Assistant Director, EFM

CONTRACTS AND GRANTS MGR 1 (000381)

UCPath Position ID: MI-DPT351500-JC000381-PD168795

Position Description History/Status

For Reference ONLY - PeopleAdmin JA Number:

1113956

Approved Date:

5/7/2024 4:17:42 PM

Date Last Edited:

5/7/2024 4:17:37 PM

Last Action Effective Date:

8/3/2023

Organization Details

Business Unit (Location):

LACMP

Organization Code:

3100O

Organization:

VC RESEARCH                            

Division Code:

3115D

Division:

OFFICE OF RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION      

Department:

351500 - EXTRAMURAL FUND MANAGEMENT

Position Details

UCPath Position Number:

MI-DPT351500-JC000381-PD168795

Position Description ID

168795

UC Payroll Title:

CONTRACTS AND GRANTS MGR 1 (000381)

Personnel Program

Management and Senior Professional (MSP)

Salary Grade:

Grade 25

Job Code FLSA:

Exempt

Union Code (Collective Bargaining Unit):

99: Non-Represented (PPSM)

Employee Relations Code:

A: Manager - Not Confidential

Employee Class (Appt Type):

2 - Staff: Career

Full-Time Equivalent (FTE)

1

SUPERVISION

UCPath Reports to Position Number:

40046436

Reports to Payroll Title:

CONTRACTS AND GRANTS MGR 2

UCPath Department Head Position Number:

40046436

Department Head Payroll Title:

CONTRACTS AND GRANTS MGR 3

DIRECTION - Indicates that the incumbent establishes procedures for attaining specific goals and objectives in a broad area of work. Only the final results of work done are typically reviewed. Incumbent typically develops procedures within the limits of established policy guidelines.

10

POSITION SUMMARY

The Extramural Fund Management (EFM) is part of the Office of Research Administration (ORA) and supports the $1.3 billion in expenditures associated with the research program at UCLA by providing leadership, professional guidance and administrative services to faculty, department research administrators, and students. The Assistant Director reports to the Director, Fund Management and is responsible for the shared oversight, administration, implementation and management of the daily financial monitoring of sponsored funds and post-award compliance operations of the Extramural Fund Management. Primary responsibilities include: 1) assist the Director with overseeing a wide range of fiscal responsibilities involving post-award accounting, various fund accounting activities in coordination with campus departments, and compliance/audit support; 2) directly supervise a team of 10 FTEs in Accountant levels 1-4 and Lead Accountant, to manage the production of invoices and financial reports for over 6,000 active awards annually; 3) design the training program and supervise the lead accountant(s) who train Accountants on the use of the central web-based Post-Award Management System (PAMS) that provides department-based and EFM fund managers with tools to effectively manage sponsored awards from the start to the close.; 4) as assigned by the Director, take lead role to implement critical projects/initiatives in the areas of financial reporting, invoicing, fund closeout and document retention. Work collaboratively with the Director, and Cash Management. Direct and guide EFM Lead Accountants in defining and implementing strategies for billing, reporting, and overall high quality customer service to faculty and department fund managers. The position is also responsible for designing methods that effectively measure and continuously monitor (individual, team, and unit) workload distribution and productivity metrics to ensure timely invoicing and financial reporting to sponsoring agencies. Lead various management projects/initiatives by facilitating workgroups, gathering facts from support staff, and developing sound recommendations to the Director that support EFM's mission. Periodically evaluate process analyses and review business rules that affect University accounting policies and work processes that impact contract and grant financial administration.

The Extramural Fund Management (EFM) is part of the Office of Research Administration (ORA) and supports the $1.3 billion in expenditures associated with the research program at UCLA by providing leadership, professional guidance and administrative services to faculty, department research administrators, and students.

