Accountant at KU SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING in Lawrence, Kansas

Job Description:

The position will assist with financial analysis, budget tracking, financial reporting and personnel management and providing leadership to faculty and staff across the center. Duties will include administering base and non-base allocations and assisting with associated budget transfers. The incumbent will assist with balancing annual budgets through tracking expenses including payroll and creating financial projections to optimize the center’s financial resources. A thorough knowledge of the policies, regulations, guidelines, and administrative practices of the center are vital to the functioning of this position. In addition, a thorough understanding of the center’s budget, financial, purchasing and payroll systems is imperative.

This is a 75% to full-time, twelve-month, benefits-eligible, regular appointment that reports directly to the ERC EARTH Administrative Director. Currently, the position is designated as on-campus. Alternative and flexible work schedules will be evaluated as per ERC EARTH policy and center guidelines. A reduced FTE (down to 0.75) may be considered, if preferred by a very strong candidate.

About Engineering Research Center:

Heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) are essential to the quality of life for all humans. HVACR systems are widespread throughout society, enabling transportation and preservation of fresh foods, storage of medicines, and cooling of buildings. However, most refrigerants used today are hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which have high global-warming potential (GWP), with 2000-4000 times the impact of CO2. Combined with high leak rates (direct effect — 50-90% of refrigerants leak into the atmosphere) and high energy consumption (indirect effect — 20-40% of U.S. residential and commercial building electricity usage comes from HVACR), HFCs account for 7.8% of total greenhouse-gas emissions. To address this challenge, a new NSF Engineering Research Center (ERC): Environmentally Applied Refrigerant Technology Hub (EARTH) will create a “sustainable refrigerant lifecycle” to address technical, environmental, and societal challenges facing the HVACR industry. EARTH is a multi-institution, multi-disciplinary team from the University of Kansas, University of Notre Dame, University of Hawai'i, University of Maryland, University of South Dakota, and Lehigh University.

Job Description

90% Financial Management and Reporting

• Utilize financial reporting system to monitor, track and analyze center accounts to ensure that financial resources are being effectively utilized.
• Assist in analyzing faculty and staff salary shrinkage.
• Utilize financial reporting systems to extract and analyze data, run reports, reconcile, and verify information and provide input for financial reporting.
• Assist Administrative Director with management of budgets by analyzing financial data for center and provide financial reporting.
• Provide monthly reports to ERC EARTH Administrative Director and unit Directors.
• Assist to track new faculty start-up commitments.
• Provide financial analysis, advice and assistance on special projects as requested.
• Assist partner universities finance staff with consistent development of reports for year-end projections utilizing reporting systems.
• Serve as a key liaison to Finance staff and unit personnel to provide both formal and informal training to ensure center policies, procedures and guidelines are followed.
• Play a key role in assisting Administrative Director with developing financial policies and procedures to enhance existing financial business operations and efficiencies for the center.

10% Other Duties as Assigned

• Other duties as assigned by ERC EARTH Directors and Administrative Director

Position Requirements

This position works primarily on-site but limited remote work may be considered per mutual agreement between the EARTH Administrative Director and selected candidate. Due to complex state employment laws, the University of Kansas may be unable to hire fully remote workers for this position outside of Kansas. Specifically, we cannot currently offer employment to candidates residing in the following states: California. We appreciate your understanding and invite interested individuals from eligible states to apply.

Required Qualifications

1. Bachelor’s degree and at least one-year related experience or high school diploma and at least five years of related financial analysis experience.
2. Experience through education and/or work history of advanced accounting skills that might include but are not limited to financial analysis, accounting principles, compliance, and projections.
3. Demonstrated experience with computer applications for fiscal operations, including proficiency in computer applications for financial analysis, as demonstrated in application materials.
4. Previous work experience that required attention to detail and excellent written communication skills as evidenced by application materials.
5. Work experience that required data analysis and problem-solving skills, as evidenced in application materials.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Three years of experience in auditing payroll or financial transactions.
2. Working knowledge of Engineering Research Centers and NSF rules/regulations regarding fiscal, payroll and personnel procedures, as evidenced in application materials.
3. Previous experience with payroll, financial and budgeting systems, as demonstrated in application materials.
4. Three years of experience using accounting spreadsheets, Excel preferred.
5. Ability to accurately analyze and interpret financial information, and clearly and concisely express information in written form, as evidenced in application materials.
6. Work experience that required prioritizing tasks to meet deadlines under conflicting timelines, as evidenced in application materials.
7. Demonstrated experience working collaboratively with a wide range of students, staff, faculty administrators and other center contacts, as evidenced in application materials.

Additional Candidate Instructions

A complete application consists of cover letter, resume, and list of three professional references. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.

Application review begins October 14, 2024. To ensure consideration, please apply before review date.

Contact Information to Applicants - Heather Abernathy: habernathy@ku.edu, 785-864-4512

Advertised Salary Range - $50,000 - $60,000

Work Schedule - M-F 8-5

Application Review Begins - Monday October 14, 2024

Anticipated Start Date - Monday November 4, 2024

Disclaimer: The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in the university's programs and activities. Retaliation is also prohibited by university policy. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies and is the Title IX coordinator for all KU and KUMC campuses: Associate Vice Chancellor for Civil Rights and Title IX, civilrights@ku.edu, Room 1082, Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, 785-864-6414, 711 TTY.

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