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Grant Specialist

Posting Details

Position Information

Position Number 000071
Functional Title Grant Specialist
Position Type Administration - Staff
Position Eclass EP - EHRA 12 mo leave earning
University Information
Located in North Carolina’s third largest city, UNC Greensboro is among the most diverse, learner-centered public research universities in the state, with nearly 18,000 students in eight colleges and schools pursuing more than 150 areas of undergraduate and over 200 areas of graduate study. UNCG continues to be recognized nationally for academic excellence, access, and affordability. UNCG is ranked No. 1 most affordable institution in North Carolina for net cost by the N.Y. Times and No. 1 in North Carolina for social mobility by The Wall Street Journal — helping first-generation and lower-income students find paths to prosperity. Designated an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, UNCG is a community-engaged research institution with a portfolio of more than $67M in research and creative activity. The University’s 1,100 faculty and 1,700 staff help create an annual economic impact for the Piedmont Triad region in excess of $1B.
Primary Purpose of the Organizational Unit
Contract and Grant Accounting (CGA) partners with Principal Investigators, faculty, and staff to provide comprehensive post-award oversight and guidance to ensure external funds are utilized in a manner consistent with university, sponsor, state, and federal guidelines. CGA facilitates and manages all financial aspects of sponsored research administration for over $70M in sponsored awards each year while developing and maintaining strong relationships with campus partners and external sponsors.CGA protects the University’s interest by ensuring accurate and compliant accounting of income and expenditures and is responsible for the following primary functions:
(1) Establish award in the financial accounting system
(2) New award meetings for project budget overview
(3) Award budget management,
(4) Financial reporting, invoicing, and cash management,
(5) Fringe rate development, negotiation, and review,
(6) Monitoring and oversight of time and effort reporting,
(7) Training and development for research administration personnel,
(8) Communication to increase the quality of research administration and
(9) Account reconciliation, project closeout, and final reporting requirements
Position Summary
This position is required to apply in-depth knowledge of research accounting principles(e.g. CFR 2-200) to maintain compliance with federal and state regulations. Current annual expenditures for contracts and grants exceed $50 million per year from federal, state, local, foundation, and private sources and awarded dollars exceeded $68 million in FY2023. This position requires an in-depth understanding of compliance issues and understanding of the application of federal and state regulations and specific guidelines from sponsors for allowable spending of restricted funds. The position requires a knowledge of accounting, budgeting, cost accounting, and/or other fiscal functions. The work includes: account report preparation and reconciliation, examination of a variety of accounting documents to verify conformance to pertinent policies, procedures, and accounting standards; and preparation of reports and statements requiring interpretation and analysis of accounting records. The position will assist in fiscal reviews/audits by sponsors. During day-to-day operations in the Office of Contracts & Grants, staff have many decisions to make regarding compliance with terms, allowable costs, entering grant data to Banner, how to process forms, and reviewing proposal budgets.
Minimum Qualifications
  • A Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Business Administration, or related field, or the equivalent professional training and experience may be substituted for the advanced degree.
Additional Required Certifications, Licensures, and Certificates
Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience in a Pre or Post-award Research Administration environment and accounting/financial management skills preferred.
Special Instructions to Applicants
Recruitment Range $54,000 - $59,000
Org #-Department Contract and Grant Accounting - 56205
Job Open Date 04/11/2024
For Best Consideration Date 04/15/2024
Job Close Date
Open Until Filled Yes
FTE 1.000
Type of Appointment Permanent
If time-limited, please specify end date for appointment.
Number of Months per Year 12
FLSA Exempt

Key Responsibilities

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Percentage Of Time 35
Key Responsibility
Grant Monitoring and Fiscal Management
Essential Tasks
  • Evaluate and interpret complex legal award documents to determine sponsor policies regarding cost allowability; budget revisions and carry forward, financial reporting schedule, and unique reporting requirements.
  • Prepare award notification memo and forward it to the Principal Investigator with appropriate comments regarding the guidelines and prior approval requirements.
  • Review high audit risk expenditures, including payroll, equipment, and sub-contracts against grant funds for allowability in accordance with specific agency restrictions.
  • Identify areas of non-compliance and recommend remedial action.
  • Review payroll forms with the C&G Salary Encumbrance report to confirm the available budget.
  • Evaluate cost transfer requests for allowability and process the journal entries to post transfer charges in the accounting system.
  • Responsible for proper record retention of all financial documentation relating to the administration of the contract/grant fund to assist auditors with the review of financial records and also to answer any questions.
  • 90 days prior to the grant end date, conducts a thorough review of cost, and revenue, prepares a close-out memo, and communicates any founds issues with PI and Dir/Assoc. Dir.

