Reporting to the Financial Manager, School of Rehabilitation Therapy (SRT), the Research Grants & Financial Officer is responsible for optimizing faculty success in research grant and contract competitions by assisting faculty and research teams to apply for grants from agencies such as CIHR, SSHRC, NSERC, CFI, as well as from Non-Government Organizations (NGO’s), foundations, health authorities and professional bodies. The incumbent will be responsible for liaising with University Research Services and research administrative staff in sub-grant/contract sites on behalf of Faculty researchers; will support faculty to prepare research budgets and staffing plans and ensuring that relevant School, University and funder policies and procedures are followed. The incumbent is responsible for setting up and monitoring research funds post-award, preparing financial reports, and providing expertise and assistance with the effective on-going and long-term processing of financial transactions affecting research accounts.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manage finances for a large volume of research grants and contracts, including acting as the Financial Services representative for various project audits. Conduct internal/routine compliance audits on research accounts to ensure expenditures are appropriate and properly supported by receipts, in accordance with Queen’s University and funding agency policies. Results of the audits will be provided to the respective researchers, highlighting issues of concern, and to the Director and Financial Manager. Liaise with the Financial Manager SRT and the Research Accounting Officer, Faculty of Health Sciences, reporting on the analysis of significant variances in spending by budget category, and following up on accounts in deficit positions
• Prepare financial statements and/or year-end trial reconciliation reports
• Interpret complex research policies and eligibility guidelines for various granting agencies and contracts and provide training to Principle Investigators and their support staff in order to ensure spending is in compliance with rules and regulations. Coordinate and prepare financial reports for various research grants and contracts
• Analyze financial data and complete financial reports and statements for various projects, as per deadlines dictated in the research agreements and contracts
• Responsible for providing solutions and recommendations for improved processes and methods of meeting stringent audit requirements
• Perform financial and accounting duties, including purchasing of good and services, cheque requisitions, invoices, deposits, journal entries, procurement card reconciliation, processing travel reimbursements through ERS; collects and analyzes statistics about research productivity for the School
• Process complex financial transactions and account management such as establishing all research accounts, setting up approved budgets, communicating funding requirements for each grant to researchers and research teams; ensuring revenues and expenses are coded to the proper accounts; preparing necessary journal entries.
• Review and amend grants and/or contract proposals for submission, for both individual researchers and research teams. Create TRAQ DSS, upload documents; update URS and TRAQ DSS for awarded grants and contracts. Set timelines, participate in meetings for the purposes of proposal development, review drafts and final proposal submissions. Provide assistance with contract and agreement reviews as required; edit, review and format proposals if requested by the investigator. Maintain a database to produce reports on grant funding statistics and for internal and external reporting
• Coordinate human resources duties, including the role of timekeeper, for all research related employee groups (Research Grants and Contracts (RG&C); casual, post-doctoral fellows, research associates). Liaise with researchers in forecasting for hiring and planning for lay-offs. Responsible for the hiring process of work study and SWEP students for the SRT, and PT Clinic.
• Obtain initial quotes for equipment acquisition and provides this information to researchers for budget planning in compliance with funding agency requirements. Assist researchers with the proper procedures and documentation required by Financial Services when purchasing scientific equipment, as per University policies. Take corrective action when detecting anomalies with the billing and following up either with the suppliers or Financial Services
• Assist in the management of a long-term financial strategy, and monitor long term debt obligations of research grants
• Manage and administer all research accounts including forecasting and maintenance of expenses
• Act as a back-up to the Financial Manager
• Undertake other duties as assigned in support of the School