4063 Director, Grants and Capital Projects Accounting

POSITION IDENTIFICATION

TITLE Director, Grants and Capital Projects Accounting

CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 4063

GRADE 47

CLASSIFICATION Exempt

IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR Assistant Vice President Finance and Accounting

GENERAL FUNCTION

The Director, Grants and Capital Projects Accounting supervises and performs professional accounting and administrative work necessary to maintain the financial accounting records for the University’s grants and contracts, capital projects, and fixed assets. The Director, Grants and Capital Projects Accounting assists the Assistant Vice President Finance and Accounting in capital budget approval and general accounting analysis activities. The Director, Grants and Capital Projects Accounting supervises accounting professionals and works with academic and administrative staff and internal and independent auditors to ensure adherence to prescribed accounting principles, standards, and procedures. The Director, Grants and Capital Projects Accounting reviews federal financial regulations and proposes University policy changes based on regulations to assure compliance.

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Education: A Bachelor’s in Accounting or a related business field with at least twenty hours of coursework in Accounting is required; a Master’s degree in Accounting or a related business field with at least twenty hours of coursework in Accounting is preferred.

Experience: At least five years of experience in accounting, business planning or operations, or financial analysis is required; three years of experience working with grants and contracts accounting is preferred.

Certification: Certification as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is preferred.

Skills: A high aptitude in accountancy and a good understanding of computers and programs, such as Excel, and their functions in accounting is required. The ability to understand, interpret, and apply accounting principles as well as rules and regulations in grant proposals that apply to financial information is required. The ability to work and communicate effectively with individuals possessing varying levels of accounting and budgeting knowledge is required. The ability to develop knowledge of, respect for, and skills to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds is required.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Oversees and provides fiscal management of assigned grants and contracts, including compliance with federal and state regulations, account reconciliations, and journal entries.

2. Prepares and oversees the preparation of the financial reports needed for grants and contracts by compiling, researching, and analyzing data regarding the expenditures of the grants and contracts.

3. Assists grant writers in the preparation of the grant application and the administration of grant monies by interpreting and applying the policies and procedures of the University and the granting agencies.

4. Ensures efficient administrative processes by monitoring the expenditures of federal programs such as Pell and the National Science Foundation grants.

5. Improves cash flow by assuring timely billing of grant and contract receivables.

6. Monitors externally sponsored grants and contracts by reviewing or assuring the review of the daily and monthly financial transactions within these accounts and making accounting corrections as appropriate.

7. Approves (or confirms the appropriateness of) expenditures of externally sponsored grants and contracts in accordance with federal, state, institutional, or other agency guidelines.

8. Develops efficient processes by working closely with the Office of Research Administration.

9. Provides financial management of capital project funds, including providing revenue projections and trend analysis, funding determination, and cash flow and funding analysis.

10. Reconciles University Plant and Auxiliary funds, prepares required bond compliance documentation for IRS compliance, and reconciles bond funds in asset holding accounts for annual review.

11. Works with the Assistant Vice President Finance and Accounting and Vice President of Administrative and Financial Services on bond issues and prepares required bond compliance documentation for capital projects.

12. Maintains the fixed asset system, performs annual depreciation determination, reviews asset valuation, assists in purchases and disposals, monitors internal controls, oversees accurate general ledger coding of asset purchases, and assures accurate reporting of capital asset activity.

13. Acts as a liaison between Financial Services, the Office of Planning, Design & Construction, Provost, Foundation, and various University departments to ensure accurate board reporting for capital projects.

14. Promotes University compliance with federal and state law and regulations by maintaining a current working knowledge of federal and state regulations, reviewing University policies and procedures, and making recommendations for policy and procedure changes to assure compliance.

15. Assists in the establishment of system-wide policies and procedures which ensure that resources are used in the most effective and efficient manner by all campuses of the University.

16. Serves on various University committees as assigned.

17. Prepares audit work papers for internal, external, and agency auditors by researching and analyzing financial activity of externally sponsored grants and contracts, and capital projects.

