Grant Accounting Manager, Office of Sponsored Projects

About the position The Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) serves as the coordinating office for externally funded research and sponsored projects at The University of Texas at Austin. The mission of OSP is to assist faculty and professional research staff in their efforts to secure and ensure proper stewardship of external funding. We do that by assisting research faculty and staff with the following: proposal review, authorization, and submission; award negotiations and acceptance; account management; close-out, reports, audits, collection; professional development and education; export control, and research compliance. UT Austin offers a competitive benefits package that includes: 100% employer-paid basic medical coverage Retirement contributions Paid vacation and sick time Paid holidays Eligible for remote work with in-person attendance at monthly leadership meetings and scheduled events Please visit our Human Resources (HR) website to learn more about the total benefits offered. Purpose Responsible for managing a team of billing and reporting staff across various grant portfolio. Collaborates with the Assistant Director of Grant Accounting to develop procedures and processes that support the UT research community. Oversees and maintains responsibility for an individual portfolio of billing and reporting activities.

Responsibilities

• Leads and oversees grant billing and reporting for a various portfolio of state, private, and federal awards, ensuring compliance with all contractual terms.
• Establishes and maintains billing standards in coordination with the assistant director to ensure accuracy and consistency.
• Monitors research accounting analysts’ workloads, providing guidance to maintain efficient workflow and employee well-being.
• Encourages open communication, collaboration, and feedback within the team.
• Manages a portfolio of high-risk projects and complex tasks, applying strong analytical skills to financial data and historical records.
• Conducts detailed research to resolve account discrepancies through thorough review of financial records, invoicing, and reporting.
• Monitors Post Award activities to ensure compliance with allowable costs, cost transfers, budget adjustments, and reporting requirements.
• Provides timely, detailed support to internal and external customers.
• Recruits, trains, and manages team members, ensuring they have the skills and knowledge needed to perform effectively.
• Establishes and enforces guidelines and procedures to improve billing and reporting processes.
• Identifies opportunities for ongoing training and mentorship, promotes a positive and inclusive team culture, and conducts performance evaluations to support career development.
• Collaborates with the assistant director to align training initiatives with organizational goals.
• Partners with leadership to identify and implement process improvements that support internal and external customer needs.
• Communicates professionally across the research community and fosters strong working relationships with individuals from various backgrounds.
• Supports research accounting analysts in communicating with customers and resolving issues.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field, along with a minimum of five years of experience in sponsored research accounting.
• At least four years of progressively responsible experience in budgeting, accounting, and reporting.
• Proficiency in Excel and familiarity with various software applications.
• Strong interpersonal communication and problem-solving skills, as well as flexibility and attention to detail.
• Excel in both verbal and written communication.
• Manage deadlines and effectively utilize software applications, online resources, and electronic files.
• Capable of planning, implementing, and monitoring compliance with policies and procedures, as well as setting short and long-range goals and projects.
• Authorization to work in the United States on a full-time basis for any employer is a requirement for this position.

Nice-to-haves

• Master’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field, complemented by extensive experience exceeding the required five years in budgeting, accounting, and reporting within a university environment.
• Demonstrate advanced proficiency in gathering, analyzing, and presenting financial data.
• Expertise with the UT DEFINE experience.
• Specialized experience of over three years in governmental or sponsored research accounting.
• Experienced with CPRIT, TXDOT, TCEQ, and other Texas state sponsors.
• Excel at multitasking, consistently meeting stringent deadlines, while maintaining a strong customer-centric approach, and exhibiting exceptional organizational and communication skills in both written and oral formats.
• Experience in recruiting, managing, training, and evaluating staff, as well as developing performance evaluation methods and employee improvement programs.
• Adept at establishing guidelines, standards, and priorities, and managing unit work content to ensure positive outcomes.

Benefits

• 100% employer-paid basic medical coverage
• Retirement contributions
• Paid vacation and sick time
• Paid holidays
• Eligible for remote work with in-person attendance at monthly leadership meetings and scheduled events

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