Post Award Associate

Post Award Associate
Finance Specialist II
Office of the Vice President for Research & Innovation (OVPRI)

Who We Are

Research and Innovation (RI), led by the Vice President for Research and Innovation (VPRI), enables, and advances the University's research priorities as well as research activities of Cornell facilities, laboratories, institutes, and research centers (FLICS).

The Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation (OVPRI) houses the RI Finance & Budget team and within is the Post Award Finance group. RI Finance's primary purpose is to serve in a leadership role for budget and reporting for RI, prepare the Annual Research Expenditure Report (ARE), and various Office of University Controller (OUC) initiatives. The Post Award Finance group's primary purpose is to provide comprehensive financial support and serve as a financial lead and subject matter expert. Serving as a financial resource for large, complex multi-disciplinary sponsored awards, as well as supporting other select requests for campus units that would otherwise not have such support. By design, support is available to manage related administrative and financial matters associated with a faculty member's research portfolio, so that the faculty member may focus on the technical and academic content.

What You Will Do

While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a psychologically healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others.

The Accounts Representative is a key member of the Post Award Finance group, working closely with the team lead and the broader research administration community. This role is responsible for providing high-level, confidential services in the preparation of post-award financial reporting and analysis. Additionally, the Accounts Representative offers general guidance for post-award financial needs of the research centers.

Key Responsibilities include: Acting as a liaison between the project management team and the Office of Sponsored Programs, assisting in the development and implementation of financial management strategies, ensuring compliance with policies and procedures related to successful proposal submissions, preparing and submitting complex financial reports that meet the needs of Principal Investigators (PIs) and unit requirements, as well as sponsor guidelines, overseeing sub-contract activities, supporting unit financial management and reporting requirements in coordination with the program managers and principal investigators (PI) within the centers.

This position will collaborate with the RI Finance team to support RI-wide activities, including, but not limited to, working independently, with guidance from the Supervisor, as necessary, regarding General Accounting support, financial planning, budgeting, reporting, analytical responsibilities related to Office of University Controller (OUC) initiatives, contribute to Internal Controls implementation/maintenance, Annual Certifications, year-over-year variance reporting/analysis, Kuali Financial System (KFS) org and account maintenance, complex reconciliations, ad hoc reporting requests, and special financial projects as they arise. Additionally, this role will provide ad hoc analytical information to the Supervisor, particularly as it relates to their units. This position is crucial in developing and streamlining RI Finance processes, maintaining organized documentation, and ensuring updates are accurately recorded.

What We Need
We ask you to submit a cover letter and resume outlining your interest in this position and explaining how your experience and qualifications match the position requirements.

When reviewing your materials and evaluating your candidacy, we will look for evidence of the following:

• Associates degree in business, finance, accounting or other related field or equivalent combination of education and experience; 1 to 2 years of experience with sponsored research administration, including post-award financial reporting, budget adjustments, monitoring expenditures, collaborating with faculty and administrative staff or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience with financial analysis, sponsored awards, reporting, budgeting, and accounting fundamentals.
• Highly developed accounting analytical and reporting skills, which includes demonstrated experience utilizing spreadsheets and databases (Excel), as well as complex data applications and delivery systems (Kuali dashboards, RASS, applications, and queries, Workday, etc.).
• Ability to utilize Microsoft Office tools. Demonstrated skillset includes providing strong customer service and communication abilities.
• Accuracy, attention to detail, analytical, time management, problem-solving, flexibility and organizational skills.
• Work independently as well as collaboratively in a fast-paced, customer-oriented, team environment.
• Organize, plan and prioritize multiple competing work activities under pressure.
• Maintain confidential information stored on the shared drive and/or communicated directly with discretion.
• Positive team attitude and professionalism.
• Embrace change and challenges.
• Functional with sponsored (e.g. pre/post award) financial information.
• Experience in and/or demonstrated commitment to supporting diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and wellbeing.
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive and equitable working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.

What We Prefer

Additionally, we would like to see evidence of:

• Bachelor's degree in business, finance accounting or another related field.
• Advanced excel proficiency (e.g. pivot tables, VLookups, etc.).
• Functional utilizing University systems, including Longview Budget System, KFS, OBIEE/PI Dashboards, and Answers.
• Experience with interpreting solicitations for research proposals and budget preparation, proposal submission systems or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Cornell Research Administration Certificate.
• Accounting Certification Program.
• Knowledge of Cornell policies, procedures, and programs.

Rewards and Benefits

• This position is located in Ithaca, New York. The position will allow for the flexibility to work remotely 2-3 days per week. The New York Convenience of Employer guidelines require New York State individual tax reporting and withholdings for this position. Additional individual state income tax filings may also be required if working temporarily outside New York State.

• Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, sustainability, and diversity initiatives.

• Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: https://hr.cornell.edu/benefits-pay.

• Our leave provisions include three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25 to January 1.

• Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program. Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: https://hr.cornell.edu/jobs/your-total-rewards.

Important Notes about Applying

• Please submit both a cover letter and a resume to be considered for this position.
• The search committee will review applications as received and conduct interviews on a rolling basis.
• There is no visa sponsorship available for this position.

Familiarize yourself with Cornell's COVID-19 workplace guidance as well as the university's COVID-19 services and information.

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