Portfolio & Grant Accountant — MD/PhD Program

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Overview

The Portfolio & Grant Accountant will be responsible for the financial management and oversight of a portfolio of sponsored and non-sponsored accounts supporting the MD/PhD Program, its students, and its faculty. The role provides financial reporting and analysis, budgeting, and planning with an emphasis on compliance with accounting principles, sponsor requirements, and university policies. The Accountant applies expertise to program-related sponsored research and training awards and provides analytical and financial services, guidance, and consultation to faculty, trainees, and staff to support informed, strategic decision-making and optimize resource allocation.

Reporting to the Associate Director for Program Administration, MD/PhD Program, the position supports the full lifecycle management of key program awards, including submission of annual progress reports and competitive renewals for the Medical Scientist Training Program T32 (NIH) and BioMed SURF Amgen program funding. The role also coordinates and manages the submission and tracking of approximately 25-30 individual fellowship applications across the three annual NIH deadlines, including related sponsor documentation and post-award actions.

The Accountant plans, organizes, and prioritizes actions across multiple awards and portfolios; ensures appropriate charging of expenses and integration of data; advises and counsels principal investigators and program leadership on financial issues; and recommends alternatives for allocating effort and adjusting spending patterns consistent with sponsor and Yale policy. The position collaborates with internal and external stakeholders (e.g., faculty, departmental leadership, central offices, and sponsoring agencies) to ensure the proper management of sponsor funds and the fiscal integrity of program portfolios.

Essential Duties

1. Financial Analysis and Reporting

• Present financial information and recommendations through data analysis and reporting in the development and maintenance of program budgets and large, complex portfolios.
• Responsible for financial analysis and budget activities across multiple budgets with varying funding levels, staggered budget periods and end dates, differing overhead rates, and differing policies regarding allowable costs.
• Develop complex analytical reports for principal investigators and program leadership, including trend analysis, variance analysis, forecasting future financial scenarios, and long-range expenditure projections.
• Identify funding issues and influence strategic opportunities within the portfolio; research issues, evaluate the entire situation, identify relevant policies/procedures/guidance, and propose recommendations or solutions.
• Prepare budgets and expenditure projections for the Program Director, Associate Directors, and YSM financial operations review, including reconciliation of external fellowships, grants, and department accounts.

2. Compliance and Risk Management

• Monitor and certify policy adherence for all financial activity within the portfolio by incorporating Yale policies and sponsor requirements into financial planning and expenditure review.
• Review and approve expenditures with both sponsor and Yale policies and regulations in mind; ensure proper documentation and support exists to substantiate charges to sponsored awards.
• Provide guidance on compliance matters throughout portfolio management, including cost allowability, budget management, and award management activities.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of university and granting agency policies pertaining to awards and spending, including requirements relevant to fellowships and training awards.

3. Proposal Management and Oversight (Pre- and Post-Award)

• Develop proposals and budgets for grant submissions; coordinate with partnering institutions as needed and ensure compliance with sponsor regulations and university policies and procedures.
• Review and interpret sponsor documents (e.g., applications, award notices, terms and conditions) and manage assigned portfolios to ensure proper and timely filing of sponsor documents.
• Handle submissions, modifications, extensions, and post-award required reports (financial and other required deliverables as applicable) for program awards and individual fellowships, including Just-in-Time and protocol-related compliance requirements.
• Manage renewals, progress reports, no-cost extensions, and closeouts of grants, including final financial reporting to the sponsor.

4. Portfolio Management and Stewardship

• Oversee reconciliation and stewardship of external fellowships and department/program accounts supporting MD/PhD students and program activities.
• Work with the Registrar and program stakeholders to assign student funding to appropriate sources (e.g., T32, NRSA, endowments, GA) and participate in entering, analyzing, and maintaining integrity of funding data.
• Based on faculty and program funding/activity, identify and propose alternatives for allocating effort, spending pattern adjustments, and allocation methodologies to optimize available resources.

5. Collaborative and Strategic Finance Partner

• Collaborate with other Business Offices, Central Offices, the School of Medicine, Office of Sponsored Projects, external institutions, and sponsoring agencies to ensure the proper management of sponsor funds.
• Provide analytical and consultative support to maintain strong working relationships with faculty, staff, and students and to support programmatic planning, new initiatives, and resource decisions.

Required Skills and Abilities

1. Demonstrated ability in financial management, including budgeting, reporting, and analysis.
2. Strong organizational and multitasking skills with careful attention to detail and accuracy; ability to plan, organize, and prioritize across multiple awards and overlapping deadlines.
3. Excellent verbal and written communication skills for effective collaboration with faculty, students, internal partners, and external sponsors.
4. Proficiency in using financial software and tools, such as Excel, for data analysis and reporting; expert knowledge and experience with spreadsheets and databases.
5. Skilled in the use of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
6. Ability to work independently and as part of a team, showing initiative, flexibility, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Skills and Abilities

1. Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related discipline, with experience in research administration.
2. Previous experience with grants and contracts administration, including pre-award and post-award processes; experience working with a varied portfolio of grants in an academic setting.
3. Knowledge of funding mechanisms supporting individual and programmatic training awards (graduate/undergraduate training support, fellowships, and institutional training grants).
4. Proficiency in financial management systems such as Workday and Yale Budgeting Tool (YBT); familiarity with IRES and NIH systems (e.g., NIH Commons/Reporter) and Yale institutional reporting.
5. In-depth knowledge of university financial policies and federal regulations related to sponsored research and training awards.
6. Professional certifications or specialized training in research administration (e.g., CPA, MBA, research administration training), as applicable.

Principal Responsibilities

1. Financial Analysis and Reporting: Present financial information and recommendations thru data analysis and reporting in the development and maintenance of large, complex portfolios. Identify and influence strategic opportunities within the portfolio to stakeholders. Researches issues, evaluates the entire situation, identifies policies, procedures, and guidance material relevant to resolution and proposes a recommendation or solution. Responsible for all financial analysis and budget activities, which includes multiple budgets with various funding levels, staggered budget periods and end dates, varying overhead rates, differing policies regarding allowable costs, and management of the acquisition and loss of sponsor funding.
2. Compliance and Risk Management: Monitor and certify to policy adherence for all financial activity within the portfolio by incorporating the policies of Yale and various funding agencies into the financial planning and review of expenditure activities. Advise faculty and clients of the appropriate financial policies. Maintain the fiscal integrity of the portfolio and department. Reviews and approves all expenditures with both sponsor and Yale policies and regulations in mind and ensures proper documentation and support exists to substantiate charges made to sponsored awards.
3. Proposal Management and Oversight: Plans, prioritizes actions and provides direction across multiple awards and portfolios. Provides oversight counsel and expertise relative to significant impact at the business unit level. Provides a more strategic direction in the management of accounts and collaboration with account holders. Review and interpret sponsor documents (i.e., applications, award notices, and terms and conditions). Handle all activities for assigned portfolios in managing sponsored awards, ensure the proper and timely filing of sponsor documents, including submissions, modifications, extensions and all post award required reports (financial, technical, etc.).
4. Collaborative and Strategic Finance Partner: Collaborate with other Business Offices, Central Offices, external institutions and sponsoring agencies to ensure the proper management of sponsor funds. Based on the funding and activities of the faculty member or client, identify and propose alternatives for allocating effort, spending pattern adjustments, and allocation methodologies.
5. May perform other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree required. Four years of related financial experience required. Demonstrated application of financial, accounting and economic concepts.