Grant Accountant

Case Western Reserve University; Cleveland (OH); Hybrid; USD 48,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare

Retirement plans

Tuition assistance

Paid time off

Winter recess

Job summary

Case Western Reserve University seeks a Grant Accountant to manage pre- and post-award grants for the Department of Pediatrics in the School of Medicine. The role covers financial and administrative reporting, budget preparation, and sponsor communications.

Responsibilities include reviewing proposals, monitoring expenditures, and ensuring sponsor and university compliance. Candidates should have 5 years of related experience or a BA with relevant coursework.

Qualifications

• Experience in managing financial accounts and funds, including cost projections and budgeting.
• Knowledge of OMB circulars (A-21, A-110, A-133) and cost accounting standards.
• Strong organizational, problem-solving, and customer service skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication; ability to work under tight deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Review grant applications for institutional signature and prepare budgets and documentation.
• Forecast and monitor expenditures; manage post-award salary and non-salary costs.
• Provide guidance on policy guidelines, budgeting, and expenditures to investigators and staff.
• Prepare sub-award documentation and collaborate on funding proposals.

Skills

Financial analysis

Budgeting

OMB regulations

Communication

Multi-tasking

Teamwork

Problem solving

Excel

Education

Bachelor's degree in business/finance/accounting

High school diploma + 5 years related experience

Tools

Excel

Job description

Case Western Reserve University is committed to providing a transparent estimate of the salary for this position at the time of its posting. The starting wage rate is $23.68 per hour, depending on qualifications, experience, department budgets, and industry data. Employees receive more than just a paycheck. University employees enjoy a comprehensive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare, retirement plans, tuition assistance, paid time off, and a winter recess.

POSITION OBJECTIVE

Working under general supervision, the Grant Accountant will be responsible for both pre- and post-award grants management for the Department of Pediatrics, In the School of Medicine. This position assumes overall responsibility for the sponsored projects, fulfilling the timely and appropriate financial and administrative reporting requirements of associated funding agencies. In addition, the position works directly with support staff, administrators, and investigators in preparing and submitting grant applications, interacting with sponsor representatives, and in managing grant accounts from establishment to closeout. This position provides compliance oversight and guidance, as well as communicating and interpreting agency policies and requirements for investigative personnel.

Essential Functions

• Review and process all grant applications submitted by faculty in preparation for institutional signature. Prepare for new and renewal of proposals: gather data and respond to requests for information; research and compile information required; prepare initial budget; prepare support documentation; review proposals to ensure routine specifications are met. Review and evaluate sponsored awards for compliance with sponsor, school, and university requirements. Assess financial, research, and conflict-of-interest disclosures to ensure adherence to sponsor-specific regulations and institutional policies governing sponsored projects. Analyze award documentation, identify post-award compliance or administrative issues, and apply independent judgment, under supervision, to determine appropriate resolution and ensure the proper administration of research activities and sponsored programs. (20%)
• Manage award accounts, noting terms and conditions of awards, and review these with principal investigators and departmental administrators. Proactively provide financial analysis and fiscal management for assigned contract and grant funds for their assigned portfolio which will range between $2 - $4 million in annual direct spending. Proper stewardship of sponsored program funds depends on understanding and communicating these terms and conditions that must be met if the university is to remain a recipient of such funding. Responsible for monitoring post award salary and non-salary expenditures. Responsible for forecasting research account expenditures. Review and approve all research expenditures. (20%)
• Provide direction in grant preparation, administration, and compliance to investigators and so must have sufficient knowledge to provide proper guidance and judgment to determine when to confer with supervisors, other experts within the university, or agency representatives. Provide expertise and assistance to principal investigators and to departmental administrators on policy guidelines and budgetary, personnel, and expenditure control activities. Develop effective working relationships with all constituents. (15%)
• Prepare sub-award agreement documentation with collaborating institutions, using applicable guidelines and templates to prepare these documents with collaborators. (10%)
• Collaborate with program directors, principal investigators, manager, administrative operations, and external consultants in the planning and preparation of funding proposals (competitive, non-competitive, and supplemental funding). (10%)

