Financial Analyst

About the role

Develops, maintains, provides and analyzes financial information, plans and projections. Reconciles and maintains accurate financial records in conformance with the guidelines of accounting standards. Compiles and prepares reports, and conducts special studies.

Responsibilities

• Creates and executes journal entries to support correction of mis-posted items in the financial system, and performs regular account reconciliations to ensure financial data integrity.
• Examines financial reports for consistency, accuracy, and compliance. At the direction of the Finance & Grants Manager and research teams, resolves errors and works collaboratively to prevent repeat occurrences.
• Assists the Finance & Grants Manager in annual or monthly fiscal closing, including preparing supporting schedules and reconciliation.
• Drafts financial reports and data summaries for internal stakeholders, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and consistency of data presentation.
• Maintains organized digital recordkeeping of financial and accounting data to support accessibility, transparency, and audit readiness.
• Coordinates and prepares active grant management activities, including preparation and submission of interim and final close-out financial reports and award modifications, amendments, no-cost extensions, re-budgeting, PI concurrence and carry-over requests.
• Supports coordination on grant audit requests, including compiling and organizing supporting financial data and documentation.

Requirements

• Develops, maintains, provides and analyzes financial information, plans and projections in support of assigned program(s) and/or function(s) and in conformance with the guidelines of accounting standards.
• Reconciles and maintains accurate financial records.
• Compiles and prepares reports, and conducts special studies.
• Prepares and/or presents training materials.
• Analyzes and interprets financial data to provide technical advice and counseling to other departments, students, etc.
• May provide guidance and direction to lower level staff.
• Performs other similar and related duties as required.

Required Skills

• Financial information, plans and projections
• Financial records reconciliation
• Accounting standards
• Financial reporting
• Financial data analysis and interpretation
• Journal entries
• Account reconciliations
• Financial report examination
• Fiscal closing
• Supporting schedules and reconciliation
• Financial reports and data summaries
• Digital recordkeeping of financial and accounting data
• Grant management activities
• Financial reports and award modifications
• Grant audit requests

Duration: 4 months (Potential for extension or full time conversion, based on performance)

Location: Chicago, IL 60637 (Onsite)