Billing Specialist, Grants Accounting

GENERAL PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF POSITION:

The Billing Specialist, Grants Accounting position performs duties relating to preparing and tracking invoices to agencies for Sponsored Programs, updating and maintaining grant budgets, preparing cost transfer journal entries, and tracking and reporting grant information.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

Review materials for newly established awards, including contracts and budget documents, to determine billing and fiscal reporting schedules, identify award-specific invoice templates and support requirements, and ascertain a base understanding of allowable costs and budget modification guidelines.   

• Prepare and submit invoices for Sponsored Programs awards per sponsor schedule, including performing a high-level review of budget-to-actual expenditures to ensure that grant expenses are in compliance with award budgets. 

• Extract, analyze and prepare detailed transaction history, and/or invoice support documentation for payroll, procurement, travel, journal entries, payment history, effort certification, and other award transactions as required for attachment to invoices.

• Maintain a record of all assigned Sponsored Programs awards and a schedule of invoices due, completed and paid. 

• Communicate effectively with internal collaborators such as Sponsored Programs Grant Officers, Project Directors, and Campus financial and administrative staff regarding invoices, award expenditures, and payments.  Monitor invoice aging and initiate follow up inquires with the external funders and internal collaborators as needed.

• Prepare and/or initiate cost transfer and budget entries in the ERP system, including gathering necessary backup documentation that meets College policy and general audit standards.

• Maintain familiarity with relevant award materials, including Sponsored Programs forms, award contracts and subsequent amendments, budgets, and other relevant materials, in order to ensure the accuracy of budget entries and invoices.

• Deposit checks received by Systems Office Business Affairs using a desktop scanner, and process deposits in the ERP and assemble support and reporting as directed by supervisor.

• Update sponsor contact information in the ERP system as needed, including adding/updating agency billing contacts and schedules/events.

• Initiate Sponsored Programs Board Reports and coordinate with Sponsored Programs Grants Officers to reconcile with their records.

• Add new and update existing Award information in the ERP, including but not limited to Award data, Grant-level data, security roles, attachments, F&A rate agreements, billing schedules, and finance worktags. 

• Apply independent judgement and knowledge of general sponsored programs compliance standards and College policies and procedures in performing all tasks in order to contribute to the overall Sponsored Programs objective to ensure successful submission, award, and management of sponsor grant funding.  Stay abreast of changing regulations and best practices for grants management.

• Actively engage in the development and updating of Grants Accounting standard operating procedures and training materials.

• ​Cross-train with other Grants Accounting staff and assist as a backup as needed.

• Serve as a resource to other Sponsored Programs and Business Affairs staff in identifying and/or resolving award-specific and general questions, including responding to information requests related to grant monitoring, reviews, and audits.

• Maintain files (electronic and paper) per College policies and procedures.

• Utilize required project management software and participate in department and College strategic planning sessions as directed.

• This is not to be construed as an exhaustive list. Other duties logically associated with this position may be assigned. All responsibilities will be conducted within the parameters of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), other applicable regulatory requirements, and professional standards.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED: Executive Director of Grants Accounting    

SUPERVISION GIVEN: None

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Associate degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or related field with two or more years of direct experience in billing and budgeting is required.  Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or related field and two years grants management or invoice experience is preferred.

• Work experience specifically in non-profit or higher education grant accounting is preferred.

• Strong math skills and the ability to extract, process and analyze data in Excel using formulas and charts is req