Job Details

Grant Accountant Manager

Position Number: 7315428
Location: Boulder, CO
Position Type: Sponsored Programs, Grants, and Contracts

Grant Accountant Manager

Requisition Number: 73341
Location: Boulder Colorado
Employment Type: University Staff
Schedule: Full Time
Posting Close Date: 22-Jul-2026
Date Posted:

Job Summary

The Campus Controller's Office at CU Boulder welcomes applications for the Grant Accountant Manager position! The University of Colorado Boulder is a Tier One, nationally competitive research university with a $2.00B annual operating budget. The University is focused on cultivating its instruction and research, increasing its innovative impact at the national and international level through collaboration, transformation, and leadership. The Campus Controller's Office (CCO) provides critical support to the mission by ensuring fiscal responsibility, accurate financial reporting, and compliance with laws, regulations, policies/procedures, and contract requirements. Research Financial Services (RFS) within the CCO ensures proper management and financial oversight for sponsored projects. RFS prepares financial reports and invoices, manages all revenue cycle activities for the research enterprise, coordinates financial closeouts, and works directly with the Office of Contracts and Grants (OCG) to coordinate information for post award activities. RFS works closely with campus partners to manage all aspects of the financial post award lifecycle including award setup, invoicing, revenue management, compliance monitoring, and closeout.
The Grant Accountant Manager reports directly to the Assistant Director for Research Financial Services (AD) and is responsible for managing a team of Grant Accountants who provide support to campus partners to administer and manage extramural research grants and contracts. The duties and responsibilities of this grant accounting manager position include the management, administration, and reporting of post award accounting of grants and contracts awarded to the University of Colorado Boulder by Federal and Non-Federal sources. In addition to operational oversight, this role serves as a key partner to RFS leadership by proactively identifying systemic issues, elevating risks and trends, and advancing process and operational improvements across the post-award function. The manager is expected to contribute to strategic initiatives, provide informed recommendations, and support decision-making to strengthen service delivery, compliance, and overall effectiveness of research financial operations, including leading and implementing improvement efforts in collaboration with RFS and campus partners.
CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

The Campus Controller's Office maintains and supports the university's fiscal responsibility through accurate financial accounting and reporting and in compliance with laws, regulations, policies/procedures and contract requirements for sponsored projects. We provide oversight, assistance and training in financial stewardship for the campus.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Manage Sponsored Projects Administration. (Strategic Priority: Process Excellence)Provides oversight, direction, and quality control for all post-award financial and compliance activities across the team's assigned portfolios, including identifying trends, risks, and systemic issues to inform process improvements and leadership decision-making.

Oversee and review the work of grant accounting staff performing analysis of approved budgets and award/contract documents issued by funding agencies; ensure accurate interpretation and application of all fiscal, post-award, billing, payment, and closeout requirements, and terms and conditions across assigned award portfolios.
Manage and oversee staff communications with campus partners (Principal Investigator, Dean/Director, and Department/Institute Research Administrator) regarding grant/contract financial restrictions and terms and conditions; serve as escalation point for complex or high-risk issues. Maintain and enforce policies and procedures to ensure compliance with all fiscal requirements related to assigned awards and/or contracts.
Provide guidance on the interpretation and analysis of university accounting data for compliance with approved budgets and all applicable policies and guidelines (University, Federal, State, funding agency). Review and validate outputs for accuracy and compliance. Communicate lapses in compliance to campus partners and RFS leadership as applicable. Oversee and direct the resolution of post-award issues in collaboration with campus partners, funding agencies, and RFS leadership.
Oversee the review and approval of requests from campus partners for administrative and/or processing changes (e.g., indirect cost adjustments, cost transfers, spending control edits, project end dates), ensuring accuracy, appropriateness, and compliance.
Ensure appropriate controls, processes, and staff accountability are in place to establish, maintain, and reconcile grant/contract records in compliance with specific grant provisions or restrictions.
Direct staff in managing all applicable financial, post-award, and closeout deliverables for assigned awards and/or contracts, including establishing priorities, monitoring progress, and maintaining PeopleSoft milestones.
Oversee and review the preparation and submission of required interim and final financial reports and invoices, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and compliance with sponsor requirements.
Approve the preparation and submission of Federal Letter of Credit draw requests.
Direct the award closeout activities, including ensuring final review of expenditures, payments, and accounts receivable.
Review and manage the preparation and submission of final post-award closeout reports, as applicable, in collaboration with CCO Property Control Team, OCG and campus partners.
Provide strategic guidance and subject matter expertise to the Office of Contracts and Grants (OCG) teams to resolve contract and subcontract negotiation questions related to invoicing and financial reporting.
Assist with site visits, Federal and Non-Federal system audits, and/or individual project audits, in collaboration with the RFS leadership and campus partners; ensure staff readiness and completeness of documentation.

