Budgets and Grants Manager

Bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field, or equivalent and 2 years of professional experience

• Knowledge of accounting practice and theory in general and UGA and UGA Foundation policies and procedures, specifically.
• Experience with complex higher education accounting systems (fund accounting).
• Ability to analyze financial data with high attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently to prepare financial statements and apply accounting practice and theory.
• Experience building effective working relationships.
• Ability to communicate effectively and clearly in both written and oral contexts.
• Ability to train others on business processes.
• Ability to implement business processes and proactively communicate trends and issues.
• Demonstrates sound judgement, discretion, and efficiency.
• Skilled in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, Word, and Teams.
• Knowledgeable of and interested in new and emerging technologies that can enhance office productivity and business processes.

• Sit and work at a computer for extended periods of times.
• Perform basic office duties.
• Traverse campus to deliver checks and other sensitive data.

• Maintain a high-level view of all SPIA financials, including State, Foundation, and sponsored funding, and work closely with SPIA's Chief Business Affairs Officer to develop and maintain budgets.
• Provide financial reports to SPIA's Department Heads, Directors, principal investigators, and faculty members for State, Foundation, and sponsored funding periodically and as needed, and answer related questions.
• Advise on the allowability of purchases on all Fund types, including maintaining awareness of Foundation fund agreements and the allowability of expenditures on such restricted funds.
• Process all deposits of non-donor revenue to SPIA.
• Serve as the first-line support for faculty, Department Heads, and Directors related to budgetary issues, elevating concerns as needed to SPIA's Chief Business Affairs Officer.
• Process corrective financial actions related to primary duties.
• Serve as backup approver for UGA Foundation reimbursement and vendor payments.
• Serve as backup approver for payroll-related transactions.
• Create and maintain standard operating procedures relevant to this role.
• Improve SPIA financial and administrative practices and procedures, ensuring compliance with all applicable internal and external policies, procedures, guidelines, and laws.

• Review for necessary corrections and approve all SPIA travel authorizations, expense reports, requisitions, and payment requests.
• Serve as SPIA's primary P-Cardholder (and reconciler) for making credit card transactions when other purchasing methods are inadequate.
• Process UGAmart punchout carts for all SPIA employees
• Submit carts for non-catalog orders, including research surveys and promotional items
• Contract submissions for orders with terms and conditions, and working with Procurement buyers to assist with the negotiation process
• Verifying available funding prior to order processing
• Review allowability of purchases being requested by departments and advise accordingly
• Weekly review of School open purchase orders to ensure timely payment of invoices and closure of orders
• Request purchase order amendments as needed
• Submit invoices on purchase orders to appropriate AP processor requesting payment

• Work in coordination with the Dean's Office and the Research and Data Manager on project/grant development.
• Serve as primary contact for grants-related inquiries from Principal Investigators and Sponsored Projects Administration to help problem-solve issues that arise in pre- and post-award accounting, elevating issues as needed to SPIA's Chief Business Affairs Officer or Research and Data Manager.
• Keep leadership and project teams informed of grants-related financial issues.
• Consult on project budget development, as requested, offering strategic advice and best practices to set up projects accurately to avoid unnecessary modifications.
• Submits modifications, including requests to set up pending awards, re-budgets, residual balances, etc.
• Process payment of invoices for subawards and ensure subawards remain in alignment with approved budgets.
• Coordinate project closeout, including assessing final expenses, clearing encumbrances, and assisting in reports as needed.
• Particular attention may be paid to high grant volume areas (e.g. SPIA's Survey Research Center) to ensure that charges are being appropriately allocated to active grants and residual balances are processed.