The Catholic University of America

The Associate Director, Compliance & Audit leads the Compliance & Audit team within the Office of Sponsored Accounting, providing oversight of all financial compliance activities related to the university’s sponsored projects portfolio. This position is responsible for pre- and post-posting transaction review and approval, effort reporting, subaward monitoring, cost transfers, audit support, policy development, and financial compliance training for Principal Investigators and departmental administrators. The Associate Director ensures that all sponsored project financial activity complies with Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200), federal agency requirements, sponsor award terms, and university policy, and serves as acting Director in the Director’s absence.

The projected salary range for this position, which represents the full range of anticipated compensation is: $100,000 to $110,000 annually.

• Lead and manage the Compliance & Audit team, including the Senior Award Compliance Analyst and Award Compliance Analyst; responsibilities include hiring, performance management, workload assignment, training, and professional development. Serve as acting Director in the Director’s absence.
• Provide review and approval oversight for all pre-posting financial transaction compliance, including procurement requisitions, purchase orders, payment requests, appointment and EDF forms, student hire requests, payroll journal entries, credit memos, and related transactions on sponsored funds, ensuring costs are allowable, allocable, reasonable, and within approved budgets and period of performance.
• Oversee post-posting compliance review of sponsored fund activity, including monthly review of p-card charges and periodic review of all sponsored fund ledger activity to ensure transactions are appropriate, correctly coded, and compliant with award terms and federal requirements.
• Review sponsored award documents before financial setup to confirm compliance conditions, special terms, cost share obligations, prior approval requirements, and unallowable cost categories; review grant increment documents and budget amendment requests for allowability and prior approval requirements as part of the coordinated review process with the Award Administration team.
• Direct the subaward monitoring program, including subrecipient risk assessment, invoice review, ongoing monitoring, and required federal reporting, in compliance with 2 CFR 200.332.
• Direct the effort reporting program, including preparation, distribution, follow-up, and certification review of effort reports in compliance with applicable federal requirements.
• Oversee cost transfer review and approval, ensuring adequate justification, timeliness, and compliance with Uniform Guidance and university policy.
• Ensure compliance with all award-specific financial requirements across the sponsored portfolio, including adherence to agency salary caps, award terms and special conditions, prior approval requirements, and program income obligations in accordance with Uniform Guidance and sponsor award terms.
• Serve as the office’s primary compliance resource for external and internal audits, including the annual Uniform Guidance Single Audit; co-lead audit coordination with the Director; oversee preparation of audit schedules and supporting documentation; and jointly own responses to audit findings and corrective action plans.
• Develop, implement, and maintain sponsored accounting policies and procedures; ensure all recurring compliance activities—including effort certifications, cost share reviews, subaward monitoring, prior approval management, and program income tracking—are completed on schedule and in accordance with regulatory requirements.
• Design and deliver financial compliance training for Principal Investigators and departmental research administrators; develop and maintain financial compliance training resources, reference materials, and job aids for use by PIs and departmental staff.
• Provide proactive financial compliance support to Principal Investigators, including scheduled touchpoints and responsive assistance on compliance questions, budget concerns, and award management issues; serve as escalation point for complex PI inquiries.
• Assist the Director with the biennial Facilities & Administrative rate proposal and ongoing indirect cost rate compliance monitoring.
• Meet all Finance Division customer service standards, including timely and professional follow-up on all inquiries from Principal Investigators, department administrators, sponsors, and auditors.
• Other duties as necessary related to overall sponsored project financial compliance and audit readiness for the university.

A. Formal Education: Bachelor’s degree required in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field. Master’s degree (MBA) and/or CPA preferred.
B. Practical Experience: Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in sponsored programs financial administration, grant compliance, or research administration in a university or nonprofit setting. At least two (2) years of supervisory or team lead experience required. Experience supporting federal compliance audits (Uniform Guidance / Single Audit) strongly preferred.
C. Technical Qualifications or Specialized Certification: Demonstrated expertise with Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) and federal grant regulations. Familiarity with PeopleSoft Financials preferred. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Word required. Certified Research Administrator (CRA) credential preferred.
D. Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Strong knowledge of grant and contract accounting and financial compliance principles. Demonstrated ability to analyze complex compliance issues and develop practical, policy-compliant solutions. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including ability to explain regulatory requirements clearly to non-financial audiences. Strong organizational skills with ability to manage multiple concurrent priorities and deadlines. Commitment to exceptional customer service in a research environment.