Grants Account Manager

Case Western Reserve University - Cleveland, OH

Full-time - Mid Level

Cleveland, OH

Educational Services

About the position

The Grants Account Manager at Case Western Reserve University plays a crucial role in the administrative management and coordination of business-related functions, finance, budget, and grant administration for various departments within the Case School of Engineering. This position requires a high degree of independence and is responsible for managing a research portfolio consisting of multiple grants and contracts, with annual expenditures ranging from $4.5 million to $5.5 million. The assignments within this portfolio may change based on fluctuations in funding levels, staffing needs, and other dynamics. The Grants Account Manager is expected to function as the financial and business manager across their assigned portfolio, collaborating directly with faculty and staff on grant submissions, financial reporting, expense tracking, and ensuring compliance with post-award management for various Federal and State agencies, as well as industrial and non-profit funding agencies. In this role, the Grants Account Manager will develop and implement plans to optimize resource management, exercising discretion and independent judgment in managing revenues and expenses. They will work across units within the finance office and with administrators throughout the school and university. The assistant manager has the authority to achieve objectives within established guidelines and policies, with the expectation of referring only special problems to the manager of academic and research operations. This position is integral to ensuring that the financial operations of the research projects are conducted efficiently and in compliance with all relevant regulations and policies.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the financial and business operations manager for assigned portfolio, extracting data from multiple university sources and performing continuous financial modeling.
• Review spending patterns to project future trends and prepare long-range operational forecasts and cash flow analysis.
• Guarantee compliance with all funding agency and university directives by reviewing all speedtypes in assigned departments monthly to monitor and verify expenditures.
• Approve purchases and work closely with Purchasing and Travel and Expense professionals to ensure grants do not exceed funding and purchases do not occur after the end date.
• Request preliminary speedtypes or petitions to keep active research projects open during renewal periods to minimize correcting journals.
• Act as the main contact and primary administrator to departmental staff, faculty, and chairs for all matters related to funded projects.
• Delegate tasks to other employees as needed and follow up to ensure timely completion of tasks.
• Manage salary spend across the portfolio by balancing resources available to each faculty member and determining appropriate staffing based on grant budgets and revenue projections.
• Approve funding for research staff hires and initiate reorganizations or layoffs when funding resources change or are eliminated.
• Complete monthly effort/salary distributions for exempt employees and salary adjustments as needed in collaboration with human resources administrators.
• Monitor sub-awards closely to ensure revenue is received, budgets are increased, and payments to sub-award agencies are timely and compliant.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in finance, business administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in financial management, grant administration, or a related area.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to extract and interpret financial data from various sources.
• Proficient in financial modeling and forecasting techniques.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to work effectively with faculty, staff, and external agencies.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with federal and state grant regulations and compliance requirements.
• Familiarity with university financial systems and processes.
• Knowledge of budgeting and financial reporting best practices.

Benefits

• Health insurance coverage
• Dental insurance coverage
• Vision insurance coverage
• 401(k) retirement savings plan
• Tuition reimbursement for further education
• Paid holidays and vacation time
• Flexible scheduling options
• Professional development opportunities