Nonessential Functions

• Monitor deadlines for progress and final reports and provide principal investigators and administrators with the necessary information to complete and submit reports. Timely submission of these reports is an important compliance issue for the university. (5%)
• Provide assistance to principal investigators and to departmental administrators on policy guidelines and budgetary, personnel, and expenditure control activities. Develop effective working relationships with all constituents. Work with sponsors to ensure that proper procedures are followed and that submissions are successful. (5%)
• Maintain and update proposal and award database, assuring quality of the data so that meaningful and accurate reporting can originate from this source. These data form the basis for planning and budget forecasting in research activity. (5%)
• Maintain departmental files so that the information is accessible to anyone who needs it. Keeping complete files, being mindful of federal regulations as they pertain to retention of records after end dates. (5%)
• Maintain and enhance up-to-date knowledge and skills applicable to sponsored program activity through additional training, conferences, and meetings of research administration professionals or through the review of professional literature. Such continuing education is critical to effective performance as interpretations, requirements, and electronic capability of sponsors change frequently. (4%)
• Perform other duties as assigned. (1%)

CONTACTS

Department: Daily contact with department director, faculty, and other staff to discuss and delegate work assignments. Daily contact with staff in Finance and Administration to discuss projects, coordinate activities, process and resolve questions regarding financial reports, and employee relations issues. Regular contact with supervisors and principle researchers in the other departments to network and exchange ideas and to coordinate preparation of proposal budgets.

University: Regular contact with staff in various central administration offices such as Research Administration, Purchasing, Controller's Office to provide and request information.

External: Contact with outside funding agencies and organizations to discuss or deal with administrative and financial issues relating to current or potential funded projects.

Students: Daily contact with students in the department to answer questions and resolve problems relating to purchasing.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

This position does not have supervisory responsibilities.

Qualifications

Education/Experience: High school education and 5 years of related experience in research administration OR Bachelor's degree with coursework in business, finance, or accounting and 1 to 3 years of related experience required.

Required Skills

• Experience in managing financial accounts and funds, including cost projections and budgeting, ability to perform mid-level financial analysis and customized reporting. Knowledge of OMB circulars such as A-21, A110, A-133, Federal Acquisition Regulations, and principles of cost accounting standards, including allowability, allocability, and reasonableness.
• Basic working knowledge of institutions of higher education's fiscal policies/procedures. Ability to learn within the first six months external sponsor requirements.
• Strong organizational, problem solving, and excellent customer service skills.
• Effective oral and written communication skills. Good interpersonal skills to interact with varied groups. Ability to work in a fast paced environment with overlapping deadlines and short lead times.
• Must be able to multi-task and quickly shift priorities. Ability to work independently as well as in a team.
• Proficiency working with information management systems.
• Proactive approach to potential problems, excellent problem-solving skills required.
• Demonstrated competence in the use of spreadsheet and database in financial analysis, fiscal management and financial reports.
• Ability to meet consistent attendance.
• Ability to interact with colleagues, supervisors and faculty face to face.
• Ability to demonstrate successful support, education, and advocacy for all students, aligned with the values, mission, and messaging of the university, while adhering to the staff policy on conflict of commitment and interest.
• Willingness to learn and work with Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and technologies.

WORKING CONDITIONS

General office environment. The employee will perform repetitive motion using computer mouse and keyboard to type.

This position is eligible for hybrid work arrangement up to two remote days per week at the discretion of the department. New employees may begin a hybrid schedule upon approval from the supervisor, successful completion of an orientation period and signing the remote work checklist certification form.

Case Western Reserve University is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants are protected under federal and state laws and university policy from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national or ethnic origin, protected veteran status, disability, age and genetic information.

Case Western Reserve University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act regarding reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the CWRU Office of Equity at 216-368-3066 to request a reasonable accommodation. Determinations as to granting reasonable accommodations for any applicants will be made on a case-by-case basis.