Accountant 2

Overview

This position is under the direction of a Senior Finance Manager. Responsible for a high level of financial and administrative support to a multi-department business office supporting the YSM Central Research Cores, a complex Internal Service Providers (ISP) serving customers both at Yale and externally.

Prepare annual budgets and monthly monitoring with guidance and final approval from Senior Finance Manager; prepare specialized financial reports concerning the status of accounts with respect to planning, implement adjustments as needed. Function as the $1K financial approver for all cost centers and serve as a departmental resource for Workday. Prepare standardized and specialized monthly financial reports and analyses using Workday, Excel, Power BI, Yale Budget Tool (YBT). Ensure accuracy and completeness of data. Assist faculty with all phases of grant preparation (proposal through final report).  Assist with the coordination of funding applications, including federal and non-federal research proposals and contracts. Prepare grant application budgets. Advise and assist faculty, staff, and postdoctoral fellows in applying for grants and contracts. Ensure compliance with funding agencies, university and departmental policies. Alert faculty and staff to deadlines and respond to funding agency requests. Prepare annual rate analysis for YSM Central Research Core ISP’s to determine rates. Perform monthly expenditure monitoring, determine budgetary constraints, identify areas of excessive and/or under-utilization of funds. Conduct monthly account review meetings with Core Directors to identify and resolve any issues, and provide future long and short term budgetary guidance. Prepare detailed cost and financial analyses, forecasts and projections utilizing the University systems (i.e., Workday, YBT, Brio, Account Holder reports) Manage effort allocations under the direction of PIs and supervisors.  Serve as the pre and post reviewer for the University effort reporting process. Using Workday, maintain Faculty, Postdoc, M&P, C&T and casual staff assignments. Review account holder reports to verify accuracy of transactions and ensure compliance with university and sponsor guidelines.  If needed enter correcting entries in Workday by using the Journal Entry or Payroll Accounting Adjustment (PAA) applications. Reconcile and analyze monthly financial reports. Ensure expenditures are being charged to proper accounts with complete supporting documentation.  Identify, research and correct questionable expenditures and follow-up with appropriate parties to ensure compliance with University and Federal accounting policies and procedures. Coordinate the collection of information/documentation for the faculty merit and M&P merit/FOCUS processes. Provide ad hoc support to the Operations Manager as needed including, expenditure analysis and projections.

Required Skills and Abilities

1. Proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite.
2. Well-developed accounting and financial management skills.
3. Excellent communication, organizational, and analytical skills.
4. Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and maintain high levels of accuracy. Attention to detail.
5. Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team, showing initiative and problem-solving skills.

Principal Responsibilities

1. Financial Analysis and Reporting: Analyzes information and creates accurate and timely reports that add value to the management of University operations. Applies GAAP to report out on financial conditions. Ensures financial reporting meets the compliance needs of internal and external users. Extracts data from multiple sources.
2. Financial Methods and Systems: Recommends methods to improve practices, processes and systems. Works with internal and external contacts to carry out department objectives. Provides a high level of service that cultivates and maintains strong working relationships and effectively communicates information; takes ownership and accountability for timeliness, accuracy and relationship management.
3. Accounting and Reconciliation: Accurately records enterprise or subsystem transactions to balance sheets, income statements, and other financial records. Performs reconciliations; navigates through systems and reporting tools to independently resolve routine and non-routine discrepancies. Applies entries to the general ledger or subsystems and ensures adherence to GAAP, regulatory requirements and financial reporting considerations. Communicates effectively to unit leadership.
4. Strategic Resource: Translates unit finance objectives into priorities. Reports financial issues and risks and makes recommendations. Contacts appropriate stakeholders to include in communications and approvals.
5. Compliance and Risk Management: Establishes, implements and/or maintains strong internal controls in areas of assigned responsibility to provide reasonable assurance of effective and appropriate resources use, accurate financial information, and adherence to contractual obligations and agreements, policies, procedures, and external regulatory requirements.
6. May perform other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business, Economics or Finance and two years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Demonstrated application of financial, accounting and economic concepts.