Accountant I Jobs

The Dean’s Office in the College of the Arts seeks an Accountant I to guide and support Principal Investigators (PIs), project managers, and other faculty, students, and staff working on sponsored projects to learn and follow College of the Arts, University of Florida, and sponsor budget development and spending guidelines applicable to their award. The focus of this position is fiscal and administrative in nature, and focused in budget development, post-award spending, monthly reconciliations and other forms of finance and grants accounting compliance. This person will have the opportunity to develop experience on the job, ultimately growing to serve as the backup for submitting proposals and managing awards in UFIRST for the College.

The successful candidate will possess the desire and ability to seek out the knowledge needed to understand and support the specialized research programs and values of artists, arts scholars, and arts funding agencies, remaining flexible and communicative in a collaborative team environment.

The University of Florida College of the Arts intends to be a transformative community, responding to and generating foundational shifts in the arts and beyond. As business and academic professionals, artists, scholars, advisors, and teachers, we, the staff of the College, embrace the complexity of our evolving human experience and seek to empower our colleagues, students, and faculty to respond to and shape that experience fearlessly through critical thinking, creativity, constructive questioning, and respectful dialogue. We seek a colleague who engages with openness and enthusiasm for the work and the mission of the college. We seek a colleague who co-creates a diverse, inclusive, equitable, and accessible workplace while striving for professional and organizational improvement. We seek a colleague who identifies as a trusted steward of resources, balancing institutional requirements and the demand for innovative solutions.

Responsibilities

Pre-award
Proposal preparation: Guide faculty in preparing budgets that are allowable, feasible, and meet the vision of the principal investigator(s). Assist faculty and staff in assessing funding opportunity guidelines, determining proposal feasibility, and identifying needed proposal submission documents.

Proposal budget review: Conduct early fiscal review of proposal budgets particularly looking for requirements such as PO limits, contract language and terms, required quotes, and ensuring these items are budgeted correctly during proposal development.

Post-award
Post Award Set-Up: Review grant and contract award terms and conditions to guide faculty through successful post-award management. This includes reading and interpreting award documents to determine budget, invoicing schedule, deliverables, restrictions, planning distributions, identifying areas requiring special attention, and other pertinent information.

Post Award Spending: Support PIs and project personnel in navigating the workflow for effective and compliant project spending. Review and apply grant and contract regulations, policies, procedures, and relevant standards.

• Provide accounting and documentation support for all sponsored projects financial transactions including but not limited to expense reports, Pcard transactions, independent contractor payments, and MyUFMarketplace purchases.
• Review, analyze, and approve expenditures including indirect costs for grants accounting compliance and other relevant compliance metrics.
• Participate in fiscal, HR, travel, and other expense transactions to represent grants knowledge, ensure verification through appropriate documentation, and confirm that all appropriate approvals are on file. Verify expenses are allocable, available, appropriate, reasonable, necessary, and consistently treated.
• Serve as backup for processing expenses on sponsored projects.
• Assist PIs in Processor Role with Research Participant Payments.
• Monitor Peoplesoft transaction expenditure reports and ensure that supporting documentation is accurately charged and contains appropriate justification to comply with federal, state and UF regulations and any other relevant regulations.

Monthly PI Check-Ins

• Monitor balances in department and PI grants accounts and ensure use is in line with budget and anticipated expenditures.
• Responsible for creating monthly reconciliations of revenue and expenditures and future expense projections.
• Provide PI and project management teams with reports of grants and contracts to ensure expenses are being paid according to contract and complete any correction of errors.
• Anticipate and facilitate the completion of paperwork for upcoming project activities and expenses. Assist in setting fiscal and human resources timelines and deadlines for PIs and project personnel to enable successful completion of project activities within UF and College timelines and processes.

Collaboration and capacity building

• Recommend changes to workflows to meet sponsored projects needs and assist with implementing those changes when approved and needed.
• Work with the college’s centralized HR, fiscal, research, and advancement workflows to anticipate and meet the needs of colleagues in these collaborating areas.

