Assistant Director for Fiscal Compliance and Accounting

University of North Carolina Wilmington; Wilmington (NC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Paid leave

Tuition opportunities within UNCSystem

Wellness programs

Learning & development opportunities

Job summary

University of North Carolina Wilmington seeks an Assistant Director for Fiscal Compliance and Accounting to lead the SPARC post‑award financial functions, ensuring regulatory compliance and effective stewardship of sponsored awards.

You will oversee financial reporting, effort reporting, risk management, and internal controls while mentoring staff and translating complex financial data into actionable guidance for investigators and administrators.

Qualifications

• Master's or higher in accounting/finance or related field.
• Minimum 5–7 years in progressive financial roles including sponsored programs.
• Knowledge of 2 CFR 200 and federal/state regulations.
• Advanced Excel and data analytics skills.
• Ability to mentor staff and lead a team.

Responsibilities

• Overseeing post‑award financial leadership and compliance.
• Directing financial reporting, analytics, budget management, and effort reporting.
• Leading the post‑award team and coordinating with departments.
• Developing internal controls and coordinating audits.
• Providing training and driving process improvements in financial management.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Project management

Analytical thinking

Education

Master's degree in accounting/finance/business or data analytics

Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance

Tools

Excel

Power BI

SSRS

Tableau

SQL

Workday

Banner

Job description

Assistant Director for Fiscal Compliance andAccounting

Benefits of Working at UNCW:

At the University of North Carolina Wilmington, we are driven by a clear purpose: to empower student success, advance innovation, and strengthen the communities we serve. Guided by our strategic vision and commitment to excellence, UNCW offers a dynamic and collaborative environment where employees can make meaningful contributions while growing their careers. Located in coastal North Carolina, UNCW combines the energy of a thriving academic community with the natural beauty of nearby beaches and outdoor spaces. Here, professional opportunity is balanced with an exceptional quality of life—creating a workplace where you can thrive both personally and professionally. As a member of the Seahawk community, you'll benefit from a culture that values well-being, lifelong learning, and connection. UNCW offers a competitive and flexible benefits package designed to support your health, financial well‑being, and professional growth. From comprehensive health coverage and retirement options to generous paid leave, tuition opportunities within the UNC System, learning and development opportunities, and wellness programs, UNCW is committed to helping you thrive both at work and in your personal life.

Recruitment Range: Determined based on qualifications and/orexperience.

Vacancy Number: E1642

Location of Workplace: Main UNCW Campus

Home Department: Research and Innovation - 31100

Division: Academic Affairs - 30 Division

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit:

The Sponsored Programs and Research Compliance (SPARC) office is committed to providing efficient and effective service to the faculty and staff throughout the university in support of their sponsored research and scholarship activities. Charged with oversight of externally sponsored programs, SPARC provides cradle-to-grave sponsored program administration and support to ensure faculty have the resources and structure necessary to successfully and legally conduct their programs including: a) support in identifying funding sources, b) assistance with proposal development, c) monitoring/oversight of the responsible management of sponsored projects and d) ensuring university compliance with contract/grant fiscal and regulatory requirements, e) protecting the university from unrecovered revenue, disallowed costs, and non‑compliance with state and federal policies pertaining to stewardship of external funding.

University Information

The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the state's coastal university, is dedicated to the integration of teaching, mentoring, research, and service. UNCW is distinguished by its commitment to putting students first, supporting world‑class faculty and staff, delivering transformative learning experiences, and leveraging its unique proximity to the ocean. Recognized nationally for scholarly excellence and affordability, UNCW offers a powerful academic experience that stimulates creative inquiry and critical thinking and reflects emerging industries and interdisciplinary innovation.

A public institution with nearly 20,000 students, UNCW offers a full range of baccalaureate- and graduate‑level programs, as well as doctoral degrees in educational leadership, marine biology, nursing practice and psychology; and many distance learning options, including clinical research, an accelerated RN-to-BSN program, an Executive M.B.A. program structured for working professionals, and the nation's first bachelor's degree program focused on coastal engineering.

The university's efforts to advance research and scholarly activities have earned UNCW the elevated designation of "Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity" institution (R2 University) by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

Founded as Wilmington College in 1947, UNCW moved to its present location in the heart of New Hanover County in 1961. The 660‑acre campus is only minutes from Wrightsville Beach and historic downtown Wilmington and features Georgian architecture and designated conservation areas. Wilmington International Airport (ILM) provides commercial air service to cities both domestic and abroad and is just six miles from the UNCW campus.

UNCW has been part of the University of North Carolina System since 1969.

