Job Duties and Responsibilities:

This Finance Professional 4 position is an integral component to the accounting team of the Medicine Administrative Center.

50% Research Accounting

Financial expert over entire life of a grant from award set up to closure.  Responsibilities include:
-Establishing a grant budget
-Determining appropriate payroll percentages for labor charging and effort certification
-Auditing and approving expenditures against grant and proactively communicate potential deficits
-Developing financial projections and working with project investigators to research the source and cause of discrepancies in accounting systems
-Recommend solutions to funding concerns or other complex problems
-Assist with renewals and closeout of projects

15% Budget Analysis & Reporting

Provide comprehensive, global financial reports, projections, and budgets for projects, faculty, divisions, or department.  These are reported at a certain time interval and identify risks and opportunities within the area being analyzed.  Ad hoc reporting will be required.  Work with faculty/management to develop financial plans.

15% Certified Approver & Effort Certification

Audit and approve expenditures on sponsored research projects.  Interpret grant and contract regulations and their relation to University accounting procedures, identifies areas of concern and recommends solutions.  Provide departmental expertise on expenditure requirements and policy.  Coordinate the effort certification process.  Review effort statements and work with faculty to resolve discrepancies.

10% Communication & Relationship Management

Build, foster and maintain positive professional relationships with the division faculty and staff.  Facilitate the resolution of complicated financial transactions.  Partner with the division administrator on managing the finances for the division.  Ensure the division administrator is informed of the financial status of their faculty and the daily activities taking place.

10% Process Design/Improvements & Department Representative

Represent department on Medical School, AHC and central committees to share expertise, aid in decision making, and communicate information back to department.  Take the lead within department on process design and improvement.

All required qualifications must be documented on application materials

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree and at least five years experience or a combination of related education and work experience to equal nine years.
• Prior experience with financial reporting and analyses.
• Proficiency with Excel.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in informal and formal teaming arrangements.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret, present and analyze information and ideas clearly and accurately in writing, verbally and by preparation of reports and other materials.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external organizations, groups, team leaders and members and individuals
• Certified approver.
• Project accounting, to include sponsored research accounting.
• Strong organizational skills with demonstrated ability to use good judgment in prioritizing multiple requests made at times by persons with competing interests

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with the University of Minnesota financial management information systems and EFS.
• Peoplesoft accounting system, or accounting or fiscal experience in a public, comprehensive higher education institution with considerable knowledge of administrative policies and procedures typical of a public institution of higher education.
• Fund accounting skills.