants and Finance, Dean’s Office, and SPA to establish new accounts and revise existing accounts in a timely manner.

Maintains and updates school-wide and departmental templates, checklists and pre-award filing system;

Analyzes Notice of Award (NOAs) to verify accuracy of award and obligated amounts against prime award records, adherence to funded proposal budgets, computer-tracking codes and specific agency regulations.

Sponsored Awards Reporting and Deliverables:

Work with PIs to ensure progress reports are prepared and submitted per sponsoring agency requirements;

Under the Direction of the Associate Director of Grants and Finance, the role triages the shared email system and internal administrative calendar to ensure incoming requests are managed efficiently.

(25%)

Post-Award Support (Grants and Unrestricted funding sources):

Restricted/Unrestricted Account Management. 

Works closely with the Associate Director of Grants and Finance, the Grants Team, the Payroll team, and faculty in the effective and efficient administration/management of restricted and unrestricted departmental sources:

prepares of quarterly grants attestation and financial analysis with the goal of identifying and forecasting trends in spending that exceed current funding levels, recommending budget modifications and strategies to effectively manage spending patterns and mitigate risk, reviewing and closing all open commitments, and clearing overruns;

Interface regularly with SPA, SPF and SEAS Dean’s offices in the preparation and submission of all budgetary changes/updates to include the modifications of sub-award budgets (i.e., increment adjustments, etc), start-up funding arrangements and other faculty sources of support;

Analyze with the departmental finance/business operations staff to initiate day to day transactions (i.e., journals, payroll accounting/suspense clearance, accounts receivable and accounts payable)

Conducts other periodic and ad hoc analyses and reporting to the department and School.

Other Post-award Administrative Duties:

Subcontracts: assist in preparation, submission, and track of subcontract paperwork, invoicing and final subaward closeout.

Annual Effort Certification: assist the grants team with the annual effort certification process as needed.

Closeout: provides support to the grants team in the management of the post-award closeout process to include the calculation of cost-share, the preparation and submission of financial reconciliations for project or fiscal year-end (i.e., SPF validation of sponsored award expenses and the completion of agency required sponsored funding award schedules);

Compliance & Records Management: works closely with the Associate Director of Grants and Finance to ensure all financial activities on projects are compliant with university and agency guidelines. Maintains all pertinent records, files, and documents.

Assists with the review and clearance of payroll suspense; identifies incorrect salary disbursements against salary budgets, researches errors, and implements the necessary corrections using the University's Labor Accounting and ARC systems. Initiate electronic salary transactions in ARC including cost transfers, salary distributions and additional compensation.

Perform a variety of financial activities, including salary distributions, cost transfers and Internal Transfer Journals (ITFs)

Maintains accurate, complete and updated financial data on a timely, ad hoc basis, using multiple applications. Prepares and cleans up data for monthly and quarterly reports.

Meets regularly with managers and program staff to ensure expenses are charged properly and sponsored projects are progressing in accordance with grant budgets.

Track financial commitments versus actual expenditures.

Assists with generating and maintaining funding plans for 20+ faculty and through close collaboration with the Payroll Team ensure that the funding plans are implemented accurately and in a timely fashion.

(5%)

Other Duties

Performs other relative tasks, duties, and responsibilities as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree and/or its equivalent required, with a preference for training in a technical field or scientific/technical writing, Finance, Accounting, or other relevant fields.

Minimum 1 to 2 years of related experience in Finance administration.

Must have the ability to utilize sound fiscal accounting practices and have analytical skills to prepare necessary reports.

This position will involve mid to advanced knowledge of MS Excel including creation of pivot tables and use of formulas to create reports and analyze variances on a variety of data sets.

Preferred Qualifications

One year of related experience in finance administration.

Excellent analytical, organizational, interpersonal, oral and written communication skills.

Working knowledge of applicable federal, state, and other sponsor regulation related to sponsored projects, including OMB Uniform Guidance, and knowledge of Columbia policies governing sponsored projects and grant research compliance, and internal procedures and systems for pre- and post-award financial management is preferred.

Experience in higher education or other large, complex institutions is desirable. Familiarity with Columbia financial systems.

Must have excellent interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.

Ability to establish priorities, work under pressure, and exercise independent judgment and discretion is necessary.

Ability to react quickly and effectively to other inquiries from a variety of management levels with comprehensive and accurate information in a wide variety of contexts and changing priorities is needed.

Positive, forward-thinking, mission-oriented attitude and sense of humor a must.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.