Grants Analyst II, Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood

This is a full-time grant funded position. Continuation of this position is contingent upon continued funding.

The College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) is a diversified college with undergraduate and graduate programs that require a close working relationship with the state of Delaware, federal agencies, local school systems, and numerous health and service agencies.

CEHD houses the Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood (DIEEC). The DIEEC supports early childhood workforce and programming services for children aged six weeks to 12 years of age through the translation of evidence-based practices as well as the generation of new knowledge via applied research. The DIEEC serves the state and nation through the provision of professional development for early childhood educators in home-based and center-based settings, technical assistance to early care and education programs through Delaware’s quality improvement system, direct services to children and families through the New Directions Early Head Start program, and applied research in diverse early care and education settings.

The Grants Analyst II works under the general direction of the DIEEC Director. This position provides support in budget planning, development, control, and administration of all financial operations that impact DIEEC. The Grants Analyst II actively participates in strategic planning and decision-making for DIEEC. The Grants Analyst II maintains productive relationships with constituencies related to the contracts and grants operation in CEHD and the University.

The Grants Analyst II advises DIEEC employees in all areas of research administration, including pre- and post-award, as well as training on University and College-specific policies and procedures.

The Grants Analyst II collaborates with Principal Investigators (PI) and the DIEEC leadership team to develop competitive grant proposals, assist in preparation of project budgets, and interpret and ensure that submission guidelines are followed. The Grants Analyst II applies University processes and provides analysis to track and manage DIEEC financial activities, including pre-award, post-award, and closeout, to ensure compliance with University, College, Federal, state and sponsor agency guidelines. The Grants Analyst II uses accounting principles to ensure that accounting records and controls are maintained in an appropriate manner. The Grants Analyst II works with the DIEEC leadership team to independently resolve financial problems. A primary function of this position is to exercise independent judgment and discretion about matters of significance within the research administration realm of responsibility.

• Assist with preparation, maintenance, and monitoring of DIEEC budgets.
• Support development of competitive grant proposals in accordance with funding guidelines and university procedures.
• Prepare financial reports for review.
• Attend budget-planning meetings with funding agencies regarding contracts as needed.
• Analyze budgetary line items for compliance with budget guidelines.
• Prepare and communicate revenue and expense projections for DIEEC in an understandable format.
• Meet with PIs and the DIEEC leadership team regularly to review post award activity projections and pending proposals; analyze financial data to provide relevant expenditure projections with regularity; process budget revision and no-cost extension requests.
• Collect, analyze, and interpret complex data in preparation for monthly reports.
• Utilize reporting tools and information systems to create meaningful financial reports to assist DIEEC in the management of budgets.
• Provide project/grant reconciliation and work with respective units on campus on closeouts, including preparing cost transfers to remove unallowable costs and over-expenditures.
• Anticipate and proactively resolve complex issues as they relate to financials and contracts and grants.
• Allocate salaries through the Labor Allocation Module to reflect project commitments and budget constraints.
• Review, process, and track personnel effort-reporting, including cost share.
• Respond to presentation requests from DIEEC personnel on an ad-hoc basis.
• Create and maintain effective communication with DIEEC personnel, CEHD, and University departments, and external partners to ensure positive working relationships.
• Advises DIEEC leadership staff regarding budget development, expense management, and process procedures.
• Recommend changes to current procedures, as appropriate, to enhance accuracy and integrity of data.
• Initiate and manage Contractual Agreements for Consulting Services.
• Prepare and process journal vouchers through the UD Financials and Effort Reporting systems and perform monthly review of all journal voucher activity in accordance with established guidelines.
• Oversee the administration of DIEEC Purchasing Cards and allocation of expenses and processing as appropriate.
• Complete the processing of multiple webforms, such as BERs, vendor payments, payments to individuals, non-student billings, purchase orders, cash transmittals and payroll.
• Implement a records retention process for financial data.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance or a related field with three years job-related experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Certified Research Administrator or other certification in accounting or related field preferred.
• Knowledge of cost analysis techniques.
• Ability to analyze budgetary expenditures for compliance with approved budgets is required.
• Familiarity with UD accounting system, PeopleSoft financials, UD grant policies and procedures, NSF Fast Lane, and Cayuse online systems, is preferred.
• Skill in budget preparation and management of contracts and grants is required.
• Ability to analyze budgetary expenditures for compliance with approved policies and procedures is required.
• Working knowledge and understanding of federal and state regulatory policies, procedures, and guidelines. General familiarity with Uniform Guidance regulating federal allowable and unallowable costs strongly preferred.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of constituents on a variety of financial management topics.
• A high level of independent judgment, critical thinking, and decision making are required.
• Requires the ability to work independently and the ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Must have strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to interact well with people of all ages and diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to interpret, adapts, and apply guidelines and procedures.
• Ability to plan, organize, implement, evaluate, and modify administrative support.
• Ability to gather and analyze statistical data and generate ad-hoc reports that are meaningful and understandable to those not familiar with the data being reported.
• Ability to adjust to a changing environment.
• Ability to develop, plan, and implement short and long-range goals.
• Knowledge of PeopleSoft preferred.
• Intermediate computer skills to quantify and illustrate complex reports, comparisons, impacts, and/or projections required (includes but is not limited to proficiency with spreadsheet, database, and word processing).
• Demonstrates an understanding and consideration of the differing needs and concerns of individuals with varying identities, cultures, and backgrounds.
• Committed to fostering a workplace culture of belonging, where diversity is celebrated, and equity is a core value.