Columbia University
Specialist-Grants Finance
🇺🇸 Morningside, NY
🕑 Full-Time
💰 $70K - $80K
💻 Other
🗓️ July 31st, 2025
Edtech.com's Summary
Columbia University is hiring a Specialist-Grants Finance. The Specialist-Grants Finance manages grant-related activities such as reconciliation, reporting, close-out, and compliance, serving as the primary contact for post-award grant management and facilitating communication between principal investigators, department administrators, and university administration.
Highlights
- Serve as primary contact for Climate School with Sponsored Project Administration, Finance, and Central Administration units.
- Manage grant reconciliation, financial reporting, and project close-out in collaboration with Principal Investigators and Department Administrators.
- Lead implementation meetings and monitor large awards, coordinating efforts with multiple divisions.
- Coordinate internal and external audit inquiries with the University's Controller's Office and auditors.
- Implement research compliance processes related to Uniform Guidance, conflict of interest, and responsible conduct of research.
- Deliver training on post-award management and compliance through workshops and one-on-one sessions.
- Maintain and update post-award resource websites including roles and responsibilities documentation.
- Bachelor's degree with 2-3 years of experience in research administration or grants management, preferably in higher education or non-profit environments.
- Preferred skills include advanced Microsoft Excel (vlookups, pivot tables, macros), budgeting, financial analysis, and effective interpersonal communication.
- Salary range: $70,000 - $80,000 annually, based on qualifications and experience.
Specialist-Grants Finance Full Description
- Job Type: Officer of Administration
- Bargaining Unit:
- Regular/Temporary: Regular
- End Date if Temporary:
- Hours Per Week: 35
- Standard Work Schedule:
- Building:
- Salary Range: 70,000-80,000
The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.
Position Summary
Reporting to the Director of Grant Management Services, the Grants Finance Specialist will work with Principal Investigators (PI) and Department Administrators (DA) on grant-related functions, which include, but are not limited to, grant reconciliation, reporting, and close-out. Serve as an expert on sponsored research management, policies, processes and resources, and facilitate dialogue, problem solving and issue resolution among stakeholders in all matters throughout the sponsored projects lifecycle. They will serve as the Climate School’s primary contact for Post-Award Grants Management, Uniform Guidance, and other related matters, with the University’s central administration offices, including Sponsored Project Administration (SPA), Sponsored Project Finance (SPF), Office of the Controller, and other central administration units.
Responsibilities
Grant Management
- Serve as primary contact for Climate School (CS) with SPA, SPF and other Central Administration groups. Work closely with Department Administrators (DA) on grant reconciliations, including grant expenses, and budgets. Provide Principal Investigators (PIs) and their administrators with Post-Award financial administration support, including financial status reports, invoicing details and project closeouts. Review notices of award, agreements, contracts, and MOUs to ensure consistency with proposal scope, mission, and policies of CS and Columbia University. Work with PIs and DAs to assist in tracking of effort commitments for PIs and their personnel.
- For Large awards, lead and coordinate award implementation meetings and monitoring (usually in conjunction with other CS Divisions).
- In collaboration with the University’s Controller’s Office, in charge of leading and coordinating internal and external audit inquires. They will work closely with University internal auditors as well as with outside auditors to determine that expenditures and procedures were appropriate, allowable, and allocable to the award.
Research Compliance and Training
- Implementing research compliance processes, including those for Uniform Guidance, conflict of interest, and responsible conduct of research.
- Deliver and assist with training programs on post-award management and compliance for the Climate School community, including group workshops and one on one sessions.
- Maintain and update a website with Post-Award resources, including Roles & Responsibilities Matrix and many useful proposal resources.
Other Responsibilities
- Support special projects and perform additional duties as assigned by Director of Grant Management Services.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 2-3 years of experience in research administration or grants management, preferably in a higher education or non-profit setting.
Preferred Qualifications
- Excellent interpersonal skills, including experience collaborating with a multi-disciplinary, diverse and driven team.
- Strong hands-on background in budgeting, planning, financial analysis and reporting, particularly in non-profit organizations with multiple funding streams including private and federal grants.
- Flexible self-starter who can multi-task with a high level of attention to detail. Ability to exercise discretion and handle confidential information.
- Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel (vlookups, pivot tables, macros, and formulas).
Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran
Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.
