Finance/Budget Manager

The Opportunity:

Serves as the head of the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) Business Affairs Division located in Cocoa, Florida, and reports to the FSEC Deputy Director. Directs and manages the financial operations for FSEC ($10-15 million/year) for-100 active E&G, C&G, auxiliary and foundation dept/projects.

Responsibilities:

Serve as Responsible Fiscal Officer (RFO) for FSEC. This designation requires the following duties:

• Serves as primary point of contact with Finance & Accounting, the Office of Research, and other university departments as required.

• Ensures that all financial transactions meet all compliance requirements. Applies sound judgment in addressing all non-routine maters. Reports to the FSEC Deputy Director on issues that could require the consideration of the FSEC Director, Deputy Director and Division Managers.

• Responsible for implementing credit card security procedures and approves Bank of America credit card transactions (charges, and refunds) in the Workday system Processes all bank deposits with Bank of America and enters them into the Workday system.

• Manages all budget activities for FSEC. Develops and maintains budget projections and allocations for FSEC long term activities.

• Develops and implements processes to track financial status of all departments and projects including contract and grant projects, E&G departments, auxiliary departments, UCF Foundations, and Research Foundation accounts.

• Analyzes financial data to predict budget needs and identify problems.

• Recommends and implements most appropriate corrective actions to Principal Investigators and Fund Managers consistent with University, State and Federal policies and best practices. Processes all cost transfers.

• Supervises and instructs all FSEC Business Office personnel (currently 3 A&P employees), to assure a high quality of work, appropriate skill levels for assigned tasks and balanced workloads. Cross-trains Business office employees to assure back-up personnel are available and fully trained for all routine Business Office functions to balance workload and cover subordinates' absences.

• Acts on behalf of FSEC for routine FSEC personnel related matters, such as HR Liaison, Workers Compensation, Hiring and international student matters as needed. Processes and submits FSEC payroll every other week, helps to process all Payroll Accounting Adjustments for any leave taken. Pre-reviews ECC certification for all sponsored research, compares it to the FSEC timesheet system and processes PAA's as required for corrections. Approves all Faculty Activity for each semester after HR coordinator updates the Faculty Activity System.

Contract & Grant Pre-Award:

• Ensures that University policies, Federal and State regulations and funding agency specifications for proposals meet all requirements and are professional, accurate and complete. Approves FSEC proposals for contract and grand funding prior to submission to the Office of Research and Commercialization. (FSEC typically submits over 75 proposals per year valued at $30-$50 million.)

• Creates and oversees others who create detailed budgets and cost proposals for contract and grant activities with input from faculty researchers. Enters and approves proposals submitted into Huron before submittal to funding agency. Incorporates budget from other UCF colleges, agencies and subcontractors to be included with FSEC proposal submission.

• Verifies availability and allowability of cost share resources from all sources, e.g., FSEC internal funds, Office of Research incentives for matching funds, cash and in-kind commitments from subcontractors and other third parties and co-sponsors. Applies sound judgment to approve or deny requests for voluntary cost share. Consults with the FSEC Deputy Director when necessary in unusual or exceptional situations.

Contract & Grant Post Award:

• Trains and supervises subordinates who review/approve routine purchasing transactions (vendor invoices, expense cards, travel, etc.) to assure that expenditures are valid and within the available budget and meet State, University, Federal and other funding agency guidelines. In the absence of designated subordinates, performs Workday-related transactions (purchase requisitions, expenses card approvals, journal vouchers, etc.).

• Reviews and approves subcontractor and vendor service provider's invoices for payment. Supervises and instructs subordinates in verifying and tracking subcontractor and vendor service provider's invoices. Monitors and acts as problem-solver for C&G accounts payable issues, (e.g., missing documentation, deliverables, etc.).

• Fully documents all non-cash cost share expenditures including subcontractors cost share, donations, third-party funding, unrecovered indirect cost, vendor discounts, etc. as allowed by Federal cost accounting standards and regulations. Coordinates with responsible parties at the Office of Research and Finance & Accounting on cost share reporting to funding agencies. Assuring acceptable documentation of third-party cost share.

Auxiliary Operations:

• Establishes and maintains audit-compliant procedures for handling revenue, e.g., revenue form auxiliary operations. Supervises subordinates in Business Office responsibilities for revenue and helps train other FSEC departmental staff members in the necessary revenue procedures.

• Responds to compliance issues, audits, financial analyses and information requests from the University and external sources, mining the required data from financial sources, databases and document files as required. Provides Deputy Director with data for annual reports and other information as needed. Enters all agreements and/contractual matters into Cobblestone for approval.

• Supervises employees tasked with monitoring cash balance of auxiliary operations. Identifies potential cashflow problems and recommends corrective actions to the Fund Manager(s). Addresses unresolved financial problems to FSEC Deputy Director for further action.

• Supervises and instructs staff who prepare journal vouchers for FSEC recharge centers (e.g., vehicles, computer usage fees, laboratory charges), cost transfers and auxiliary fees (e.g., credit card fees, administrative overhead charges). Approves and submits all journal vouchers and assure that all documentation is submitted in the Workday system.

• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree and 6+ years of relevant experience or combination of relevant comparable education and experience. Or an equivalent combination of education and experience pursuant to Fla. Stat. 112.219. Click here for more information.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with research contracts and grants including pre- and post-award support.

• Proven experience leading and developing a broadly represented team.

• Strong background in finance, accounting, or a related field, ideally within a University setting.

• Strong knowledge of compliance and budgeting practices within the contracts and grants environment.

• Capable of identifying, analyzing, and resolving complex problems.

• Ability to produce financial reports and summarize results to Finance and Center Directors.

• Effective communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate with financial teams and stakeholders.

• Experience making decisions and functioning effectively in a dynamic environment.

• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail

• Knowledge of State University System (SUS) policies and procedures related to operating budgets.

• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications; Workday experience is a plus.

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Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

The University of Central Florida is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer including Disabled/Vets. Click on UCF's Equal Opportunity Statement to view the President's Statement.

The UCF affirmative action plans for qualified individuals with disabilities and protected Veterans are available for inspection in the Office of Institutional Equity, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., upon request.

As a Florida public university, UCF makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request.

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