Grants and Accounting Specialist

Who We Are:

National Louis is a 135+ year old university that has been grounded in the values of innovation, access, excellence, and equity from its inception. As an institution, we believe in providing access to educational opportunity and that education is our greatest lever for social and economic mobility. We are a student-focused community that is committed to continuous improvement and superior student service.  We believe that through education we are able to empower change and build healthy communities. Our hard-working community is based on collaboration and respect for all team members and students.

What You Will Do:

The Grants & Accounting Specialist plays a central role in supporting all aspects of grant administration and general accounting for the institution. This position serves as the primary liaison between faculty, funders, and internal departments throughout the full grant lifecycle, from proposal development through award closeout. The ideal candidate brings solid accounting fundamentals, attention to detail, and a working knowledge of (or capacity to learn) grant compliance in a nonprofit environment.

Grant Administration

• Supports the development office during the proposal phase, including reviewing applications for accuracy and completeness

• Sets up newly awarded grants in the accounting system and maintains organized proposal and award files

• Coordinates pre- and post-award communication with external funding sources

• Supports principal investigators with subcontractor bids and agreements

• Finalizes and submits all required documentation to funding agencies, including applications, certifications, assurances, programmatic and fiscal reports, amendments, and closeout packages

• Tracks grant expenditures, prepares grant account analyses and reconciliations, and manages invoicing and accounts receivable related to grant awards

• Monitors compliance with all Federal, State, and foundation grant requirements and verifies that reporting deadlines are met throughout all award years

• Serves as the primary point of contact for faculty and external funders involved in active grants

General Accounting

• Performs journal entries and general ledger account reconciliations

• Assists with bank reconciliations, cash folders, and disbursement activity

• Performs drawdowns of funds from the U.S Department of Education

• Handles all aspects of Unclaimed Property reporting

• Oversees Gifts accounting

• Supports broader accounting department functions as needed

Departmental Coordination

• Connects with internal departments to efficiently manage the day-to-day operations of the grants function

• Ensures the office maintains accurate and detailed accounting records for each grant

• Reviews financial contract compliance requirements and reporting obligations across all active grants

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field

• 2 to 3 years of accounting experience, preferably in a nonprofit or grant-funded environment

• Working knowledge of grant compliance requirements (Federal, State, and/or foundation)

• Proficiency with accounting software and Microsoft Excel

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple grants and deadlines simultaneously

• Strong written and verbal communication skills

NLU Inclusion Statement:

National Louis University is deeply committed to serving its community, advancing access and equity, and ensuring that all individuals are welcomed and valued.  We are dedicated to fostering a culture where diversity, equity, and inclusion remain at the core of who we are. These are more than just words to us: they are truly a way of life for the NLU community. We recognize that differences in abilities, age, ethnicity, gender (identity and expression), race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and background bring richness to our work environment. We affirm diverse perspectives, innovative contributions, and authentic presentations of self from every member within the NLU community. We believe inclusion is grounded in the actions we intentionally take each day. Our goal is to inspire and empower NLU employees and community members to cultivate an environment where we collectively focus on uplifting and advancing our institutional culture.

At National Louis University, we offer our employees an innovative environment to work together and inspire the ideas that will make an impact. As our external environment changes, our employees are provided the opportunities and tools needed to grow both personally and professionally to remain successful. NLU employees and dependents are offered a wide range of benefits, including but not limited to, Health Insurance benefits, Retirement benefits, Paid Time Off and Educational Opportunities. Additional information regarding full-time staff benefits can be found here.

The salary range of the grade for this position is $51,966.00 to $75,351.00 annually.  Compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate.  Offers are based on multiple factors permitted by law, including but not limited to: budgetary considerations, job-related knowledge/skills, experience, market considerations, tenure and standing with the university (applicable to current employees), and internal equity. 

Please Include the following along with your application:

• Resume (Required)
• Cover Letter (Optional)
• NLU Employees please also submit an Internal Posting Form