Cash Management Accountant

Job Summary

Reporting to the Associate Director, Research Cash Operations, the Cash Accountant supports the functions of the central NU-RES Finance office within Northeastern University Research Enterprise Services (NU-RES) by providing organizational efficiencies and assisting with the oversight of financial operations and processes. The Cash Accountant provides support to the Associate Director, Research Cash Operations by processing electronic payments and check deposits, and identifying, assigning, and applying incoming research payments in Workday Finance.

Prepares and processes various entries for incoming AR payments, Advancement and SFS payments, cash corrections, write-offs, sponsor refunds, LOC payments, and grant closeouts. Reviews payment discrepancies and reconciles payments for grant closeout; supports the review and resolution of bad debt; maintains and reconciles the payment log and research Bank account. Supports triaging and management of communication and requests through the central Research Accounting email inbox.

The Cash Accountant provides assistance during audits, both internal and external, by obtaining supporting documentation for review by the Director, Research Accounting prior to submission to auditors. Prepares financial reports after monthly financial close to leadership team. Assists the NU-RES Finance leadership team with various projects as needed. Maintains system data on incoming payments within the financial system and payment logs in SharePoint.

Works to document SOPs, makes recommendations on process improvements.

The Cash Accountant is expected to work in various electronic platforms and systems and must be technologically savvy. Must be able to use VPN and work completely electronically. The Cash Accountant must be able to navigate through the financial system (Workday) as well as the various grants systems and portals (various federal and non-federal sponsor Portals, SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, etc.) as required to perform their role.

The position is expected to foster consultative relationships as well as support a professional environment, providing award support and training to the university research community as needed. The Cash Accountant works with the Associate Directors and Directors regarding fiscal compliance of cash management, AR monitoring and invoicing  ability to create and maintain a culture of service, accountability and timeliness is essential.

As a collaborative team member, the Cash Accountant supports the other members of NU-RES, interface with colleagues across organizational units such as NU-RES Administration, Accounts Payable, Procurement, Treasury Services, University Advancement, and Student Financial Services (SFS), and perform other duties as assigned.

A key success factor for this role is being current with respect to federal regulations as well as the ability to train others on the application of these regulations. This role must treat effective compliance as an equal priority, stay abreast of sponsor rules, regulations, and policy changes, as well as institutional best practices in research administration and finance. Participate in sponsored research initiatives and projects as assigned, as well as lead the adoption of best practices to promote continuous improvement making sure that the highest quality standards are met.

Northeastern is a global university and Provost Research supports its team working remotely. Remote locations and work schedules are determined based on operational needs and in consultation with Team members, consistent with university policies and guidance.

• BS/BA required
• 2-4 years or work experience required
• Strong technical skills with MS Office 365 including Excel, Word, SharePoint, Outlook, Teams, as well as Adobe Acrobat and other analytical tools.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team-oriented environment
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with a high attention to detail and organization
• Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to interact with management and senior leadership
• Proven customer service skills
• Knowledges and experience in finance and general accounting practices, standards and regulations
• Experience in B2B accounting, accounts receivable, and working with Local and Federal agencies is preferred

Record, identify/assign, and apply incoming check and…