Director of Grant, Restricted and Endowment Funds Accounting

Job DescriptionDepartment:Office of Financial ServicesPay Rate Type:SalaryEmployee Type:Job Summary:The Grants, Restricted, and Endowment Funds Accounting Director is responsible for the comprehensive financial management of the College's sponsored projects, donor-restricted gifts, and endowed funds. This position ensures financial compliance with all applicable regulations, donor agreements, and institutional policies, while providing expert guidance to faculty, staff, and leadership. The ideal candidate will be a meticulous, detail-oriented professional with a strong understanding of fund accounting principles and a commitment to providing excellent customer service. The successful candidate will become a key member of the Financial Services team, which has a diverse range of backgrounds and experience. The team values kindness, clear communication, curiosity, accountability, and pride in Colby.____________________________________________________________________________________Essential FunctionsTo perform successfully in this position, an individual must be able to perform essential duties satisfactorily as well as possess education/experience, employ the knowledge, skills, and abilities as listed in representative fashion. Colby College actively supports the Americans with Disabilities Act and will consider reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position. This listing of essential duties is not all-inclusive, but representative; other duties may be assigned.1. Sponsored Programs (Grants & Contracts) Accounting:Manage the full life cycle of grants and contracts, including pre-award budget review, modifications and extensions, post-award invoicing and reporting, and close-out/reconciliationCollaborate with principal investigators (PIs) to develop and review proposal budgets, ensuring they align with sponsor guidelines and institutional policies (e.g., Uniform Guidance).Establish new grant accounts in the financial system and monitor expenditures for compliance with approved budgets and award terms.Provide budget inputs to the Office of Financial Planning & Budget for the annual budget and quarterly forecast updates.Support audit and compliance reporting and deliverables, including the FISAP, Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards, A-133 audit, financial statement audit, and the NSF Research survey.2. Restricted and Endowment Fund Accounting:Maintain accurate accounting records for all donor-restricted gifts and endowed funds. Review new gift agreements and partner with Advancement and Finance leadership to ensure correct revenue recognition in accordance with GAAP.Monitor daily gift posting integration and work with Advancement colleagues to resolve differences; reconcile gift reporting to the general ledger on a monthly basis.Ensure that fund usage is in strict accordance with the donor’s intent as outlined in gift agreements. Support departments with accessing reporting, providing reconciliation support, and providing guidance regarding their restricted fund usage.Process and record endowment pooled investment activity, provided monthly by the investment office, as well as transactions for separately invested assets.Perform endowment unitization calculation and monthly reconciliation of all endowment activity.Post the annual endowment spending allocation in compliance with the institution's spending policy and UPMIFA.Provide policy and process instructions for endowed prizes and scholarships, oversee correct use and accurate recordkeeping.Serve as primary finance contact with the outsourced service provider for life income gifts; periodically review financial reporting provided by third-party and record results to the general ledger.Serve as the primary point of contact for donors, financial advisors and college leadership on the receipt and liquidation of non-cash contributions and donated securities.3. General Accounting & Compliance:Prepare and post journal entries related to sponsored and restricted fund activities.Perform account reconciliations to ensure the accuracy and integrity of financial data.Assist in the preparation of audit schedules and provide necessary documentation for the annual financial audit, the Uniform Guidance (Single Audit), and the 990 tax return.Maintain a strong working knowledge of relevant accounting standards, including GAAP and fund accounting principles.Recommend and implement internal control improvements to safeguard restricted and endowed funds.4. Training & Support:Serve as a primary resource for faculty, staff, and administrators on financial and compliance matters related to grants and restricted funds.Provide training and guidance on institutional policies and procedures, as well as regulatory requirements.Communicate proactively with stakeholders to address questions and resolve financial issues.Position Qualifications Minimum Qualifications:Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.Minimum of 5-7 years of experience in accounting or financial management, preferably in a higher education or nonprofit environment.Demonstrated knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).Experience with and a solid understanding of Uniform Guidance and fund accounting.Proficiency in financial/accounting software and advanced skills in Microsoft Excel.Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with a high degree of attention to detail.Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex financial information to non-financial audiences.Preferred Qualifications or Skills:Experience with a major ERP system (Workday a plus).Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Certified Research Administrator (CRA) credential.Experience with endowment accounting principles and UPMIFA (Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act).Physical/Mental DemandsThe physical demands and work environment characteristics described herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform essential functions of this position and/or may be encountered while performing essential functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.To successfully perform the essential functions of this position, an employee must be able to maintain appropriate confidentiality with regard to employee data, documents, issues, etc., and respect privacy needs of employees and past employees with regard to the same.The ability to comply with firm deadlines is required to successfully perform the essential function of this position. While much of the work is planned and predictable, the right candidate will be able to shift gears quickly when needed to complete a task that is time sensitive.There may be occurrences of employees, past employees, members of the general public, and others who express opinions, may exhibit strong emotions, which will require the employee to interact professionally, diplomatically, and appropriately in such situations.While performing the essential duties of this position, an employee would frequently be required to move around the office space as well as within hallways, meeting rooms, and other parts of the campus facilities. There may be multiple/daily instances of prolonged personal computer use which would include keyboard and/or mouse usage as well as viewing a computer monitor.An employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 35 pounds to perform essential position functions.Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, and ability to adjust focus.The overall work environment requires the mental ability to shift focus quickly due to interruptions; an employee must be able to mentally track multiple projects and tasks as well.The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate; however, there may be unexpected instances of somewhat loud sounds.