Supervision and Training (Strategic Priority: People Development)

Demonstrate a commitment to valuing diversity and lead efforts to foster an inclusive working and learning environment; ensure team practices align with organizational values.
Recruit well-qualified enthusiastic professional staff that will actively embrace and participate in organizational changes.
Direct and manage unit operations within area of responsibility, including establishing priorities, allocating resources, and defining performance expectations. Develop, monitor, and evaluate performance metrics to ensure timely, accurate, and compliant outcomes.
Supervise, coach, and evaluate staff performance, providing ongoing feedback, setting clear expectations, and holding staff accountable for results to support a high-performing team environment.
Establish and reinforce a positive, cooperative, and customer-focused work culture, encouraging effective engagement with colleagues, sponsors, and campus partners.
Develop staff capabilities through coaching, mentoring, and structured development plans, including both leadership and technical skill building.
Oversee and advance career pathing and professional development initiatives, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and staff growth.
Ensure staff receive appropriate training and guidance on sponsored programs policies and procedures; oversee the interpretation and consistent application of University, Federal, State, and sponsor requirements across the team.
Lead team through process improvements and system/technology changes, setting direction, managing impacts, and ensuring successful adoption aligned with university critical initiatives.
Oversee and contribute to the development of training materials and delivery of team training; provide subject matter expertise for complex or high-impact topics as needed.
Represent CCO/RFS in University, regional, and national forums, contributing to strategic discussions and bringing back relevant insights to inform team direction.
Identify and support professional development opportunities for staff and self to maintain current knowledge of regulations, standard processes, and emerging trends.
Ensure continuity of operations by coordinating workload coverage and redistributing responsibilities during staff absences; provide technical backstop support as needed.

Relationship and Knowledge Management (Strategic Priority: University Engagement)

Maintain an extensive working knowledge of University, State, Federal, and funding agency policies and procedures, including Uniform Guidance (UG), Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
Develop a strong rapport with funding agency personnel, campus partners, and other stakeholders. Ensure the unit has a strong relationship with campus partners and provide engagement opportunities for staff to meet, visit and interact with research faculty and staff.
Collaborate effectively with colleagues within CU, other Higher Education Institutions, associations, and state entities, to modernize and implement best practices for Research Administration at the CU Boulder campus.
Facilitate conversations within RFS and around the research admin community at UCB regarding fiscal post award topics.

Special Projects (Strategic Priority: Infrastructure Enhancement)

Advise, support, and advance the implementation of process improvement and operational initiatives that address systemic issues, enhance compliance, and improve efficiency across the post-award function.
Identify trends, risks, and opportunities through analysis of team operations and portfolio activity; develop and implement solutions in collaboration with RFS leadership and campus partners.
Develop and maintain tools, reports, and workflows to support data-informed decision-making, operational transparency, and continuous improvement.
Actively support and contribute to system implementations and enhancements (e.g., PeopleSoft, Cognos, InfoEd), including planning, testing, training, and adoption support.
Represent the Controller's Office in campus-wide committees and working groups; influence and advance institutional practices related to research financial management.
Prepare analyses, reports, or presentations to support leadership priorities, audits, or critical initiatives.
Other duties as assigned.

What You Should Know

Hybrid work modality offered.

What We Can Offer

The salary range for this position is $86,100 - $93,000 annually.

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder, we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County's largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be collaborative. Be impactful. Be Boulder.

What We Require

A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in Accounting, Finance or related field. Professional accounting or research administration experience may substitute on a year-for-year basis.
Three (3) years demonstrated experience with accounting and/or, research administration experience including lead or supervisory work.

Equivalent combination of education and experience may substitute.

What You Will Need

Demonstrated knowledge of GAAP, university and state accounting and fiscal rules.
Demonstrated knowledge of post-award research grant and contract administration and accounting.
Ability to direct, assign and supervise professional staff.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Proven ability as a problem solver.
Demonstrated customer service orientation.
Demonstrated public presentation skills.
Excellent interpersonal skills, the ability to collaborate with varying levels of authority

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

A current resume.
A cover letter that specifically tells us how your background and experience align with the requirements, qualifications, and responsibilities of the position.

We may request references at a later time.

Please apply by July 22, 2026 for consideration.
Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, please apply through CU Boulder Jobs.

In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

To apply, visit https://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDetail/Grant-Accountant-Manager/73341