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Accountant Sr II - Sponsored Programs

Medical College of Wisconsin · Wauwatosa, WI · Full time

Posted Sep 22, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a time you had to tell a faculty member no about spending on their grant.

What they are checking: Whether they can hold the line on compliance while keeping a good relationship.

How do you work with department administrators who have less grant knowledge than you?

What they are checking: Ability to teach and support departments, which the role asks for.

Tell me about an audit or review you supported. What did you learn?

What they are checking: Experience with compliance review and how they prepare records for it.

What would you do

A department wants to move an expense onto a grant months after it posted. How do you decide whether to allow the cost transfer?

What they are checking: Understanding of cost transfer rules and the audit risk of late transfers.

A sponsored account is running a deficit. What steps do you take?

What they are checking: Problem-solving to resolve deficits before they become write-offs.

About the work

Walk me through how you prepare a federal financial status report for an NIH grant.

What they are checking: Hands-on knowledge of post-award reporting deadlines and accuracy requirements.

How do you decide whether a cost is allowable on a federal award?

What they are checking: Working knowledge of Uniform Guidance cost principles that protect the institution in audits.

How do you review a budget reallocation request?

What they are checking: Knowledge of when sponsor approval is needed for rebudgeting.

How do you handle monthly invoicing for many sponsors with different rules?

What they are checking: Organization across many awards with different terms and deadlines.

How do you handle closeout of a grant with outstanding charges?

What they are checking: Knowledge of closeout steps and the risk of missed deadlines.

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The full job description

As published by Medical College of Wisconsin.

Summary To be responsible for providing financial, accounting and administrative support regarding grant and contract policies and procedures, compliance, regulatory issues, and post-award administration. Grants and contracts are funds awarded by federal, state and non-profit entities to support the research mission of MCW and the specific research work performed by faculty and staff employees. Primary Responsibilities • Prepare all required external financial reports according to agency guidelines on a timely and accurate basis for supervisor review and approval, including both monthly invoicing to sponsoring agencies and financial status reports as required. This includes: • Review actual expenditures to ensure adherence to agency regulations. • Work with department administrators to ensure accuracy of expenditures to ensure adherence to agency regulations, including direct communication with external agencies when necessary. • Prepare journal entries and execute cost transfers as requested, and as needed on project accounts. • Manage grant activities, which includes: • Provide departmental assistance as required, particularly in the area of external agency regulations. • Review budget reallocation requests, ensuring requests are within agency guidelines. • Review and resolve budget and cash deficits on sponsored and other extramural accounts. • Prepare journal entries and execute cost transfers as requested, and as needed to reconcile project accounts. • Monitor grant and contract expenditures, re-budgeting, cost-sharing, equipment justification, etc. to ensure costs are allowable, allocable and reasonable. • Create invoices on a monthly basis for submission to external sponsoring agencies. Activities include: • Review expenses to certify invoiced expenditures. • Monitor open receivables and perform collection inquiries on delinquent payments. • Perform federal pass-through and other account setup functions for sponsored grants and contracts using e-Bridge. Activities include: • Work with various departments in reviewing and establishing accounts. Work with MCW Grants and Contracts office to ensure that documentation is kept up to date and accurate. • Resolve problems by working with the Grants and Contracts office. Independently and accurately ensure that all award and project information is entered into the Oracle grants management system timely and accurately. • Reconcile payroll suspense transactions and work with departments and Payroll to resolve. • Prepare the quarterly federal interest calculation and related journal entries. • Create complex federal contract invoices for submission to external sponsoring agencies. Activities include: • Review expenses to certify invoiced expenditures. • Monitor open receivables and make collection calls on delinquent payments. • Carefully analyze agreements and work with department administrators to identify contractual reporting requirements. • Perform close out of assigned grants and contracts and prepare for an annual audit to ensure compliance with federal OMB Uniform Guidance, including review and resolution of budget and cash deficits on project accounts. • Perform activities related to the semi-annual time and effort reporting process in accordance with OMB 2 CFR Part 200. • Perform assigned duties related to the month-end and year-end financial statement closing and audit. • Maintain and implement, where appropriate, sound internal accounting controls to efficiently manage assigned grants and contracts. • Assist in the testing of sponsored programs information technology service requests. • In addition to daily grant financial, accounting and administrative functions, this position will be responsible for various projects assigned to enhance department processes and procedures. Knowledge – Skills – Abilities • Knowledge of technical, business, consultation, project management, and cultural awareness. • Customer focus, building trust, communication, critical thinking, and influencing skills. Qualifications Minimum Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting Minimum Required Experience: 6 years Physical Requirements Work requires occasionally lifting moderate weight materials, standing, or walking continuously. Work Environment Occasional exposure to dust, noise, temperature changes, or contact with water or other liquids. Work is performed in an environmentally controlled environment. Sensory Acuity Ability to detect and translate speech or other communication required. May occasionally require the ability to distinguish colors and perceive relative distances between objects. #LI-AV1 Why MCW? • Outstanding Healthcare Coverage, including but not limited to Health, Vision, and Dental. Along with Flexible Spending options • 403B Retirement Package • Competitive Vacation and Paid Holidays offered • Tuition Reimbursement • Paid Parental Leave • Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP) • Pet Insurance • On campus Fitness Facility, offering onsite classes • Additional discounted rates on items such as: Select cell phone plans, local fitness facilities, Milwaukee recreation and entertainment etc. For a brief overview of our benefits see: Benefits Overview For a full list of positions see: MCW Careers At MCW all of our endeavors, from our internal operations to our interactions with our partners, are driven by our shared organizational values: Caring – Collaborative – Curiosity – Inclusive – Integrity – Respect. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment that values diversity in backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives through merit-based processes and in alignment with all applicable laws. We believe that embracing human differences is critical to realize our vision of a healthier world, and we recognize that a healthy and thriving community starts from within. Our values define who we are, what we stand for and how we conduct ourselves at MCW. If you believe in embracing individuality and working together according to these principles to improve health for all, then MCW is the place for you. For more information, please visit our institutional website . MCW as an Equal Opportunity Employer and Commitment to Non-Discrimination: The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive community of outstanding faculty, staff, and students, as well as ensuring equal educational opportunity, employment, and access to services, programs, and activities, without regard to an individual's race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, sex, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristic, or military status. Employees, students, applicants or other members of the MCW community (including but not limited to vendors, visitors, and guests) may not be subjected to harassment that is prohibited by law or treated adversely or retaliated against based upon a protected characteristic.

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