Brief Summary of Work for this Position:

The Assistant Director for Fiscal Compliance and Accounting provides senior leadership for SPARC's post‑award financial administration, ensuring the financial integrity, regulatory compliance, and effective stewardship of sponsored awards. The position leads financial reporting and analysis, effort reporting, risk management and internal controls, process improvement, and supervision and development of post‑award staff while serving as an institutional expert on sponsored‑program financial requirements. The role also translates complex financial and compliance information into actionable guidance for principal investigators, administrators, SPARC leadership and stakeholder units.

Key Responsibilities

• Post‑Award Financial Leadership & Compliance: Overseeing daily operations, grant reconciliation, and ensuring compliance with federal, state, sponsor, and institutional guidelines.
• Financial Reporting, Analytics & Budget Management: Directing sponsor, institutional, and leadership reporting; analyzing financial data, trends, variances, projections, and emerging risks; managing indirect cost recoveries; and administering effort reporting.
• Team Leadership & Collaboration: Leading the post‑award team, facilitating communication between departments, and ensuring alignment of financial practices with research objectives.
• Audit, Risk and Internal Controls: Developing internal controls, coordinating audits, and responding to regulatory changes.
• Training & Process Improvement: Providing training on financial management and compliance and enhancing financial processes and systems.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

• A master's degree in accounting, finance, business administration, data analytics, or a closely related field and at least five years of progressively responsible experience; or a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or a closely related field and at least seven years of progressively responsible experience. Qualifying experience must be in accounting, financial analysis, audit, sponsored‑program financial administration, grants accounting, research administration, or another complex regulated financial environment and must include independent analysis of complex financial data, preparation of management or regulatory reports, reconciliation of financial activity, and identification of trends, anomalies, and financial or compliance risks.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret and apply complex financial, regulatory, and policy requirements.
• Knowledge of federal financial assistance regulations, including 2 CFR 200 OMB Uniform Guidance.
• Demonstrated mastery of advanced Excel skills.

Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills & Experience

Research Administration Expertise

• Experience in a central sponsored programs office, grants accounting operation, or post‑award research administration setting is strongly preferred.
• Professional Credentials: CPA licensure is strongly preferred. Other relevant credentials, such as CMA, CGFM, CRA, or CFRA, are also preferred. Candidates without a research‑administration credential must demonstrate advanced accounting, audit, financial‑analysis, or regulatory‑reporting experience and the ability to acquire sponsored‑program expertise quickly.

Technical & Analytical Skills

• Experience with effort reporting, F&A distribution, or the NSF HERD survey are preferred; candidates must demonstrate the ability to develop expertise in these areas quickly.
• Excellent leadership, communication, workflow management, and organizational skills, with the ability to mentor and train staff. Proficiency in accounting and financial systems and reporting tools.
• Experience with large‑scale research universities or institutions with complex sponsored programs portfolios.
• Expertise in developing and implementing financial and compliance systems.
• Experience in developing successful training programs for faculty and administrators on post‑award management and compliance.
• Advanced proficiency and demonstrated experience using financial information systems, reporting platforms, query tools, and data‑visualization or business‑intelligence tools to extract, reconcile, analyze, and present complex financial data. Experience with Banner, SSRS, Power BI, Tableau, SQL, Workday, or comparable enterprise financial and reporting systems.
• Demonstrated experience applying artificial intelligence tools to support workflow, data analytics, grants accounting, or research administration.
• Ability to comprehend and interpret state, federal, and sponsoring agencies' rules, regulations, policies, and laws regarding sponsored projects.

Required Certifications or Licensures

None.

Employment Details

FTE: 1.0 FTE (40 hours per week)

Months Per Year: 12 Months

Type of Position: Permanent

Position Number: E1642

Job Posting Date: 11/04/2026

Posting Close Date: 11/30/2026

Number of Openings: Single Incumbent

Special Notes to Applicants

PLEASE NOTE: This posting will close at 11:59PM (Eastern time) on the posted closing date. To receive full consideration, please be sure you have fully completed the entire application before you submit for this position.

Applications must be submitted through the online application system to be considered.

Eligibility for Employment

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor‑vehicle checks. UNC Wilmington participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

UNCW does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of his or her race, sex (such as gender, gender‑identity, marital status, childbirth, and pregnancy), age, color, national origin (including ethnicity), religion, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation, veteran status, military service member status, genetic information, or relationship to other university constituents - except where sex, age, or ability represent bona fide educational or occupational qualifications or where marital status is a statutorily established eligibility criterion for State funded employee benefit programs.