Grant Accountant

  • Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, United States
  • Administrative Professional
  • Regular Full Time
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Title: Grant Accountant

VP Area: Finance & Operations

Department: Business Operations

Published Salary Range: $55,000 - $70,000

Job Summary/Basic Function: 

The Grant Accountant is responsible for the financial management, compliance, and reporting of externally funded grants and contracts. This position ensures that all grant activity is recorded accurately in the financial system, complies with federal, state, and sponsor regulations, and aligns with institutional policies. The Grant Accountant serves as a key liaison between Finance, Principal Investigators (PIs), and external sponsors.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Grant Financial Management

  • Manage and maintain the BANNER grant accounting module.
  • Monitor and review grant expenditures for compliance with grant guidelines, regulations, and budgetary restrictions.
  • Ensure costs are allowable, allocable, reasonable, and consistently treated under Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200.
  • Review and approve transactions for compliance with grant terms.

Accounting & Reconciliation

  • Perform financial accounting, reporting, and record keeping in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB), and the Federal Uniform Guidance.
  • Perform monthly reconciliation of grant funds to the general ledger.
  • Monitor and review grant receivables and follow-up if payments are not received on a timely basis.
  • Reconcile payroll expenses, including effort and fringe allocations.
  • Prepare and post journal entries in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB), and the Federal Uniform Guidance.
  • Support indirect cost calculations and postings.

Financial Reporting

  • Prepare and submit financial reports and invoices to granting agencies, in accordance with GAAP and grant requirements. Follow-up as necessary to ensure accurate submission of data.
  • Assist with effort reporting and certification processes.
  • Support preparation of annual financial statements and audit schedules.

Compliance & Audit

  • Ensure compliance with sponsor guidelines and institutional policies.
  • Assist with audits, including Single Audit (Uniform Guidance).
  • Create and maintain a system of documentation to support grant expenditures, reports, and other grant documents, to ensure that all records generated are retained in accordance with granting agency guidelines.
  • Monitor deadlines for reporting and grant closeout.
  • Prepare the application and negotiation of the Federal indirect rate as required.

Grant Closeout

  • Perform financial closeout of grants, ensuring all expenditures are recorded.
  • Resolve deficits or surpluses in accordance with institutional policy.
  • Submit final financial reports and ensure compliance with sponsor requirements.

Collaboration & Support

  • Partner with Grant Managers to review, analyze, and plan activities to ensure compliance with grant restrictions and expenditure guidelines.
  • Provide guidance on allowable costs and budget management.
  • Train campus departments on grant financial procedures.

Perform other Business Office accounting functions as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
  • 2-5 years of accounting experience, including both electronic data processing and spreadsheet applications.
  • Knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).
  • Experience with ERP systems (BANNER strongly preferred).
  • Ability to work well with others and communicate effectively.

Preferred:

  • Experience in higher education or nonprofit grant accounting.
  • Knowledge of the Federal Uniform Guidance, and governmental fund accounting.
  • Familiarity with federal agencies.
  • Experience with institutional indirect cost rate agreements.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS

  • Typical office environment, Monday-Friday schedule.
  • Occasional evening or weekend hours during registration or billing cycles.
  • Adequate physical fitness to be able to sit and concentrate for long periods of time.
  • Use of fine motor skills to operate computer.
  • Problem solving ability; ability to understand and work with numbers.
  • Ability to see, hear and speak with or without use of aids to perform normal office tasks.

WORK HOURS

Monday - Friday 8:00am - 5:00pm. Extra hours as needed.

The above statement reflects the general duties considered necessary to describe the principle functions of the job identified, and shall not be construed as a detailed description of all the work requirements that may be inherent in the job.  It is not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of any supervisor to assign, direct and control the work of employees under his/her supervision.

 

 

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