Post-Award Accounting and Fund Management

1. Provide leadership and serve as a main contact for on-going operational support to the Director and staff of the EFM by addressing day-to-day issues that arise. Work with the Managers of various teams to provide direction and guidance to ensure goals and objectives are established and achieved primarily using the PAMS. Incumbent works most closely with each Manager within the EFM.  2. Works with Managers to assess and maintain team structures that are well balanced with leadership, experience, and skill sets sufficient to support each team's responsibilities in the most effective and efficient manner contributing to the EFM's overall goals. Teams are to meet invoicing and financial reporting demands of the sponsors as it relates to timeliness, documentation requirements, internal controls, and avoid placing the University in an unfavorable cash flow position.  3. Develop functional goals and priorities for individual groups (i.e., Managers, Fund Management, and Administrative roles) and implement strategies to ensure the timely submission of invoices and financial reports while providing high quality customer service.  4. Develop productivity standards to measure monthly workload, periodic output levels, and implement analyses to identify cause(s) for variability among staff. Design methods to analyze metrics and to evaluate results that provide data and information for decision-making. Recommend changes to the Director for streamlining operational systems and procedures that will increase the overall effectiveness and efficiency of EFM.  5. Oversee or implement the framework for management reports for the Director that monitors EFM metrics across post-award compliance and financial oversight of sponsored awards and perform process analysis that identifies enhancements, minimizes risk and bad debt write-off to further EFM's goals and mission.   6. Provide expertise and practical guidance to accounting staff to resolve routine and non-routine issues related to contract and grant administration and financial stewardship of sponsored funds. Proactively identify potential policy violations, communicate concerns and issues to campus department personnel, and facilitate resolution of outstanding issues by delivering training and/or modifying business process/procedure. Review and approve high value financial journal entries, invoices and financial reports where necessary.  7. Work closely with the Director to identify risk areas related to contract and grants post award activities, perform risk assessment, determine areas for review, and select method of monitoring controls (pre, post, and system audits). Attend audit meetings with both internal and external auditors focusing on the full range of potential findings, including expenditure cost transfers, allowability, and effort reporting activity.   8. Oversee compliance with the Government Accounting Standard Board (GASB), Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), the Office of Management and Budget federal regulations (Uniform Guidance 2.CFR.200). Ensure that university accounting practices adheres to these and other external guidelines for state and local government and private sponsor awards, as well as both UCOP and UCLA policies related to expenditure classification, cost allocation, reasonableness, and allowability. Raise high risk or non-compliant activities to the Director.  9. Monitor and participate in the fiscal close process to ensure that contract and grant award funds are ready to be closed and purged during the annual fiscal close process. Provide periodic reports to the GAO and fund managers in preparation of the fiscal year end close process.

60%

Personnel and Project Management

1. Create and/or review material for the campus departmental training curriculum offered through UCLA's Staff Development related to extramurally funded awards for delivery to the campus research community. Review drafts of materials for accuracy, completeness, and assess that the level of information is appropriate for the intended audience (novice, experienced, and advanced users). As necessary, conduct training or identify appropriate EFM staff to provide training.  2. Lead or assign designated subject matter experts to train EFM staff at all levels in collaboration with the Assistant Director, Cash Management or at the direction of the Director. This includes developing a training program with a focus on Managers establishing mentoring relationships with staff for continued professional development and growth. a. Oversee the development and/or update of a procedure manual for   EFM to standardize business processes surrounding post award administration. Facilitate meetings with key stakeholders to discuss and secure information necessary to build a cohesive and comprehensive manual.  3. Oversee personnel related actions from hire to separation to recommend equitable processes to the Director for recruitment, salary, performance assessment, and professional development goals/opportunities. Guide, direct, and support Managers' through the coaching, counseling, and progressive discipline process up to and including termination, as appropriate.  4. Lead outreach efforts to the campus research community (Deans, department chairs, research unit directors, the Vice Chancellor for Research and other senior campus administrators) that assists the Director in obtaining information to refine EFM's quality of services, identifying training needs for campus, and promoting EFM's rapport with investigators and department administrators.  5. Oversee critical projects/initiatives to define objectives, determine a plan of action, execute the plan with various work groups, collect data, review materials, chart processes, settle matters related to policy, and draft a working document for the construction of a policy and procedure manual. Participate in or recommend staff to participate in campus workgroups or user testing for the design of various forms or web-based systems initiated by campus central units.  6. Actively interface with colleagues at other UC campuses, the UC Office of the President, and other institutions to ensure UCLA's research program remains consistent with business standards and informed regarding relevant initiatives in research administration.

40%

•

Performs other duties as assigned.

•

Complies with all policies and standards.

•

Complies with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Principles of Community.

•

This position description is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties or skills required for the job and is subject to review and change at any time, with or without notice, in accordance with the needs of the organization.

QUALIFICATIONS

Advance degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in accounting, business or public administration or related field;or equivalent combination of education and at least fiv

Required

Demonstrated understanding of and experience in the research enterprise of a major university with medical center and its teaching, public service and patient care missions.