Percentage Of Time 15
Key Responsibility
Budget Control and Monitoring
Essential Tasks
  • Assign award budgets to appropriate university accounts or budget pools and post them to the accounting system.
  • Forecasts and monitors expenditure rates and identifies the need for budget adjustment.
  • Evaluate requests for budget revision and carry forward for compliance with Award and Sponsor terms and conditions.
  • Prepare journal entries to revise budgets and post them to the Accounting System.
Percentage Of Time 15
Key Responsibility
Financial Reporting
Essential Tasks
  • Prepares and maintains financial reports and statements to meet internal and external reporting requirements.
  • Audits a variety of financial documents for completeness, accuracy, and conformance with uniform accounting requirements, sponsor regulations, and OMB Circulars.
  • Reconciles reports final invoices, and financial statements to grant funds.
  • Review award for the close-out requirement.
Percentage Of Time 20
Key Responsibility
Provide Technical Grant Award Guidance and Information
Essential Tasks
  • Evaluate and interpret award documents to determine sponsor policies regarding: cost allowability; budget revisions and carryforward, financial reporting schedule, and unique reporting requirements.
  • Review pre-award proposal budgets as needed; make recommendations with regard to budget format, narrative, matching funds, and general compliance with sponsor, state, and federal regulatory requirements.
  • Provides PI with the status of funds, both actual and projected, along with analysis and recommendations relative to activity costs and available budget.

Percentage Of Time 5
Key Responsibility
Accounting System Technical Assistance
Essential Tasks
  • Assists in the development and modification of specific aspects of the existing accounting systems to improve procedures and overall efficiency.
  • Provide assistance in presenting workshops and preparing training materials for CGABanner Finance workshops.
  • Mentor and train research administrators at the school and department level workshops and training sessions.
Percentage Of Time 5
Key Responsibility
Establish Grant Fund Attributes and Sponsor Agencies
Essential Tasks
  • Evaluate award document to determine appropriate attributes for the source of funds, organization, agency, program, exchange/non-exchange, cost sharing, NSF category/field.
  • Enter grant attributes and agency information into Banner Financial (Internet NativeBanner) forms.
  • Inactivate the grant code at Closeout.
  • Request fund setup and inactivation from the Controller’s Office.
Percentage Of Time 5
Key Responsibility
Monitor Cost Sharing Expenditures
Essential Tasks
  • Evaluate and interpret the terms and conditions of award documents and budgets to determine university cost-sharing commitments; Maintain a listing of all awards with cost-sharing requirements.
  • Create and maintain budget and expense records for each award with required cost share in Excel spreadsheets.
  • Generate cost-sharing certification forms and forward them to PI information and signature.
  • Review cost sharing at the end of the award period to certify and ensure all requirements have been met and the file contains accurate, complete documentation.

ADA Checklist

ADA Checklist

R for Rare (0-30%), O for Occasional (30-60%), F for Frequent (60-90%), C for Constant (90-100%).

Physical Effort Hand Movement-Repetitive Motions - F, Reading - F, Writing - F, Hearing - F, Talking - F
Work Environment Inside - C

Applicant Documents

Required Documents
  1. Resume/CV
  2. Cover Letter
  3. List of References
Optional Documents

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

  1. Do you have any experience with bookkeeping, accounting, or financial management for multiple users?

    (Open Ended Question)

  2. Do you have experience in Research Administration with Post Award Responsibilities?
    • Yes
    • No
  3. Do you have experience using Banner Finance and Banner HR?
    • Yes
    • No
  4. * Are you eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship?
    • Yes
    • No