18. Coordinates reporting for a variety of needs.

19. Facilitates a work environment that encourages knowledge of, respect for, and development of skills to engage with those of other cultures and backgrounds.

20. Remains competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, and attending professional development courses as required by the Assistant Vice President Finance and Accounting.

21. Contributes to the overall success of Financial Services by performing all other duties as assigned, maintaining high levels of accuracy, maintaining a professional demeanor and appropriate levels of confidentiality, and providing excellent customer services.

SUPERVISION

The Director, Grants and Capital Projects Accounting is supervised by the Assistant Vice President Finance and Accounting and supervises accounting professionals, clerical staff, graduate assistants, students, and part-time employees.

OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES

REVISED MARCH 2023

JOB FAMILY 4

Factor 1: Professional Knowledge, Skill, and Technical Mastery

Level 5.0 - 3300 Points: Knowledge of the principles and methods of an administrative, managerial, or professional field such as accounting or auditing, financial management, information technology, business administration, human resources, engineering, law, social sciences, communications, education, or medicine. Knowledge permits employee to supervise projects and/or departments using standard methods to improve administrative and/or line operations. Knowledge also permits employee to plan steps and carry out multi-phase projects requiring problem definition and modified techniques, to coordinate work with others, and to modify methods and procedures to solve a wide variety of problems. Knowledge at this level requires a Bachelor's or Master's degree with substantial related work experience, including up to two years of administrative or supervisory experience. Alternatively, this level may require a professional or clinical degree beyond the Bachelor's degree with moderate related work experience; knowledge requirements include significant levels of related work experience.

Factor 2: Supervisory Responsibility

Level 4.0 - 470 Points: Supervision of (a) a moderate number of operative, administrative support, or paraprofessional employees who do not exercise a full range of supervisory responsibilities over other full-time employees, (b) a small number of professional employees who exercise limited supervision of others, or (c) large numbers of student workers or graduate assistants, or some equivalent combination of the above. The incumbent performs a full range of supervisory responsibilities including performance reviews of subordinates. The incumbent is responsible for training, planning, and directing the work of permanent employees, and generally controls hiring decisions. Supervisory responsibilities consume moderate amounts of work time and may include general work planning tasks.

Factor 3: Interactions with Others

Level 4.0 - 500 Points: Interactions with others are somewhat unstructured. The purpose may be to influence or motivate others, to obtain information, or to control situations and resolve problems. Interactions may be with individuals or groups of co-workers, students, or the general public, may be moderately unstructured, and may involve persons who hold differing goals and objectives. Individuals at this level often act as a liaison between groups with a focus on solving particular unstructured problems. Interactions at this level require considerable interpersonal skill and the ability to resolve conflict.

Factor 4: Job Controls and Guidelines

Level 4.0 - 850 Points: The employee operates under administrative supervision and makes decisions based on broadly-stated University objectives and available resources. Administrative guidelines are expressed in terms of project or program outcomes and deadlines with few comprehensive guidelines. Decisions are based on inadequate guidelines that require considerable interpretation and force the employee to plan all phases of the assignment. Assignments may be unrelated in function and the work requires many different processes and methods and a great deal of analysis to identify the nature and extent of problems. The work may require the employee to develop new methods and to deal with many variables, including some that are unclear or conflicting. Characteristic jobs at this level may involve directing large and/or complex programs, projects, or departments in which the work cuts across functional lines or requires dealing with unprecedented issues.

Factor 5: Managerial Responsibility

Level 4.0 - 1500 Points: Work involves the primary accountability for a smaller department, program, or process. Work activities involve managerial decisions that directly affect the efficiency, costs, reputation, and service quality of the department, program, or process. Work affects a limited range of professional projects or administrative activities of the University. Work activities have a direct and substantial impact on the department. While work activities do have some effect on the efficiency and reputation of the cost center, departments, programs, or processes at this level represent a relatively minor function within the cost center. Employees in jobs at this level may have responsibility for developing budgets, distributing budgeted funds, and exercising the primary control over a relatively small budget.