Research Grants and Financial Officer

Description:

About us:
The Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering is home to about 70 professors leading research on a very broad range of topics. On the Industrial Engineering side, research areas include Operations Research, Information Engineering, Human Factors, and Applied Machine Learning, all of which seek to improve the systems we as humans rely on to navigate our world. On the Mechanical Engineering side, research areas include Robotics, Mechanics & Design, Materials, and Thermofluids, topics that are applied to applications including manufacturing, energy production, and bioengineering.
We are also home to about 2,000 very talented students: about 1,300 undergraduates are enrolled in the Industrial Engineering and in the Mechanical Engineering BASc programs. We have about 350 Master of Engineering (MEng) students, a professional program for students taking courses with us for a year or two. And we have about 350 MASc and PhD students, who work individually on research projects with a particular professor.
The Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering prides itself on being a good place to work: respectful, accepting of difference and professional. We value employees who are goal-oriented and self-motivated, and who are constantly looking to improve how we serve our students and faculty. We believe in teamwork, in working together for the greater good, and yet doing so in a way that respects each employee’s work-life balance. Finally, we value each employee as an individual, and look for opportunities to recognize each contribution.

Your opportunity:
Reporting to the Manager of Research and Finance Administration, the Research Grants and Financial Officer will be responsible for supporting the research and financial management at the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering by working independently and as part of a team. The Research Grants and Financial Officer ensures revenues are received on schedule, expenses are aligned with the University and sponsor’s guidelines, and research sponsor deadlines are met. The incumbent will be responsible for reconciliation of all research funds (including payroll), preparing complex financial reports, and making recommendations for new processes and efficiency.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Coordinating the implementation of agreements once funding is approved.
• Providing detailed information on processes, policies, and procedures.
• Fostering cooperative working relationships with a wide variety of internal and external contacts.
• Forecasting, planning and monitoring multiple complex budgets. Reconciling payroll distribution.
• Analyzing complex statistical reports and/or financial information for management decision-making.
• Implementing plans and process improvements for financial administration activities.
• Producing complex statistical and/or financial reports, identifying and analyzing data discrepancies and taking necessary actions to correct errors.
• Keeping well-informed on changes to policies, procedures, collective agreements, and applicable legislated requirements.

Essential Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in commerce, accounting or finance, or acceptable combination of equivalent experience.
• CPA (CGA, CMA or CA) Designation.
• Minimum four (4) years’ of relevant financial accounting experience including financial administration of research grants, in a university or research institution or equivalent setting.
• Experience overseeing, monitoring, recording, reconciling and/or reporting on funding accounts for grants and contracts.
• Experience interpreting and adhering to granting agencies' funding guidelines and policies.
• Experience verifying and processing accounts payable, accounts receivable and expense reimbursements.
• Experience processing payroll for appointed and non-appointed staff, and troubleshooting and resolving payroll discrepancies.
• Experience with forecasting and planning financial activities incorporating budgets with multiple sources of revenue and/or recoveries.
• Experience working with the University's AMS (FIS, RIS and HRIS) and the University of Toronto Research Account (UTRAC) or equivalent financial, payroll, research informational organizational systems.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and the promotion of a respectful and collegial learning and working environment.
• Proven capability in evaluating financial processes and recommending and implementing improvements.
• Ability to accurately interpret and apply guidelines, procedures, and regulations in a variety of situations.
• Strong oral and written communication skills and ability to communicate complex financial procedures to a range of audiences with varying levels of financial knowledge.
• Ability to exercise sound judgement and take actions to address issues or concerns.
• Demonstrated ability to exercise a high level of confidentiality, professionalism, good judgment, initiative, tact and discretion.
• Ability to organize and prioritize work to meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to compile, investigate and analyze financial information and make recommendations based on the outcome of analyses.
• Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills with the ability to also work independently.
• Highly proficient in using MS Office with advanced MS Excel skills and SharePoint.
• Detail oriented and demonstrated accuracy in performing work.
• Demonstrated capability to deliver exceptional customer service in a timely manner to students, staff, and academics.

Assets (Nonessential):

• Experience with Kronos payroll system and FileMaker system.
• Master’s Degree in Finance/Accounting.

To be successful in this role you will be:

• Accountable
• Approachable
• Efficient
• Organized
• Proactive
• Resourceful