Grants Management Specialist II

Responsibilities

• We are seeking a highly organized and detail-oriented Post-Award Grants Accountant to provide comprehensive financial management and post-award grant support for our Allergy Immunology Rheumatology and Pulmonary Critical Care divisions.
• This mid-level position plays a critical role in managing research finances, ensuring compliance with sponsor and institutional regulations, and supporting principal investigators (PIs) and faculty in the effective stewardship of sponsored funds.
• The accountant will serve as a key resource for departmental leadership and investigators throughout the post-award lifecycle, from account setup through closeout.
• They will work closely with the pre- and post-award research administration teams in each division.

Essential Functions

• Account Reconciliation:
• Establish new grant accounts, set up budgets, and review award terms for accuracy.
• Assemble ledgers and perform monthly reconciliation of salary and non-salary accounts in URGEMS and UR Financials (Workday).
• Maintain a shadow system (URGEMS) to track all expenses (salary and non-salary) and ensure accuracy of encumbrances through audit and oversight.
• Monitor expenditures against budgets, proactively identifying and resolving overdrafts, unallowable costs, and variances.
• Research undocumented transactions and process journal entries in UR Financials.
• Ensure accuracy of all salary and non-salary encumbrances, including payroll changes, and resolve outstanding encumbrances.
• Reporting & Compliance:
• Prepare and review monthly PI financial reports; attend monthly PI/Research Admin meetings to review spending trends and forecast projections.
• Prepare interim and final financial reports, invoices, and drawdowns to sponsors, as applicable.
• Prepare all financial account closeout information in a timely and accurate manner.
• Ensure ongoing compliance with federal regulations (e.g., Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200), sponsor guidelines, and University policies.
• Review and process University and vendor forms (travel reimbursements, SIRs, requisitions, purchase orders, cost-center billings, Vivarium charges, etc.) for compliance.
• Check the reasonableness and allowability of all expenses.
• Support preparation of annual progress reports and ensure financial components are accurate and compliant.
• Maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive financial and personnel information with discretion.
• Effort Management & Payroll Processing:
• Process Payroll Cost Allocations (PCA) and Payroll Accounting Adjustments (PAA) in MyURHR Workday to ensure accuracy of effort charged to sponsored projects.
• Input and track payroll allocations in URGEMS, confirming that effort reported aligns with budgeted levels and actual work performed.
• Monitor faculty and staff effort to ensure compliance with sponsor-imposed salary caps, adjusting allocations as necessary to prevent overcharging or underreporting.
• Track and manage cost share commitments, ensuring institutional or departmental contributions are accurately recorded and reported.
• Collaborate with PIs and department leadership to resolve effort discrepancies, provide guidance on allowable effort distribution, and ensure alignment with both sponsor and University policies.
• Generate and review payroll and effort reports for accuracy; proactively identify and correct anomalies.
• Support annual reporting and audit requirements related to salary caps, effort distribution, and cost share commitments.
• Subcontract Management & Invoicing:
• Process and track incoming subaward invoices; review for accuracy, allowability, and compliance; process through P2P.
• Monitor subrecipient performance and compliance; send reminders for delinquent invoices; confirm payments in Workday; update internal tracking systems.
• Manage subcontract extensions and maintain centralized databases.
• Develop and maintain tracking tools for study payments and subcontract activity to ensure accuracy throughout the project lifecycle.
• Professional Development & Ongoing Training:
• Contribute to process improvements, policy development, and system enhancements within the department.
• Evaluate division financial procedures; recommend and implement best practices to address weaknesses.
• Advise faculty, research coordinators, and staff on allowability of charges, financial best practices, and sponsor regulations.
• Attend research-related user groups and administrative meetings (e.g., CLASP certification, IORA, P2P, departmental research meetings).
• Stay current on sponsor and institutional policies to support continuous learning and professional development.

Qualifications

• Minimum Education & Experience:
• Bachelor's Degree
• 2 years of relevant experience required
• Knowledge, Skills And Abilities:
• Strong knowledge of federal regulations (e.g., NIH Uniform Guidance) and research administration practices
• Proficiency in financial/accounting systems and Microsoft Excel; familiarity with URGEMS, Workday or similar platforms preferred
• Experience in and knowledge of IORA (Integrated Online Research Administration) and federal grant application platforms (e.g. ASSIST)
• Excellent organizational, analytical, and communication skills
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively while managing multiple deadlines
• LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS:
• Continuous Learning for Administrators of Sponsored Programs (CLASP) within 1 year