Sr. Accountant

Financial Research Compliance is responsible to ensure that sponsored funding is used for authorized purposes in compliance with applicable grant and contract terms, Federal and State regulations and University policies and procedures. Functions of the department works to support these goals through management of Effort Reporting, approvals of cost transfers, Sub Recipient Monitoring, reviewing federal administrative salary and non-salary costs, serving as a resource to compliance related issues, and coordination of various audits. This office works closely with the Sponsored Project Offices and the Divisional Business offices to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements to which grants and contracts are subject. This position requires advanced working knowledge and understanding of federal, state and agency specific regulations for grants and contracts. We are seeking a Sr. Accountant who will serve as the subject matter expert in the area of subrecipient monitoring for the university.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

Sub Recipient Monitoring

Collection of Uniform Guidance Single Audit and Compliance Reports for sub- recipient

• Analyze the subrecipient data report and determine the necessary documentation for compliance and audit requirements.
• Establish and maintain university database for subrecipient entities which will require communication with departments, office of research administration and sponsored projects offices in order to maintain accurate contact information.
• Communicate with subrecipient, department, divisional business offices and offices of research administration to obtain documentation necessary to support subrecipient monitoring.
• Develop and manage annual subrecipients report to document subrecipient’s communication, inquiries and issues

Review Subrecipients Uniform Guidance Single Audit /Compliance Report

• Verify subrecipient documentation for completeness and compliance with Federal Regulation requirements.
• Update annual subrecipients report and document receipt of subrecipients of Uniform Guidance Single audit or related compliance audit reports
• Closely work with departments and subrecipient entities to identify findings related to university pass through funding.

Respond to Uniform Guidance Single Audit Requests

• Monitor and respond to requests from sponsors for updates on JHU’s Single Audit report.
• Respond to requests for corrective actions plans on prior year findings

Issue management responses

• Request corrective action plan from subrecipient and issue university management response in a designated timeframe as required by federal regulations.
• Independently work with departments and recommend monitoring activities based on audit findings and document.
• Follow-up with the department to ensure that the department has implemented recommended monitoring activities based on audit findings and document.

Collect survey for new subrecipients

• Analyze the subrecipient monthly data report for new subrecipient.
• Gather contact information for new sub recipients to submit institutional compliance surveys.
• Ensure the institutional compliance survey for both new domestic and international sub-awards are received and reviewed in a reasonable time frame.
• Update annual subrecipient report and document receipt of new subrecipient communication, inquiries and issues.
• Manage the sub recipient help desk email account to ensure quick and thorough responses.
• Assist Office of Research Administration, authorized representatives of the subrecipient organizations and departments as it relates to subrecipient monitoring and risk classifications.

Payroll and Non-payroll Cost Transfers

• Review and approve non payroll and payroll cost transfers to ensure compliance with university policies, federal regulations and sponsor guidelines.
• Ensure supporting documentation invoices, receipts are present.
• Ensure late explanation is reasonable.
• Ensure reason code is applicable.
• Confirm status of effort report.

Administrative Cost for Allowability on Federal Awards

• Analyze and review administrative costs for allowability on federal awards and follow up with departments for supporting detail.
• Review the award’s terms and condition for restrictions.
• Follow-up with department for supporting detail.

Adherence to the Various Salary Cap Requirements

• Review salary cap adherence as it relates to the various funding agencies and work closely with departments with instruction on the salary cap calculation.
• Review awards to determine if salary cap is applicable.
• Review salary cap calculation for accuracy.

Provide Customer Service Support to the User Community

• Utilize interpersonal communication skills to address a wide range of questions from departmental personnel regarding sponsored awards in order to ensure compliance with laws, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Respond to inquiries from internal and external sources and review accounting transactions to locate and resolve discrepancies.
• Advise departments on compliance issues and the interpretation of applicable regulations (e.g effort, cost allocations, allowability, etc.)

Train and Mentor User Community on Financial Research Compliance Policies

• Develop course materials to be used in the training of sponsored projects processes by the user community.
• Train the user community on sponsored projects processes utilizing the SAP training client.
• Train and advise staff on best practices, policies, and procedures.
• Assist in developing policies, processes and procedures to ensure consistent operations.
• Guide and support newly hired staff by teaching, advising and counseling on Financial Research Compliance processes in order to promote professional development for all staff members.

Other Responsibilities

• Assist with the University’s Uniform Guidance Single Audit.
• Respond to audit samples by gathering, reviewing and making determinations independently as to the adequacy of the supporting documentation, invoices, departmental subrecipient monitoring packages, certification for payment forms, and Single Audit or related audits.
• Communicate with department to obtain documentation necessary to support sub- recipient monitoring as a result of an audit inquiry.
• Analyze, review and gather documentation regarding audit follow up inquiries.
• Assist in the monitoring of the Effort reporting process.
• Assist in managing the Effort reporting process through processing the daily payroll cost transfers and managing help desk calls and emails.
• SAP support pack testing.
• Closely work with Enterprise Business Solutions testing system functions for support packs and upgrades.
• Assist with ad hoc audit requests.
• Respond to inquiries from internal and external sources and review accounting transactions to locate and resolve discrepancies.
• Advise departments on compliance issues and the interpretation of applicable regulations (e.g effort, cost allocations, allowability, etc.)

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities (KSA’s)

• Advanced knowledge of grants and contracts and OMB Uniform Guidance 2 CFR Part 200.
• Advanced knowledge of the laws and regulations that apply to an accounting function and are required to ensure compliance.
• Strong ability to understand the University’s accounting system.
• Advanced knowledge in the use of financial software applications, relational databases, spreadsheets, and/or word processing.
• Ability to use various software applications, such as spreadsheets, relational databases, statistical packages, and graphics packages to assemble, manipulate, and format data and/or reports.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment in the processing and resolution of non-routine, highly complex accounting matters while assuming responsibility for those decisions.
• Ability to interact with personnel from Departments, Offices of Research Administration, and Divisional Business Offices as needed and to be sensitive to the relationship between those areas.

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Business, Finance or related field.
• Three years of progressively responsible related work experience. If bachelor's degree is in unrelated field, four years of progressively responsible experience is required.
• Additional education may substitute for experience to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

• MBA or Master’s Degree in Finance, Accounting, or related field preferred.
• Experience with statistical packages and graphics packages to assemble, manipulate and format data and/or reports.

Classified Title: Sr. Accountant 
Role/Level/Range: ATP/04/PD  
Starting Salary Range: $62,900 - $110,100 Annually (Commensurate w/exp.) 
Employee group: Full Time 
Schedule: Monday-Friday; 8:30am - 5:00pm 
Exempt Status: Exempt 
Location: JH at Keswick 
Department name: ​​​​​​​Financial Research Compliance 
Personnel area: University Administration