MINDS Grant and Financial Administrator

The Grant and Financial Administrator serves as the primary accounting, grants management, and financial administration lead for MINDS in support of RACE / Expediting QC/QA for Maintenance and Sustainment Activities. The position is responsible for day-to-day fiscal management of sponsored and project funds, including budget development and monitoring, expenditure review, reconciliation, invoicing support, financial forecasting, grant and contract administration, procurement coordination, subaward and subcontract tracking, and preparation of audit-ready financial records. The role works closely with University research administration, grants accounting, procurement, project leadership, government sponsors, and external partners to ensure funds are used in accordance with approved budgets, award terms, University requirements, and applicable sponsor and federal requirements.

While the position supports overall program administration, its primary responsibility is financial stewardship: maintaining accurate records, identifying budget or compliance issues early, supporting timely sponsor reporting and reimbursement, and providing project leadership with reliable financial information for decision-making.

1. Grant, Contract, and Sponsored Program Administration 

• Manage the administrative and financial lifecycle of RACE grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, task orders, and other sponsored funding in coordination with appropriate University offices.
• Review award documents, budgets, statements of work, funding modifications, and sponsor requirements to identify financial obligations, restrictions, reporting deadlines, and cost-share or matching requirements.
• Maintain grant and contract files, funding records, award modifications, correspondence, and supporting documentation in an organized and audit-ready manner.
• Coordinate financial components of sponsor reports, continuation requests, budget revisions, no-cost extensions, closeouts, and other post-award actions.
• Track subawards, subcontracts, consultant agreements, and partner funding commitments, including invoices, deliverables, period of performance, and remaining balances.
• Coordinate with principal investigators, project leads, research administration, and grants accounting to resolve financial or administrative issues affecting award performance.

1. Accounting, Budgeting, and Financial Reporting 

• Develop and maintain detailed project budgets, spending plans, forecasts, and financial tracking tools by funding source, task, cost category, and period of performance.
• Reconcile project accounts on a regular basis and review expenditures for accuracy, allowability, allocability, reasonableness, and consistency with approved budgets and award terms.
• Monitor commitments, encumbrances, expenditures, available balances, burn rates, and projected costs; identify variances and potential funding shortfalls or surpluses early.
• Prepare recurring financial reports, budget-to-actual analyses, cash-flow projections, and management summaries for MINDS leadership and project managers.
• Support invoice preparation, reimbursement requests, accounts receivable tracking, and documentation required for sponsor payment.
• Coordinate correction of accounting errors, cost transfers, journal entries, and other financial adjustments through appropriate University processes.
• Support project closeout by confirming final expenditures, resolving outstanding commitments, reconciling accounts, and assembling required financial documentation.

1. Procurement, Cost Documentation, and Financial Compliance 

• Coordinate financial and administrative documentation for purchases, service agreements, equipment acquisitions, travel, consultants, and subcontractor activities.
• Verify that procurement and payment documentation is complete, appropriately approved, charged to the correct funding source, and supported by adequate records.
• Maintain documentation supporting direct costs, indirect costs, cost share, matching funds, and other project financial commitments as applicable.
• Support internal and external audits, sponsor reviews, and financial monitoring by assembling records and responding to documentation requests.
• Help ensure financial administration complies with University policies, award terms, and applicable federal sponsored-program requirements.

1. Program Controls and Management Support

• Maintain integrated financial calendars for reporting deadlines, invoice cycles, award periods, procurement actions, and other fiscal milestones.
• Provide project leadership with timely financial data to support staffing, procurement, scheduling, and resource-allocation decisions.
• Participate in project reviews and stakeholder meetings when financial status, funding, grant administration, or contractual matters are discussed.
• Track financial action items and coordinate follow-up with responsible University and partner offices.

1.  Administrative and Special Projects Support

• Maintain financial and grants-management procedures, templates, trackers, and internal controls for RACE activities.
• Assist MINDS leadership with financial planning and administrative analysis for related RAMP mission activities and emerging defense research initiatives.
• Perform other grant, accounting, and business administration duties necessary to support successful program execution.

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a closely related field; relevant professional experience may be considered consistent with University requirements.
• Experience with accounting, budgeting, financial reconciliation, grants administration, sponsored programs, or contract financial management.
• Ability to interpret budgets, financial reports, award terms, and supporting accounting documentation.
• Demonstrated attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate, complete, and audit-ready records.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and standard office productivity tools.
• Strong organizational, analytical, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple funding sources, deadlines, and priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience administering federal grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, or other sponsored programs in a university, government, nonprofit, or research environment.
• Experience with Department of Defense or other federal research and development programs.
• Knowledge of federal sponsored-program cost principles and Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200), as applicable to the award portfolio.
• Experience with university enterprise financial, procurement, grants, or research administration systems.
• Experience preparing budget-to-actual reports, forecasts, invoices, financial reconciliations, and closeout documentation.
• Familiarity with subaward, subcontract, procurement, and cost-share administration.
• CPA, CGFM, CRA, or other relevant accounting, grants, or research administration credential is preferred but not required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong working knowledge of accounting and financial management principles.
• Advanced spreadsheet skills, including the ability to organize, reconcile, and analyze complex financial data.
• Ability to identify discrepancies, investigate causes, and coordinate timely corrective action.
• Ability to communicate financial information clearly to project managers, researchers, administrators, and external partners.
• Knowledge of grants and contract administration practices and the importance of sponsor-specific terms and conditions.
• High degree of discretion in handling financial, contractual, and sensitive project information.
• Ability to work independently while coordinating effectively across University offices and multi-organizational project teams.

Work Environment

This position is based in Memphis, Tennessee, and primarily performs office-based financial, grant, and administrative work supporting RACE and related MINDS activities. Periodic travel to project sites, partner facilities, or sponsor meetings may be required. The position works across University administrative units and with government, academic, and industry partners to support accurate financial management and compliant execution of sponsored activities.