Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago provides superior pediatric care in a setting that offers the latest benefits and innovations in medical technology, research and family-friendly design. As the largest pediatric provider in the region with a 140-year legacy of excellence, kids and their families are at the center of all we do. Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago is ranked in all 10 specialties by the U.S. News & World Report.

The Research Accountant is responsible for evaluating, analyzing and reporting on grant and contracts awards and transactions to ensure compliance with accepted procedures and maintain effective budgetary controls. Work activities require the application of involved practices and precedents as well as an increased knowledge of accounting theory and principles. The research accountant position must possess knowledge of fund/grant accounting and generally accepted accounting principles. Requirements include experience with financial analysis, program expense, review reports, budget reviews and financial report and final invoice preparation.

Essential Job Functions:

• Perform grant-related post-award accounting functions, including award set-up in financial system, award budget distributions, expense analysis, non-standard and final invoicing and financial reporting.

• Maintain grant and general award budgets in financial system. Ensure compliance with Lurie Children's, Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute and agency policies and procedures regarding distribution and transfer of funds. Maintain contact with granting agencies to ensure proper use of funding.

• Monitor and assist in resolution of award budget variances.

• Reconcile accounts in accordance with pertinent policies and procedures. Ensure transactions are accurately recorded and classified according to standard accounting theory and principles. Analyze and review documents and reports to verify computations and ensure all transactions are properly supported.

• Perform grant closeout functions required by sponsors including reconciliations, financial status reports, final invoices, purchase order liquidations and final reporting; review general ledger transactions to ensure accuracy and complete journal entries.

• Creates journal entries to allocate residuals/overdrafts and/or overhead discrepancies to departmental accounts, as a result of reconciliations/closeouts.

• Support the sponsored programs department in education and training of principal investigators and administrators; assess needs and resolves issues of the principal investigator related to grants accounting; perform analysis and support for projects.

• Approve of payroll and expenditure transfer requests and monitor high-risk expenditure activity.

• Provide support to administrators and directors requesting financial information and analysis.

• Maintain knowledge and serve as resource to team on technical matters relating to financials, by keeping up to date with generally accepted accounting principles (FASB, GAAP, etc.), federal award regulations and Uniform Guidance.

• Assist Quality Assurance and Compliance Manager with annual single audit report, agency administrative site visits and monitoring as needed.

• Demonstrate knowledge in analyzing and interpreting various agency guidelines, regulations and requirements and Lurie Children's and Stanley Manne Children Research Institute policies and procedures.

• Actively participate as a member of the Sponsored Research Finance Office team to help assure the accomplishment of departmental goals and objectives.

• Participate in computer system testing and development. Provide information on system requirements; create and run test data, note errors to be corrected; recommend changes as appropriate. Understand and evaluate interaction between new system enhancements and current computing capabilities.

• Perform job functions adhering to service principles with customer service focus of innovation, service excellence and teamwork to provide the highest quality care and service to our patients, families, donors, volunteers, co-workers and others.

• Other job functions and special projects as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance required.

• Minimum of three years post-award grant management/grant accounting experience in NIH and other federally funded grants or contracts directly for faculty in an academic research/hospital environment is required.

• Ability to work independently as a member of a team and follow through on assignments with minimal direction required.

• Ability to work accurately with detailed information required.

• Ability to handle high volume of work with changing priorities and constant interruptions and establish priorities and deadlines required.

• Ability to communicate, both orally and in writing, complex technical issues in a clear, concise manner, to individuals with little or no technical background required.

• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications required.

• Excellent interpersonal skills to establish and maintain cooperative, tactful, effective and harmonious working relationships with co-workers, supervisors, Lurie and Northwestern administrators and sponsors required.

• Capable of working in a diverse, multi-disciplinary team and interacting with all levels of the organization required.

• Working knowledge of federal NIH awards, research grant finance, accounts payable, general ledger, payroll, and budgeting preferred.

• Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel spreadsheet preferred.

• Knowledge of Workday software or similar ERP software preferred.

• Additional Job Description

Education

Benefit Statement

For full time and part time employees who work 20 or more hours per week we offer a generous benefits package that includes:

Medical, dental and vision insurance

Employer paid group term life and disability

Employer contribution toward Health Savings Account

Flexible Spending Accounts

Paid Time Off (PTO), Paid Holidays and Paid Parental Leave

403(b) with a 5% employer match

Various voluntary benefits:

• Supplemental Life, AD&D and Disability

• Critical Illness, Accident and Hospital Indemnity coverage

• Tuition assistance

• Student loan servicing and support

• Adoption benefits

• Backup Childcare and Eldercare

• Employee Assistance Program, and other specialized behavioral health services and resources for employees and family members

• Discount on services at Lurie Children's facilities

• Discount purchasing program

There's a Place for You with Us

At Lurie Children's we embrace and celebrate diversity and equity in a serious way. We are committed to building a team with a variety of backgrounds, skills, and viewpoints - recognizing that diverse identities strengthen our workplace and the care we can provide to the Chicago community and beyond. We treat everyone fairly, appreciate differences, and make meaningful connections that foster belonging and allyship. This is a place where you can be your best, so we can give our best to the patients and families who trust us with their care.

Lurie Children's and its affiliatesare equal employment opportunity employers. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, pregnancy, protected veteran status, order of protection status, protected genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Support email: