International Studies & Programs

Fiscal Officer position with Global IDEAS

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Position Summary

The Fiscal Officer will support the Global Innovations, Development, Engagement, Assistance and Scholarship (Global IDEAS) Director and serves as the lead fiscal officer for the unit.  The position will provide financial analysis, asset and resource allocation, financial reporting and financial oversight for the unit.  Additionally, the Fiscal Officer will oversee pre-award budget and financial documentation development, provide financial oversight for post-award implementation, and may serve as a post-award fiscal officer.  The Fiscal Officer will also assist in the development and implementation of policies, procedures, and internal controls to ensure that Global IDEAS fiscal activities enhance and align with the strategic direction of the unit.

Innovating, creating, learning, anticipating the future: Global IDEAS presents a novel higher education model for international development programming and scholarship.  Aligned with areas of MSU expertise - food and agriculture, environment/energy/water, health and nutrition, and education - Global IDEAS will serve as a nexus for interdisciplinary development expertise.  Convening communities of practice on key development topics such as gender, scaling and entrepreneurship, human and institutional capacity development, resilience, and monitoring and evaluation, the platform will cultivate domestic and international partnerships and serve as a campus resource for the international development community. Global IDEAS will provide expertise and resources to facilitate access to funding from the U.S. government (especially USAID, State, and MCC), foundations, bilateral and multilateral organizations, foreign governments, and non-profit and for-profit entities. Ultimately, linkages among Global IDEAS personnel, MSU faculty, collaborating partners, and the broader international development community will serve as a conduit for co-creation of high-quality programming, groundbreaking research, and innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

Unit Financial Administration (40%)

  • Manage the Global IDEAS general fund budget, including unit resource allocation;
  • Track and process unit personnel distributions;  
  • Review and analyze financial policies and procedures to recommend and implement internal controls and reporting standards for the unit;
  • Evaluate existing policies and procedures and make recommendations for process improvements to strengthen operational effectiveness;
  • Analyze account data and prepare financial reports for the unit;
  • Respond to requests from the International Studies and Programs Director of Finance and Human Resources.

Pre- and Post-Award Research Administration (45%)

  • Develop large-scale proposal budgets in consultation with faculty principal investigators, applying knowledge of solicitation and funder requirements (especially USAID), university policy, and international program best practices; assist in the review of proposal budgets prepared by others
  • Prepare and collect proposal financial documents, including budget justifications, funder required forms and documentation (e.g. SF 424 forms, and certifications and representations)
  • Prepare, process, and route proposal packages in MSU’s research administration platform, Kauli Coeus; ensure adherence to MSU internal deadlines and timely submission of proposal packages
  • Liaise with MSU’s Office of Sponsored Programs, academic departments, and International Studies and Programs Dean’s office to ensure review and approval of proposal packages
  • Provide post-award financial oversight for Global-IDEAS awards, including second level review and approval of financial transactions, tracking spending against approved budget, monitoring sub-accounts, and preparing budget forecasts, justifications, and modifications
  • Work with MSU’s Contracts and Grants Administration to engage, contract, and monitor international and domestic sub-award recipients, to prepare and submit financial deliverables, and to respond to funder requests, including audits
  • Identify and resolve complex financial, compliance, personnel, and funder issues in consultation with relevant university offices and administrators
  • Ensure compliance with federal, state, and institutional policies, procedures, and regulations regarding post-award grant management

Unit Administration (15%)

  • Maintain strong knowledge of industry and university rules and regulations
  • Serve as a university resource for pre- and post-award financial management of international awards
  • Participate in university committees; contribute to unit-, college-, and university-level research administration initiatives
  • Engage with MSU’s Office of Sponsored Programs and the Office of Contracts and Grants Administration to ensure that university policies consider international activities and to remain current on new policies and practices

Unit Specific Education/Experience/Skills

Knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in Business administration, Finance, or a research-related field; five to eight years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in research administration including the area of pre or post award processes, or related field such as regulatory administration, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. This job requires Essentials of Research Administration at MSU Certificate series or equivalent.