Finance & Accounting Coordinator

Job Summary

The Accounting, Grants and Finance Associate will support the operations of a portfolio of funding including sponsored research awards for UChicago Development Innovation Lab (DIL). This role will report to the Finance and Grants Manager and will collaborate with DIL Research Teams on a portfolio of DIL projects.

Responsibilities

• Meet consistently with Research Teams and Research Portfolio Managers to review account portfolios.
• Maintain unit-wide costing allocation spreadsheet for each fiscal year and execute cost allocation updates within Workday.
• Create and execute journal entries to correct mis-posted items and perform regular account reconciliations.
• Review and facilitate approving transactions within the university's financial and procurement systems for grants and IADFs.
• Examine financial reports for consistency, accuracy, and compliance.
• Develop and maintain tools for tracking key financial data.
• Maintain project specific budgets, prepare forecasts, and track expenses to budget.
• Review budget to actual financial reports and payroll allocations monthly.
• Assist in annual or monthly fiscal closing, including preparing supporting schedules and reconciliation.
• Draft financial reports and data summaries for internal stakeholders.
• Maintain organized digital record keeping of financial and accounting data.
• Coordinate all post award activities for the assigned portfolio within DIL.
• Coordinate and execute active grant management activities including interim and final close-out financial reports, award modifications, no-cost extensions, re-budgeting, and carry-over requests.
• Partner with University Research Administration (URA) to monitor post-award activities.
• Handle straightforward post-award activities including account creations, compliance monitoring, salary allocations, effort reporting, grant projections, cost allocations, and grant closing.
• Maintain organized, accurate, and audit-ready grant records across systems.
• Work collaboratively with DIL Researchers and partners to develop spending plans for new projects and proposals.
• Support the Research Portfolio manager with proposal development.
• Assist in maintaining compliance with grant rules and regulations.
• Respond to and research accounts receivable/payable inquiries.
• Support coordination on grant audit requests.
• Support full accounts payable cycle and payment operations.
• Review and audit supplier invoices for policy compliance.
• Coordinate processing of invoices and reimbursement requests.
• Conduct thorough review of transactions across all payment types.
• Prepare various aging and business metrics reports.
• Develop and administer accounts payable database.
• Assist with vendor contact and supplier set-up.
• Coordinate with the Finance & Grants Manager on back-office audit function for staff GEMS expenses.
• Routinely prepare budgets, create accounts, and work with the financial accounting system to allocate, authorize, monitor, and control expenses.
• Prepare monthly reports and correct errors in accounts.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field. Work Experience: Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through < 2 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Preferred Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in accounting, business administration, economics or finance; or minor/concentration in accounting.

• Experience submitting grant proposals to a variety of sponsors.
• Experience managing post-award activities, especially projects funded by multiple sponsors.
• Experience working in a higher education or non-profit environment.
• Experience in cross-cultural communications and working at an international organization.
• Project management experience.
• Experience with core accounting functions, including reconciliations, journal entries, and general ledger maintenance.
• Experience with accounts payable/receivable and processing financial transactions in an accounting software system (e.g., Oracle and Orbit).
• Experience maintaining and organizing financial and grant data across multiple systems.
• Prior experience working with generally accepted accounting (GAAP).
• Experience preparing financial reports, budget-to-actual comparisons, or data summaries.
• Experience supporting audits or compliance reviews.

Preferred Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong financial data management and analysis.
• Good interpersonal communication and client service skills.
• Good planning and organizational skills.
• Ability to deal effectively with a diverse workforce.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Resourceful problem-solver and critical thinker.
• Ability to handle all employment information with absolute discretion.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word and Excel, advanced Excel skills preferred.

Working Conditions

This person is expected to work a minimum of three days in the office.