Required

Ability to assess job knowledge, skills and competencies of staff in order to adjust work assignments to achieve high organizational productivity and effective delivery of services.

Required

Proven ability to train and direct personnel in individual and in team settings while developing an atmosphere that fosters collaboration and cooperation among team members and across different teams.

Required

Demonstrated organizational, problem-solving, decision-making and action planning skills, which include analyzing information, practices, procedures, and situations to reorganize alternatives and consequences, formulating logical and objective conclusions, and making recommendations for resolution appropriate to the situation.

Required

Demonstrated management skills to lead and champion initiatives of the Director within a large complex accounting unit with a diverse staff in both skill sets and experience to achieve multiple objectives with the campus research community and sponsoring agencies in high quality service, accurate accounting/financial functions, and timely closeout and invoicing/reporting.

Required

Advanced working knowledge of internal controls and analytical skills to monitor fiscal compliance activities, including fundamental understanding of risk assessment, sampling methods, audit approaches, and report writing.

Required

Expert skill and working experience in financial management, including a solid understanding of internal controls sufficient to analyze business practices and transactional activity to determine whether they comply with regulations, sponsor terms and conditions, and policies and procedures sufficient to meet fiduciary responsibilities and audit standards.

Required

Experience working with a wide array of information technology systems including large complex financial systems and databases, spreadsheets and other technical tools to evaluate the need for various front-end web-based user tools essential for queries, reporting, and work list dashboards that interface with source systems.

Required

Demonstrated advanced working knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles, government and cost accounting standards, Uniform Guidance, and federal OMB circulars and how they apply to federal, state, and private sponsors to maintain financial compliance.

Required

Demonstrated management skills to lead high performing teams toward mission critical goals with a focus on delivering high quality customer service to key stakeholders (faculty, department research administrators, and sponsors) and fostering integration with other ORA units to achieve the highest levels of organizational performance and achievement.

Required

Demonstrated skills in directing groups of people and teams to achieve a common goal/mission, delegating responsibility with clear expectations of results, and providing a work environment conducive to high levels of motivation and/or ownership of work within and among teams.

Required

Advanced analytical skill to examine linear and dynamic accounting processes and related systems, provide workflow efficiency studies, apply business rules, establish standard operating procedures, and identify and develop improvements and/or streamline processes.

Required

Excellent interpersonal skills to communicate effectively and diplomatically to highlight ORA's high quality service levels and operational priorities to a variety of stakeholders including faculty, department research administrators, fund managers, and central office personnel.

Required

Demonstrated writing ability to draft effective business correspondence, emails, policies, procedures, training materials, job descriptions and evaluations to a broad audience ranging from novice to expert so that the content is clear, cohesive, and understood in laypersons terms.

Required

Demonstrated ability to design a training curriculum for deployment in individual or group settings on complex and technical accounting topics and financial control issues for a diverse audience at all operational levels.

Required

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS AND/OR CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Background Check: Continued employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background investigation.

Live Scan Background Check: A Live Scan background check must be completed prior to the start of employment.

LOCATION AND PHYSICAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, MENTAL (PEM) REQUIREMENTS

Environment and Work Location Information

Environment Type:

Non-Clinical Setting

Location Setting:

Campus

Location:

10889 Wilshire Blvd

Standing/Walking

X

Sitting

X

X

Bending/Stooping

X

Squatting/Kneeling

X

Climbing

X

Lifting/Carrying/Push/Pull 0-25 lbs

X

X

Lifting/Carrying/Push/Pull 26-50 lbs

X

Lifting/Carrying/Push/Pull over 50 lbs

X

Physical requirements other

X

Chemicals, dust, gases, or fumes

X

Loud noise levels

X

Marked changes in humidity or temperature

X

Microwave/Radiation

X

Operating motor vehicles and/or equipment

X

Exposures other

X

Sustained attention and concentration

X

X

Complex problem solving/reasoning

X

X

Ability to organize & prioritize

X

X

Communication skills

X

X

Numerical skills

X

X

Mental demands other

X

X

Classification 2: Position in which required tasks normally do not involve exposure to blood, body fluids or tissues, but may require performing unplanned Classification 1 tasks. In these jobs the normal work performance involves no exposure to blood, body fluids, or tissues. However, exposure or potential exposure may be required as a condition of employment.