Senior Accountant, Grants and General Ledger

The College of Wooster; Wooster (OH); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Dental benefits

Retirement plan

Tuition remission

Job summary

The College of Wooster seeks a Senior Accountant, Grants and General Ledger to manage accounting for all College grants, including federal research and private awards. You will monitor grant budgets, ensure timely reporting, and support GAAP-compliant year-end processes.

Ideal candidates have 3+ years in grants/general ledger accounting, a bachelor's in accounting/finance, and CPA-partial status; familiarity with Datatel Colleague is a plus.

Qualifications

• Requires strong attention to detail and accuracy in financial data.
• Experience with not-for-profit or higher education accounting preferred.
• Proven ability to communicate complex financial information to diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

• Oversees grants accounting and budget monitoring for federal and private grants.
• Manages general ledger activities and month-end close processes.
• Ensures compliance with regulations and Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200).
• Supports year-end GAAP financial statements and audits.
• Back-up to Accounts Payable Manager as needed.

Skills

Attention to detail

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Ethical standards

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting/finance

CPA candidate

Tools

Datatel Colleague

Microsoft Office 365

Advanced Excel

Job description

Wooster offers an excellent, comprehensive liberal arts education, culminating in a rigorous senior project, in which each student works one-on-one with a faculty mentor to conceive, organize and complete a significant research project on a topic of the student's own choosing. Through this distinctive program, every Wooster student develops abilities valued by employers and graduate schools alike: independent judgment, analytical ability, creativity, project-management and time-management skills, and strong written and oral communication skills. Founded in 1866, the college enrolls approximately 2,000 students.

The College offers a comprehensive benefits program that includes: Health, Dental, Retirement, and Tuition Remission for eligible positions.

Job Description

About The College of Wooster

Wooster offers an excellent, comprehensive liberal arts education, culminating in a rigorous senior project, in which each student works one-on-one with a faculty mentor to conceive, organize and complete a significant research project on a topic of the student's own choosing. Through this distinctive program, every Wooster student develops abilities valued by employers and graduate schools alike: independent judgment, analytical ability, creativity, project-management and time-management skills, and strong written and oral communication skills. Founded in 1866, the college enrolls approximately 2,000 students.

The College offers a comprehensive benefits program that includes: Health, Dental, Retirement, and Tuition Remission for eligible positions.

Job Description

SUMMARY

The Senior Accountant, Grants and General Ledger is responsible for the accounting, administration and financial oversight of all College grants; primarily federal research grants and private grants from corporations and foundations. This position creates and monitors grant-related budgets. This position ensures timely and accurate grant reporting for all federal, state, local and non-government grants. The Senior Accountant, Grants and General Ledger oversees all grant-related cash receipts and the completion of related month-end, quarter-end and year-end journal entries for grant accounts. This position is responsible for fixed asset accounting and has responsibility for certain recurring journal entries including departmental recharges, prepaid accounts, accruals in coordination with the Assistant Controller. This position is also responsible for accounting for restricted scholarships. The position actively assists the Assistant Controller and AVP/Controller in the preparation of year-end financial statements in accordance with GAAP.

ESSENTIAL DEPARTMENTAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Grants Accounting

• Supports pre-award grant activities by assisting with budget development, budget justifications, proposal transmittals, and grant budget submissions in collaboration with Associate Director of Sponsored Research.
• Manages all post-award grant administration, including financial accounting, expenditure monitoring, compliance oversight, and preparation of grant reports and quarterly and annual financial reports for the College's grant portfolio.
• Ensures compliance with federal, state, local, grantor, and institutional regulations and policies governing grants, including Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200), and provides analysis and guidance on grant-related financial matters.
• Assists with indirect cost rate proposals and negotiations,
• Assists with grant, audit and regulatory reporting requirements, year-end financial statements (e.g., Uniform Guidance audit, financial compliance reviews, NSF Survey, SEFA, F&A proposal development), and the development and maintenance of grant policies and procedures.

General Accounting

• Responsible for fixed asset accounting, including capitalization, depreciation, disposals, and reconciliations.
• Prepares and posts recurring journal entries, including departmental recharges, prepaid expense amortization and others as assigned.
• Supports month-end and year-end closing processes by ensuring all assigned journal entries, reconciliations, and accounting adjustments are completed accurately and within established deadlines.
• Actively assists the Assistant Controller and AVP/Controller in the preparation of year-end financial statements in accordance with GAAP and completion of the annual audit.
• Serves as back-up to Accounts Payable Manager.
• Assists with other duties and projects as assigned by the Associate Vice President & Controller or the Vice President for Finance and Business.

Requirements

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

• Minimum 3 years of experience in grants and general ledger accounting.
• Not-for-profit or higher education experience.
• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance or related field; CPA or working toward CPA,
• Experience with Datatel's Colleague software
• Proven ability to understand grant applicant (PI) needs, requirements and requests to identify priorities.

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES

SKILLS

• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Adept at navigating complex environments with evolving priorities and communication plans.
• Professional and interpersonal skills and an ability to communicate effectively in person, writing, and over the phone.

KNOWLEDGE

• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent.
• Must be detail-oriented with the ability to process a large amount of data with complete accuracy.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365; Advanced Excel skills.

ABILITIES

• Must be able to keep information confidential.
• Acknowledge and comply with all departmental SOP, safety, and College requirements.
• Commitment to the College's mission, vision, and values