Research Accountant

Overview

The Research Accountant is responsible for evaluating, analyzing and reporting on grant and contracts awards and transactions to ensure compliance with accepted procedures and maintain effective budgetary controls. Work activities require the application of involved practices and precedents as well as an increased knowledge of accounting theory and principles. The research accountant position must possess knowledge of fund/grant accounting and generally accepted accounting principles. Requirements include experience with financial analysis, program expense, review reports, budget reviews and financial report and final invoice preparation.

Responsibilities

Perform grant-related post-award accounting functions, including award set-up in financial system, award budget distributions, expense analysis, non-standard and final invoicing and financial reporting.

Maintain grant and general award budgets in financial system. Ensure compliance with Lurie Children’s, Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute and agency policies and procedures regarding distribution and transfer of funds. Maintain contact with granting agencies to ensure proper use of funding.

Monitor and assist in resolution of award budget variances.

Reconcile accounts in accordance with pertinent policies and procedures. Ensure transactions are accurately recorded and classified according to standard accounting theory and principles. Analyze and review documents and reports to verify computations and ensure all transactions are properly supported.

Perform grant closeout functions required by sponsors including reconciliations, financial status reports, final invoices, purchase order liquidations and final reporting; review general ledger transactions to ensure accuracy and complete journal entries.

Creates journal entries to allocate residuals/overdrafts and/or overhead discrepancies to departmental accounts, as a result of reconciliations/closeouts.

Support the sponsored programs department in education and training of principal investigators and administrators; assess needs and resolves issues of the principal investigator related to grants accounting; perform analysis and support for projects.

Maintain knowledge and serve as resource to team on technical matters relating to financials, by keeping up to date with generally-accepted accounting principles (FASB, GAAP, etc.), federal award regulations and Uniform Guidance.

Assist Quality Assurance and Compliance Manager with annual single audit report, agency administrative site visits and monitoring as needed.

Demonstrate knowledge in analyzing and interpreting various agency guidelines, regulations and requirements and Lurie Children’s and Stanley Manne Children Research Institute policies and procedures.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting or Finance required.

Minimum of three years post-award grant management/grant accounting experience in NIH and other federally funded grants or contracts directly for faculty in an academic research/hospital environment is required.

Working knowledge of federal NIH awards, research grant finance, accounts payable, general ledger, payroll, and budgeting preferred.

Ability to work independently as a member of a team and follow through on assignments with minimal direction required.

Ability to work accurately with detailed information required.

Ability to handle high volume of work with changing priorities and constant interruptions and establish priorities and deadlines required.