Cost Analyst

AURA is hiring a Cost Analyst who will be responsible for supporting AURA’s Indirect cost and rate management including development, performing and reviewing cost allocations, financial analysis and reporting for corporate functions and completing ad hoc financial analysis. The role requires the ability to work effectively under tight deadlines, extreme attention to detail, and consistently accurate, high-quality financial analyses. Serves as a point of contact in conducting audits and reviews as required by AURA and NSF. supports the development or runs the modeling of indirect cost recovery rates for application to the AURA Corporate Office and AURA NSF funded Center activity and serves as point of contact during negotiation of the rates with NSF.

 Essential Functions

• Support AURA’s Indirect Costs & Rates:
  • Responsible for maintaining monthly NICRA rate and allocation modeling. Use financial module to reconcile and identify any pool or account setup issues, work with stakeholders to make adjustment in Costpoint to fix the issues.
  • Perform in-depth financial analysis of indirect and fringe costs against OMB and FAR cost regulations
  • Calculate indirect cost recovery rates for application to AURA NSF funded Center activity. Ensuring appropriate application in the application of provisional and provisional to final reconciliation.
  • Support the preparation of annual NICRA rates proposal, Incurred Cost Submission (ICS) preparation and incurred cost audits (ICAs).
  • Track progress of indirect rate negotiations and indirect and fringe rates in the context of total budget submissions
  • Support AURA’s indirect rate development and modeling during quarterly forecast and annual budgeting process
• Responsible for Service Center monitoring and management:
  • Serve as a primary point of contact for departments and personnel regarding the development of service center budgets.
  • Review service center budgets in comparison to actual cost in the evaluation of its appropriateness.
  • Review service center actual costs for appropriateness and allowable transactions
  • Manage and communicate with departments regarding the annual internal rate development of service centers and review/approve with leadership.
• Support and manage incoming audits:
  • Coordinates and is the primary point of contact in conducting audits and reviews as required by AURA and NSF.
  • Interact with the various government agencies concerning compliance and reporting issues.
• Act as a primary point of contact and subject matter expert in uniform guidance and policies:
  • Interface with programmatic, contracts, and finance teams daily to resolve any outstanding cost issues and assist the programmatic teams with any specific performer financial
  • Provide compliance, financial, and budget analyses as appropriate both for senior management and for departments.
  • Assist in the development of internal control policies, procedures and record keeping systems that are in compliance with all relevant laws, rules, regulations and AURA CAS policies and procedures.
  • Assists in monitoring compliance with Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200 and other internal policies and procedures. Recommend changes to policies and procedures where needed, as applicable and appropriate.
• Manage and/or perform periodical or ad hoc financial data analysis, queries, reconciliations and reports as needed from AURA’s senior management or to satisfy external client or audit requests.
• Additional responsibilities may be assigned as business needs evolve.
• All AURA employees are responsible for the proper management and control of all AURA property within their work area, whether assigned to them or someone else. This responsibility includes reporting any known missing, stolen, or non-working property in their work area to their supervisor or the AURA Property Officer.
• Responsible for ensuring compliance with government award terms and conditions assigned to this position. 

 Other Functions

• Other duties as assigned

 Required Education/Experience/Skills/Abilities

• Bachelor’s degree and five years of relevant professional experience or master’s degree and three years of relevant professional experience
• Audit experience either as an auditor or managing an incoming audit.
• Experience in US Government Cost Accounting principles and/or indirect rate models.
• High proficiency in MS Excel (e.g., formulas, pivot tables, tables and graph production) and in MS PowerPoint.
• Strong analytical skills
• Ability to write precisely and concisely
• Ability to influence and work in a support role
• Ability to prioritize work and meet deadlines
• Ability to work independently and under high pressure
• Equivalent education and experience will be considered.

 Preferred Education/Experience/Skills/Abilities

• Experience with DELTEK/Costpoint
• Working knowledge of COGNOS/BI8.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, use hands and fingers to handle or feel objects, and communicate verbally and listen effectively.
• The employee may occasionally be required to stand, walk, reach, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• The employee must be able to regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• The employee must have sufficient mobility, strength, and dexterity in both arms, hands, and legs to reach in multiple directions, handle paper files, and operate standard office equipment, including computers, copiers, and other office tools.

This position will remain open until it is filled. Please submit a cover letter and a CV or resume, PDF files preferred. 

Individuals needing assistance with the employment process can request assistance here.