Grants Finance Analyst I

$72,000 - $85,000/Yr

The Trustees Of Columbia University In The City Of New York - New York, NY

Full-time

New York, NY

Ambulatory Health Care Services

About the position

The Grants Finance Analyst I position at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (VP&S) Office for Research is integral to supporting the research mission at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC). This role is focused on post-award administrative activities related to grants, ensuring compliance with federal, sponsor, and institutional regulations. The Analyst I will manage a portfolio of sponsored awards for faculty members engaged in a variety of research projects, which includes setting up accounts and budgets, conducting financial reconciliations, and assisting with grant close-outs and reporting. In this capacity, the Analyst I will collaborate closely with faculty and senior staff to develop skills in financial analysis and management of complex portfolios. The position requires participation in monthly meetings with Principal Investigators (PIs) to discuss financial portfolios, and the Analyst I will assist in preparing summaries and action items from these meetings. The role also involves ensuring that research funding is allocated and spent according to the PI's plans and applicable guidelines, as well as performing payroll accounting for grant-related personnel. The successful candidate will leverage their grant management experience and knowledge of finance and accounting best practices to support the financial management of assigned portfolios. This position offers an opportunity to learn the full scope of post-award grant management while developing strong analytical and communication skills in a collaborative and deadline-driven environment.

Responsibilities

• Maintains a portfolio of Sponsored Project accounts, collaborating closely with the manager.
• Accurately performs monthly budgeting, projecting, updating, and reconciling research finances for the portfolio of accounts.
• Trains under the direction of senior staff to develop skills in financial analysis and management of multiple award types.
• Co-leads monthly meetings with PIs to address financial portfolio issues.
• Assists with portfolio summaries and collaborates on post-meeting summaries and action items.
• Sets up new grant accounts and budgets, modifying existing awards as needed.
• Reviews and sets up subaward agreements and ensures necessary information is provided to PIs.
• Serves as the initial point of review for accuracy of grant-related invoices and expenditure payments.
• Ensures research funding is allocated and spent in accordance with PI plans and guidelines.
• Tracks and monitors invoices throughout the life of the award to ensure timely spending by subawards.
• Performs accurate payroll accounting for assigned grant-related personnel.
• Assists in the University year-end close-out procedures, ensuring no grant overruns and all expenses are posted correctly.
• Maintains records in compliance with sponsor agreements and University regulations.
• Assists faculty with grant progress reports and necessary compliance documents.
• Performs all other duties as assigned within the scope of practice.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree or a combination of education and experience.
• A minimum of 3 years of related experience, including prior pre- or post-award grant management experience.
• Knowledge of finance and accounting best practices and principles of sponsored project financial management.
• Familiarity with online systems for grant management (e.g., eRA Commons, InfoEd, ASSIST).
• Strong critical thinking and analytical skills, including proficiency in Excel.
• Ability to work independently in a deadline-driven, multi-tasking environment.
• Project management skills, including stakeholder communication and team collaboration.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Self-motivated, adaptable, and resourceful with a commitment to diversity and equity.

Nice-to-haves

• Knowledge of sponsors and sponsor requirements.
• Familiarity with Columbia systems.