Finance Associate

RFCUNY Research Foundation of the City University of New York; United States; On-site; USD 50,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

RFCUNY Benefits

Job summary

RFCUNY Research Foundation of the City University of New York is seeking a Finance Associate to support the Institute for Justice and Opportunity. You will monitor OTPS expenditures, process invoices, maintain financial records, and prepare financial reports related to grant activities.

Reporting to the Director of Finance and Operations, you will collaborate with program staff, manage multiple accounts, and ensure compliance with grant requirements.

Qualifications

• Associate degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or related field required.
• Bachelor's degree in related field preferred.
• Minimum of one year of relevant experience in financial administration, accounting support, budget tracking, or grants management.
• Experience in nonprofit, higher education, or grant-funded environments preferred.

Responsibilities

• Monitor OTPS spending across all accounts within the assigned grant portfolio.
• Maintain and update internal grant expenditure tracking systems.
• Review, track, and submit invoices for assigned programs and grants.
• Prepare and distribute monthly OTPS budget versus actual expenditure reports.
• Perform routine reviews of financial transactions and supporting documentation to identify discrepancies.
• Meet regularly with departments to identify spending issues and opportunities versus budget.
• Coordinate with designated finance contacts at John Jay College, RF CUNY, and CUNY.

Skills

Attention to detail

Excel proficiency

Analytical skills

Financial reporting

Communication skills

Collaboration

Confidentiality

Education

Associate degree in Accounting/Finance

Bachelor's degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Outlook

Job description

Thank you for considering a career with the Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY). The team at RFCUNY is made up of dedicated, talented professionals committed to providing the services that allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries. We are pleased that you are interested in exploring opportunities to join RFCUNY. Primary Location: JOHN JAY COLLEGE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE Bargaining Unit: No

Job Summary

The Finance Associate provides day-to-day financial and administrative support to the Institute for Justice and Opportunity (IJO), with a primary focus on monitoring grant expenditures, processing invoices, maintaining financial records, and preparing financial reports related to Other Than Personal Services (OTPS) expenditures. Reporting to the Director of Finance and Operations, the Finance Associate works collaboratively with program staff and institutional partners to ensure accurate financial tracking, timely processing of transactions, and compliance with established financial procedures and grant requirements. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, organized, analytical, and capable of managing multiple financial responsibilities in a collaborative, mission-driven environment.

Duties and Job Responsibilities

Essential Responsibilities:

• Monitoring and tracking OTPS spending across all accounts within their assigned grant portfolio.
• Maintain and update internal grant expenditure tracking systems.
• Review, track, and submit invoices for assigned programs and grants.
• Prepare and distribute monthly OTPS budget versus actual expenditure reports.
• Perform routine reviews of financial transactions and supporting documentation to identify discrepancies.
• Meeting regularly with departments to identify spending issues and opportunities versus budget.
• Managing electronic and paper filing systems.

Other Duties:

• Assist with training staff on established financial procedures and systems.
• Assisting with the preparation of financial reports on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis for all accounts to support reconciliations and account closures.
• Coordinate with designated finance and administrative contacts at John Jay College, RF CUNY, and CUNY.
• Attend Institute events as required.
• Review expense documentation for completeness, accuracy, and alignment with approved grant budgets.
• Maintain records supporting financial reviews, funder reporting, and audits.
• Identify potentially unallowable expenses and refer concerns to the Director of Finance and Operations.
• Track spending deadlines and assist with financial grant closeout activities.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Skills/Abilities

• Strong organizational skills with excellent attention to detail and accuracy.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including formulas, data management, and financial tracking.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify financial discrepancies.
• Ability to prepare, review, and interpret financial reports.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, accounts, and deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues, program staff, and external institutional partners.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive financial information appropriately.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook and Word.
• Familiarity with nonprofit financial management and grant-funded programs preferred.

Required Physical Abilities

• Be able to lift a ream of paper.

Education and Experience

Associate degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field required. Bachelor's degree in a related field preferred. Minimum of one year of relevant experience in financial administration, accounting support, budget tracking, or grants management. An equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience may be considered, subject to RF CUNY requirements. Experience working in a nonprofit, higher education, or grant-funded environment preferred.

Pay Range

Minimum - Maximum: $50,000 - $55,000

RFCUNY Benefits

The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY) is a nonprofit educational corporation founded in 1963 to provide post-award fiscal and administrative support for CUNY’s research and sponsored programs. RFCUNY’s services allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries, on projects and programs that serve our local and global communities, proposing concrete solutions to society’s most pressing challenges. RFCUNY serves as a fiscal agent and works closely with all the CUNY campus Grants Offices to perform the core functions of post-award financial management for CUNY research projects and sponsored programs. These functions include legal assessment and signing of agreements where RFCUNY is named as a fiscal agent; setting up award accounts; preparing sub-awards and assisting PIs in monitoring the work of the recipients of sub-awards; supporting project directors with hiring and managing research project and sponsored program staff; supporting the purchasing and paying for goods and services with grant and program funds; managing financial aspects of projects including accounts receivable, financial reporting, invoicing, budget monitoring, and cost compliance with uniform guidance; ensuring that sponsor financial requirements are met; monitoring compliance with applicable project and financial management rules and laws; supporting the management of independent and external audits and financial reviews; and providing data, information, management expertise, and other supports to CUNY’s research and sponsored programs.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Research Foundation of the City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities Act/E-Verify Employer. It is the policy of the Research Foundation of CUNY to provide equal employment opportunities free of discrimination based on race, color, age, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic violence victim status, arrest record, criminal conviction history, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.