Research Accountant Setup Coordinator: Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Development - UTK

The Research Accountant Setup Coordinator is critical to the mission of this unit as this is the first step in the Post-Award Accounting Operations for sponsor projects management. This position will analyze sponsored projects award documents for deliverables, invoices, financial reporting requirements, and compliance needs for the establishment of new accounts and the maintenance of existing projects in the DASH ERP system.  Additionally, this position will be responsible for reviewing all subaward agreements and creating procurement requisitions to establish purchase orders in DASH.  Establishing and fostering a professional working relationship with the various departmental business offices that serve the UT Knoxville community and faculty is essential to the success of this position.  The Research Accountant Setup Coordinator will also be an expert in sponsored project budgets.  This entails reviewing the awarded budgets and translating to UT’s DASH ERP system, placing expenditure controls in DASH, providing guidance on when sponsor approval is required for budget revisions.  This is a very fast-paced, high-volume environment in which one must be able to manage multiple deadlines; exercise good judgment and decision-making skills; apply knowledge of UT fiscal policy, federal regulations, and sponsors’ terms and conditions; and conform to those requirements to reduce the risk of loss of funds for the University.

Account Creation and Modification

• Prior experience with the financial management of sponsored project accounting is key to the success of this position.  By having the knowledge and understanding of the many attributes noted in the accounting system, is essential to managing the financial reporting needs as defined by various federal, state and private sponsors’ regulations and terms and conditions to ensure compliance as not all sponsors have the same requirements.  This also aid in the risk mitigation for financial compliance. This position must have the capacity to read, interpret the terms and conditions and select the appropriate attributes noted in DASH.  This individual will be using their judgment skills, working independently in making the decisions in this process. How the accounts are created impacts the financial accounting as reporting to the sponsor to ensure compliance.
• Responsible for the set-up of assigned sponsored projects for the Knoxville Campus and Space Institute. Review and analyze award documents to determine critical specifications of the agreement, noting sponsor and department attributes, financial terms and conditions and flagging potential compliance concerns. Proceed to complete and/or review data entry in the system to support setup.
• Ensure accuracy and correct errors identified in reviews. 
• Understand business processes in the support of the daily management of sponsored projects. 
• Communicate unique requirements of an award, such as Financial Terms and Conditions, Conflict of Interest, Business Ethics, E-Verify and Limitation of Funds to manage.  This may include Research Accountants, Accounting Quality Assurance Team, Human Resources, Human Resources, and other units involved in non-business research compliance.   
• Recommend process improvements on the assigned team as well as processes that cross other teams in DRA and as appropriate make improvements to processes, systems, and procedures. 
• Continually increase knowledge of the impacts grants management data has on reporting and aid in reducing our compliance risks.

Budget Expert 

• Sponsored project budget expert for post award accounting. This includes reading and interpreting sponsored project awards budgeting requirements and noting the restrictions for compliance such as budget justification, Scope Of Work breakdown, knowledge of sponsors budget forms, and required formatting. This may entail enabling expenditure controls for unallowed costs.
• Reviews, ensures, and corrects departmental proposed budgets for sponsored projects for compliance. Adjusts proposed budgets to and align budget justification with our expenditure categories as needed. Reviews the proposed budget justification to ensure compliance with the approved budget for the set-up of the award. Ensures allowability, allocability and justification.
• Communicate with Division of Research Administration Award Coordinators, PIs and departmental business units when budget revisions and sponsored approval are needed.  Provide guidance to the department to determine if the budget revision require prior sponsor approval and coordinate with the department and Award Coordinator to request prior approval.
• As an expert on budgets, provide training and guidance to the Knoxville campus community on managing sponsored project budgets.   Develop formal training materials and presentations based on required fiscal bud