THE COLLEGE OF THE ARTS: The mission of the College of the Arts is to be a transformative community, responding to and generating paradigmatic shifts in the arts and beyond. We achieve the university’s mission by training professionals and educating students as artists and scholars, while developing their capacities for critical study, creative practice, and provocation. The College offers baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral degrees. Approximately 1,700 students are pursuing majors in degrees offered by the College of the Arts under the direction of 130 faculty members in its three accredited schools— the School of Art + Art History, the School of Music, and the School of Theatre + Dance, and in the Center for Arts in Medicine, the Digital Worlds Institute, and the Center for Arts, Migration, and Entrepreneurship. In addition, the college comprises the University Galleries, and the University level of the New World School of the Arts in Miami.

The University of Florida: The University of Florida is a comprehensive learning institution built on a land grant foundation, ranked one of the top five best public universities in the nation in U.S. News & World Report. We are The Gator Nation, a diverse community dedicated to excellence in education and research and shaping a better future for Florida, the nation and the world. Our mission is to enable our students to lead and influence the next generation and beyond for economic, cultural and societal benefit. UF is a graduate research institution with more than 50,000 students and membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities. Gainesville, which is consistently ranked as one of the nation’s most livable cities, is located midway between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. Together, the University and the community comprise the educational, medical and cultural center of North Central Florida, with outstanding resources such as the University of Florida Performing Arts (Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, the Squitieri Studio Theatre, the Baughman Center, University Auditorium), the Harn Museum of Art, the Florida Museum of Natural History and in the community, the Hippodrome State Theatre and Dance Alive National Ballet.

$54,000 - $56,500 ($25.86/hour - $27.06/hour) Based on qualifications and experience. Eligible for comprehensive and highly competitive leave and benefits package.

Bachelor's degree in an appropriate area of specialization.

The successful candidate will bring to the position (in order of importance):

• Knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, Outlook, and Teams
• Experience with proposal and grant award management system, financial management system, and enterprise reporting tools
• Knowledge of accounting principles, practices, and procedures
• Knowledge of State regulations and procedures for salary, payables, and budgeting functions
• Experience in tracking grant expenses and making corrections to budget allocations
• A desire to support new PI(s) navigating proposal submissions and post-award management for the first time
• Strong planning, analytic, and organizational skills
• Desire to investigate the allowability of a diverse array of activities and expenses made in arts sponsored research and identify the best path forward
• Professional level accounting experience with grant and fiscal management. Research administration experience is not necessary but appreciated
• Ability to work well both independently and collaboratively in a team environment to accomplish goals

This position is eligible for veteran’s preference. If you are claiming veteran’s preference, please upload a copy of your DD 214 Member Copy 4 with your application for consideration. See our Veteran's Preference Page for more specific information.

TIME LIMITED – Funded for 3 years with potential for extension into non-time-limited position.

Location and Schedule:

Normal working hours are Monday through Friday 8am – 5pm with an hour lunch initially, with potential for flexible schedule.

For the first three months, this position is expected to perform their duties in the College Dean’s office located at 1389 Stadium Road, Gainesville, FL 32611. High potential for remote hybrid schedule after those initial three months. Some potential for fully remote periods of time after a year in the position.

Application Process:

Online applications must include the following: (1) a detailed letter of application that explains how you match the particular qualifications of this position and how your perspective will contribute to and enhance our transformative community; (2) a resume; (3) names and contact information of three professional references. The Search Committee may request additional materials at a later time.

Inquiries may be sent to:
Megan Baucom
Finance and Grants Accountant II, Search Chair
Email: [email protected]

If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call +1 (352) 392- 2477or the Florida Relay System at +1 (800) 955-8771 (TDD). Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the US. Searches are conducted in accordance with Florida's Sunshine Law.

Applications must be submitted via the University of Florida’s online application system by 11:55 p.m. (ET) of the posting end date.