Senior Sponsored Research Accountant

Senior Sponsored Research Accountant - Finance Division

Company: Carnegie Mellon University

Job Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Category: Sponsored Programs, Grants, and Contracts

Type: Full-Time

Carnegie Mellon University is a private, global research university that stands among the world's most renowned education institutions. With ground-breaking brain science, path-breaking performances, creative start-ups, big data, big ambitions, hands-on learning, and a whole lot of robots, CMU doesn't imagine the future, we invent it. If you're passionate about joining a community that challenges the curious to deliver work that matters, your journey starts here!

The Finance Division at Carnegie Mellon University is responsible for providing financial management, enterprise planning and stewardship in support of education, research, and strategic goals of the university. As part of the Controller's Office Team, the payroll department supports the entire scope of pay operations for CMU, including staff, faculty, and students, across international and domestic multi-state locations.

We are seeking a seasoned and strategic Senior Sponsored Research Accountant to serve as a cornerstone of our research administration team. In this pivotal role, you will be a trusted financial advisor, a compliance leader, and a driver of process innovation. You will govern a complex portfolio of sponsored awards, providing expert guidance to Principal Investigators and department administrators. This position requires a professional with deep subject matter expertise, exceptional analytical acumen, and the ability to navigate the intricate landscape of federal and non-federal research funding. If you are driven to ensure financial integrity and empower groundbreaking research, we invite you to apply.

Core Competencies & Responsibilities

Strategic Financial Stewardship & Integrity (25%)

• Drive the financial close process for sponsored projects in collaboration with Cash Management, ensuring absolute adherence to sponsor terms, university policy, and federal regulations.
• Ensure the integrity of financial data, lead the rigorous reconciliation of all project accounts before the submission of invoices and reports.
• Govern revenue recognition for the sponsored projects portfolio, ensuring strict compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and institutional standards.
• Architect the timely and accurate execution of revenue events within the financial system, safeguarding the university's financial records.

Compliance Leadership & Expert Consultation (25%)

• Serve as a key partner and compliance advisor to Principal Investigators (PIs) and department business managers, translating complex regulations into actionable guidance that skillfully balances the PI's scientific objectives with the university's fiduciary and compliance responsibilities.
• Champion a culture of compliance by proactively identifying, diagnosing, and resolving complex financial issues related to expenditures, reporting, and award terms.
• Lead and coordinate federal multi-agency audit responses, serving as the principal point of contact, directing the compilation of evidence, and formulating institutional positions and rebuttals.
• Maintain and disseminate authoritative knowledge of federal regulations, including Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200), Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), and Cost Accounting Standards (CAS).
• Function as a key liaison and subject matter expert for the broader campus community, ensuring a consistent and compliant approach to research administration.

Comprehensive Award & Systems Governance (20%)

• Architect the end-to-end setup of new awards, ensuring meticulous alignment with university, sponsor, and federal requirements for both non-profit and for-profit sponsors.
• Provide expert consultation regarding the financial administration of the award lifecycle, including funding modifications, budget validation against sponsor agreements, and management of financial installments.
• Ensure seamless data synchronization between project modules and the general ledger to maintain financial accuracy and system integrity.

Advanced Portfolio Management & Analytics (25%)

• Command a diverse and complex portfolio of sponsored projects, applying a sophisticated understanding of sponsor-specific regulations for federal, foundation, and corporate awards.
• Design and implement intuitive financial dashboards and data visualizations to provide PIs and leadership with real-time insights.
• Orchestrate the timely and accurate delivery of all financial reports, validating cost-sharing commitments, and monitoring project deliverables to meet all contractual obligations.
• Conduct sophisticated budget-to-actual variance analysis, identify financial risks and opportunities, and provide PIs with actionable intelligence to guide project spending.
• Provide rigorous oversight of all sub-awardee invoicing, reporting, and compliance, and monitor key personnel effort to ensure alignment with commitments.
• Lead the comprehensive reconciliation and final closeout of awards, ensuring all financial, technical, and compliance requirements are satisfied and documented.

Process Innovation & Institutional Contribution (5%)

• Identify and spearhead process improvement initiatives to enhance the efficiency, accuracy, and effectiveness of sponsored project administration.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on cross-functional project teams and contribute to strategic departmental and institutional goals.
• Collaborate and champion with research administration and campus teams to identify and implement improvements to shared business and technology processes supporting sponsored awards.
• Mentor junior staff members, fostering a collaborative environment of continuous learning and professional growth.
• Engineer training sessions to be used campus-wide to inform the research community of best practices and unified processes.

Adaptability, excellence, and passion are vital qualities within Carnegie Mellon University. We are in search of a team member who can effectively interact with a varied population of internal and external partners at a high level of integrity. We are looking for someone who shares our values and who will support the mission of the university through their work.

Required Competencies:

• A bachelor's degree in accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5-7 years of progressive experience in grant and contract accounting, sponsored research administration, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated mastery of federal regulations governing research, including Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200), FAR, and CAS.
• Exceptional analytical and critical thinking skills, with a proven ability to interpret and apply complex policies and regulations.
• Superior communication and people skills, with the ability to effectively advise and influence a wide range of stakeholders, from faculty to senior administration.
• High proficiency with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems (e.g., Oracle, Workday, SAP) and advanced Microsoft Excel skills.

Preferred Competencies:

• An advanced degree (MBA, MPA) or professional certification (CPA, CRA - Certified Research Administrator).
• Direct experience in a university, academic medical center, or non-profit research institution.
• Experience managing complex awards such as large federal contracts, clinical trials, or multi-site program projects.
• Proven experience in leading process improvement projects or system implementation initiatives.
• A combination of education and relevant experience from which comparable knowledge is demonstrated may be considered.

Requirements:

• Successful background check