Summary
Under the general direction of the Manager, Sponsored Projects in the Office of Sponsored Projects, the Sponsored Projects Analyst II/III (SPA) is responsible for financial analysis, administering externally funded grants and contracts from receipt of award to closeout, and subsequent audit and record retention requirements. The SPA is the lead financial business partner and primary contact for a portfolio of assigned sponsored project awards with expenditure activity totaling $1-$10 million per year. The SPA performs a variety of project and budget financial analysis, accounting functions, contract reviews, and negotiations. The SPA ensures compliance with the policies and procedures of California State University San Marcos Corporation (CSUSM Corporation) and the requirements of the funding agencies, in addition to federal and state government regulations and standards. The SPA functions as a liaison between campus and auxiliary departments, subrecipients and/or subcontractors, federal grant officers, and state agency administrators. The SPA is accountable for the work results of administrative post-award support and provides professional level support in preparation and negotiation of agreements, including federal contracts, educational project agreements, non-disclosure agreements, visitor agreements, material transfer agreements, outgoing subawards/subcontracts, and other agreements, as required. The SPA exercises independent discernment ensuring that contractual agreements are entered into terms that are acceptable to CSUSM Corporation. The SPA provides customer service and training to principal investigators (PIs)/Project Directors (PDs), department staff, and sponsors, and serves as an expert in fund accounting and financial and administrative compliance. The SPA shares authority with PIs/PDs in making decisions regarding the financial administration of sponsored projects. Post-award administrative support includes, but is not limited to, timely account set up, new PI/PD orientation, project budgeting, financial analysis, cost sharing/match reporting, subrecipient administration, financial reporting, project close out requirements, and compliance with sponsor terms and conditions, federal regulations, and institutional policies and procedures. The SPA also prepares invoices and provides expertise level support on collections/accounts receivables and reporting on cash management funds and activities. The SPA may also be assigned special projects to resolve complex issues to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and development of the office and organization. Occasional local or out-of-area travel may be required.
Required Experience/Qualifications
Education and/or Experience:
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Accounting, Public Administration, or closely related field AND four (4) years of experience in financial or project management or accounting; preferably in contract and grant administration or at an institution of higher education; OR
Equivalent combination of experience, training and/or education
Must obtain Certified Research Administrator (CRA) designation from the Research Administrators Certification Council (RACC) within four (4) years of beginning employment and must maintain certification while in the position
Qualification Requirements:
Advanced Microsoft Excel Skills
Reasoning Ability
Highly motivated, detail-oriented, focused, adaptive, quick learner with a professional demeanor
Demonstrated ability to maintain a positive attitude and respond to requests in a timely manner
Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form
Ability to solve practical problems
Ability to deal with stressful situations and competing demands effectively
Ability to think logically in order to troubleshoot, analyze situations, and make sound decisions
Advanced knowledge of federal, state, and private agency contract and grant regulations and requirements from proposal preparation through close out; including but not limited to cost accounting standard (CAS); understand and apply Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
Mathematical Skills:
Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios and proportions to practical situations
Preferred, but not required:
Technical and working knowledge of government regulations, cost principles and administrative requirements, including but not limited to the Uniform Guidance, FAR, and other compliance requirements such as conflict of interest, export control, human subjects, and research misconduct
Knowledge of the California State University and auxiliary services infrastructure and operations
Essential Job Functions
Post-award Administration – 65%
Provide financial analysis, contractual support, and administrative oversight to project teams.
Act as the primary business partner to key project stakeholders (Principal Investigator/Project Director (PI/PD)).
Set up awards in a timely manner to include a review and overall assessment.
Regularly monitor portfolio of awards, including preparation and processing grant continuations and agreement modifications; determine the need for and initiate sponsor prior approval requests such as no cost extensions, carry forward of unobligated balances, and reductions of effort; identify need for additional funds or cost transfers; identify accounts in deficit and work with PIs to resolve.
Close out awards in a timely manner and ensure all closeout requirements have been met.
Manage deliverables for assigned projects: prepare accurate financial reports and ensure timely submission to sponsors, as required. Prepare journal entries to transfer expenses, create invoices, and clear outstanding advances, as necessary.
Prepare and process accurate and timely billing, including reconciliation of cash receipts.
Maintain project budgets in financial system, ensuring accuracy and keeping up to date. Reconcile financials, including matching components, identify variances, investigate and resolve accounting errors or discrepancies and ensure adjustments are allowable and are properly documented.
Review and approve expenditure requests (e.g. travel requests and claims, hiring documents, vendor invoices) on a daily basis for assigned projects and ensure compliance and accuracy; advise on post-award spending activity.
Review, approve, and track subrecipient payments and invoices; assist with subrecipient monitoring activities and site visits, as necessary.
Pre-award Contract Reviews – 15%
Take ownership of contracts in assigned portfolio and push each contracts through to timely execution.
Analyze and negotiate complex contractual documents on behalf of the corporation.
Ensure that terms and conditions are acceptable to the corporation. Interface with sponsor contracting officers to ensure that the corporation’s rights are protected, and the legal interests of the corporation is represented.
Advise faculty on potential risks and responsibilities.
Prepare and negotiate subaward/subcontract documents in a timely manner and, if applicable, ensure documents are in compliance with the Uniform Guidance and other applicable regulations.
Interact with faculty, staff and subrecipients to obtain applicable scopes of work, budgets, subrecipient information and other items as needed.
General Administrative – 10%
Develop and maintain effective working relationships internally and externally; work to resolve disputes between CSUSM Corporation, University, faculty, and/or funders.
Organize and maintain sponsored project administrative and financial records for all awards, including award notices and revisions, contract agreements and modifications, subawards, and service agreements, consistent with institution and sponsor requirements.
Provide training to project staff in the areas of sponsored projects administration, CSUSM Corporation electronic systems, policies, forms, and procedures.
Assist the management team in working with federal, state, and CSU system auditors to provide information and answer questions for audit compliance reviews.
Coordinate, record, and track incoming and outgoing OSP documents; perform a broad range of administrative, clerical, and project support activities, as required.
Other duties as assigned/required.
Leadership/Senior Level – 10%
Resolve complex issues without precedent and/or structure, function with a high degree of autonomy.
Manage a portfolio of highly complex sponsored project awards.
Partner with management to visualize and develop policy and strategy. Assess customer business needs, formulate recommendations to determine approach for managing and completing processes.
Lead and coordinate special projects that further OSP’s goals and objectives; make recommendations to improve administrative support and enhance customer service to faculty, PIs, students, and staff.
Assist in the development and review of policies and procedures; lead in the development and maintenance of office standard operating procedures and other guidance documents such as checklists and forms.
Make contributions to the development of OSP website content; make enhancement recommendations; ensure content is up to date.
Conduct and participate in training presentations, as necessary; develop training materials and programs.
Incumbent must live in a commutable distance from CSUSM in order to attend in-person meetings on occasion and in the office as scheduled and/or necessary.
Anticipated Salary: $80,000-$95,000/year; depending on experience (exempt, salaried)
APPLY ONLINE: To review full listing and to apply to the position click on the link: https://www.csusm.edu/corp/hr/employmentop/index.html