Award Accountant, General Campus - 141576

UC San Diego; San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

UC San Diego is seeking an Award Accountant in the Sponsored Projects Finance (SPF) division. The role focuses on post-award accounting for federal and non-federal sponsors and provides financial oversight to campus departments.

The incumbent will ensure timely fund control, regulatory compliance, and accurate financial reporting, supporting principal investigators and administrators across the university.

Qualifications

• Experience with post-award administration of contracts and grants.
• Understanding of Federal and non-Federal sponsor guidelines and regulations.
• Strong knowledge of GAAP and financial reporting principles.
• Ability to analyze and reconcile complex financial data for compliance.
• Excellent written and oral communication and ability to work with diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to manage a high volume of transactions and meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and oversee post-award accounting for sponsored funds.
• Ensure timely and accurate financial reporting to awarding agencies.
• Support compliance with sponsor regulations and institutional policies.

Skills

Post-award administration

Financial analysis

Communication skills

Independence

Time management

Tools

Excel

Grants management software

Job description

DESCRIPTION

This is a UC San Diego Internal Recruitment open to UC San Diego Employees Only

This is a UC San Diego Internal Recruitment open to UC San Diego Employees Only

Department Overview:

Business & Financial Services (BFS) at UC San Diego is a dynamic and essential part of the university's financial operations, overseen by the Assistant Vice Chancellor and UC San Diego Controller.

BFS is comprised of several specialized divisions that collectively manage the university's financial resources and supports UC San Diego's academic and research mission. These divisions include Office of the Controller, Financial Operations & Sponsored Projects Finance, Internal Controls & Accounting, Financial Insights & Training Solutions, Student Financial Solutions, and Finance & Administration.

With an annual budget of approximately $20 million, BFS offers a collaborative and innovative environment where more than 150 career staff and a diverse team of student assistants, contractors, and casual employees work together to form the backbone of the university's financial infrastructure.

The Sponsored Projects Finance (SPF) division at UC San Diego is a cornerstone of financial oversight and compliance, managing $1.7 billion in research funding-approximately 60% of the university's portfolio. Supporting more than 4,000 active research awards across the Marine Sciences, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and General Campus, SPF ensures regulatory compliance, provides strategic guidance to principal investigators, department staff, and leadership, and drives continuous business process improvements.

SPF empowers campus stakeholders with essential financial tools and training, enhancing their ability to navigate complex research funding requirements. Through its comprehensive services-including financial reporting, accounts receivable and cash management, effort reporting, payroll and expense transfer approvals, and cost share monitoring-SPF upholds the university's commitment to financial integrity, cost accountability, and the advancement of its research mission.

Position Overview:

Incumbent serves as Award Accountant, Academic Affairs within the Sponsored Projects Finance (SPF) ---a division of Business and Financial Services (BFS). This position provides vital support to UC San Diego campus departments to coordinate and oversee the post award accounting and financial administration of funds received from federal and non-federal sponsors. Incumbent ensures timely and accurate fund control activities and management of financial reporting requirements to the awarding agencies/entities. The Award Accountant provides knowledge in regulatory compliance support services to the department administrators and Principal Investigators to ensure all applicable government and private regulations are met during the executed award period.

The Award Accountant is responsible for supporting and enhancing a culture of quality services that supports the research mission of the University of California system. Incumbents assume a broad level of responsibility in the post-award accounting administration of executed awards, providing project leadership and support on a multitude of campus-wide and organizational initiatives.

Work Schedule:

This position is designated as hybrid, with an expectation of two days on-site and three days remote, subject to operational needs and departmental discretion.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Proven comprehensive knowledge of and experience with contracts and grants post-award administration.
• Thorough understanding of research administration guidelines of Federal and non-Federal sponsors supporting research and educational activities, preferably in a university environment. Demonstrated ability to independently comprehend, analyze, and interpret terminology and phrasing in agency guidelines and regulations and University policy and procedure manuals. Ability to apply knowledge in preparing financial reports.
• Demonstrated knowledge of generally accepted accounting, fiscal, and reporting principles. Demonstrated in-depth knowledge of accounting principles theory and practice; the expected minimum years of professional experience is typically 4 years.
• Demonstrated competence in the use of spreadsheet and database software in financial analysis, fiscal management, and financial reports. Intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Excel for financial analysis, reconciliation, and reporting within a sponsored projects or post-award environment.
• Demonstrated experience utilizing financial, grants management, and enterprise systems to support post-award administration. Proven ability to leverage information technology and apply process improvement methodologies to design, streamline, and implement compliant post award financial processes in alignment with sponsor regulations and institutional policy.
• Ability to perform complex financial analysis and customized reporting. Demonstrated analytical skills, ability to comprehend and reconcile financial data, and perform mathematical computations with accuracy in relation to post-award compliance, terms, and restrictions.
• Ability to manage significant volume of transactions.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal direction, effectively prioritize responsibilities, and meet multiple conflicting deadlines to produce quality results
• Ability to maintain independent judgment; strong organization and communication skills; and a customer service focus across broad and diverse subject areas. Demonstrated experience supporting faculty, principal investigators, department administrators, central offices, and external sponsors with post award/sponsored projects finance. Proven ability to apply independent judgment in interpreting award terms and conditions, sponsor regulations, and institutional policies to resolve complex financial issues and make sound decisions.
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to exercise discretion, confidentiality, diplomacy, and professionalism in managing sensitive financial and compliance matters and maintaining effective working relationships.
• Maintains current knowledge of compliance regulations in all areas of research administration.
• Thorough knowledge of applicable compliance requirements related to use of human or animal subjects in research, financial conflict of interest, biosafety, etc.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

• Job offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on Background Check results.

Pay Transparency Act

Annual Full Pay Range: Unclassified - No data available (will be prorated if the appointment percentage is less than 100%)

Hourly Equivalent: Unclassified - No data available

Factors in determining the appropriate compensation for a role include experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The Hiring Pay Scale referenced in the job posting is the budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position. The Annual Full Pay Range may be broader than what the University anticipates to pay for this position, based on internal equity, budget, and collective bargaining agreements (when applicable).