University Job Title

Sr Accountant, Office of Sponsored Projects

Bargaining Unit

None - Not included in the union (Yale Union Group)

Time Type

Full time

Duration Type

Regular

Compensation Grade

Administration & Operations

Compensation Grade Profile

Manager; Program Leader (24)

Work Location

Central Campus

Worksite Address

150 Munson Street
New Haven, CT 06511

Work Week

Standard (M-F equal number of hours per day)

Searchable Job Family

Accounting/ Financial, Business Operations, Financial, Research Res Support, Research/Support

Total # of hours to be worked:

37.5

Position Focus:

The Senior Accountant provides seasoned experience and service to University departments, as well as, guidance and second tier review of specific tasks to new and less experienced accountants within their respective team. The Senior Accountant is responsible for the post-award financial duties of sponsored extramural awards at the University by managing up to 400 accounts at the University. These duties involve the performance of a variety of financial and analytical review and quality assurance activities to ensure compliance with accounting principles, sponsored requirements, federal and state regulation and policies, and University policies. This position must exhibit complete ownership for assigned accounts within their portfolio, and recommend improvements to systems, policies, and procedures.

Essential Duties

1. Provide high quality service to faculty, administrators, and sponsors in managing the financial aspects of their sponsored programs, and collaborate with departmental research administrators and pre-award staff to provide faculty excellent support for the financial management of their sponsored projects and effective stewardship of sponsor awards. Responsible for the review and approval of internal financial reports and approves journal entries for small balance adjustments, Subaward refunds and cash allocations. 
2. Prepare and submit consistently high quality and accurate financial status reports for assigned awards and clients to external sponsoring agencies in a timely manner.
3. Prepare and submit bi-weekly and monthly financial metrics to management. 
4. Responsible for reading and interpreting sponsored award documents and applies understanding of federal and other sponsoring agency policies in order to ensure the University’s financial obligations adheres to the expectations of the sponsor, as well as identification of special terms and conditions  and ensuring proper processes are in place.
5. Identify and resolve problematic terms and reporting/invoice clauses that cannot be met by the Institution, and communicate effective resolution with the pre-award section of OSP, departmental research administrators and the sponsor, if applicable. 
6. Ensure timely review and approval of cost transfers in compliance with University Policy and sponsor regulations, must be able to effectively communicate justification deficiencies, effectively assist in disputes and appropriately escalate issues to Accounting Manager for resolution. 
7. Perform complex review of sponsored award expenditures, to assure compliance with sponsor requirements, University policy and state and federal regulations.
8. Responsible for the development, preparation, and maintenance of reporting documentation and work papers that accurately represent Yale’s financial expenses to various sponsors.
9. Ensure accurate award set-up by extracting and consolidating data from multiple sources into Access Database. 
10. Collaborate with all levels of internal and external contacts to carry out department goals, and provide high level of service; take ownership and accountability for timeliness, accuracy and relationship management for assigned portfolio.
11. Conduct post-transactional review of expenses made to sponsored awards based on risk and ensure proper documentation and support exists to substantiate the charge. 
12. Perform account status review and timely and accurate award close-outs, including monitoring spending trends and overdrafts, resolving small balances on awards, review of restricted budgets, review of subcontractor costs, running BRIO reports, performing cash and expenditure reconciliation and closing awards.
13. Keep up-to-date on sponsor requirements, university policies, and state and federal regulations and policies.
14. Create, maintain, and run reports from Yale's data warehouse, and other sources.
15. Participate in process improvement efforts, including documenting procedures, delivering training and presentations, developing and applying new methodologies, identifying impediments and inventing solutions to remedy conflicts and potential problems.
16. Provide institutional level financial review and analysis for sponsored awards within their portfolio. In the execution of this role, the position acts as the primary institutional post-award contact and relationship manager for handling sponsored award related issues, and advising\\educating departmental personnel on sponsored award management policies, sponsoring agency terms and conditions, and proper charging practices.
17. Participate in training of newly hired Accountants, and monitors open portfolio as needed.
18. Assist in the preparation and review of A-133 audit requests for external auditors.
19. Support leadership as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

1. Bachelor’s degree in accounting or business related field and 4 years related experience with accounting and/or University accounting or equivalent combination of education/experience.  
2. Experience using financial accounting systems.

Required Skill/Ability 1:

Comprehensive knowledge of accounting theory and analysis.

Required Skill/Ability 2:

Good business writing and communications skills, as well as good presentation skills.

Required Skill/Ability 3:

Well-developed analytic and problem solving skills. Proactive with strong sense of urgency to deadlines, curious and resourceful.

Required Skill/Ability 4:

Well-organized and have an orientation to detail.

Required Skill/Ability 5:

Professional in appearance and conduct.

Preferred Education, Experience and Skills:

Grant related experience in a University or non-profit environment, knowledge of financial systems, database query and reporting tools, knowledge of 2 CFR Part 200, NIH Grants Policy Statement, NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG). Comprehensive knowledge of the Yale University’s administrative and financial policies and procedures.

Weekend Hours Required?

Occasional

Evening Hours Required?

Occasional

Drug Screen

No

Health Screening

No

Background Check Requirements

All candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position, which may include motor vehicle, DOT certification, drug testing and credit checks based on the position description and job requirements. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of the background check. Please visit www.yale.edu/hronline/careers/screening/faqs.html for additional information on the background check requirements and process.

Posting Disclaimer

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative summary of the essential functions that will be required of the position and should not be construed as a declaration of specific duties and responsibilities of the particular position. Employees will be assigned specific job-related duties through their hiring departments.

Affirmative Action Statement:

Yale University considers applicants for employment without regard to, and does not discriminate on the basis of, an individual’s sex, race, color, religion, age, disability, status as a veteran, or national or ethnic origin; nor does Yale discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 protects people from sex discrimination in educational programs and activities at institutions that receive federal financial assistance. Questions regarding Title IX may be referred to the University’s Title IX Coordinator, at TitleIX@yale.edu, or to the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 8th Floor, Five Post Office Square, Boston MA 02109-3921. Telephone: 617.289.0111, Fax: 617.289.0150, TDD: 800.877.8339, or Email: ocr.boston@ed.gov.

Note

Yale University is a tobacco-free campus