Assistant Finance Officer

Designation:

Roles and Responsibilities:

The AFO will oversee managing all financial related activities of the Research and Development Cell. The role and responsibilities of the AFO are enumerated below:

1. Financial Management of Research Projects:

• Maintain and manage project accounts using Tally ERP 9 for Extramural Research Projects (EMR) funded by Government of India, private (national /international) agencies.
• GITAM Research Seed Grant (RSG) projects.
• Ensure proper classification and tracking of funds under different funding heads.

2. Budget Preparation and Monitoring:

• Prepare and monitor annual budget allocations sanctioned by the University to the RDC.
• Track expenditure against budget and prepare variance reports when required.

3. Project-Related Financial Processing:

• Monitor and process financial requests received from Principal Investigators through PFMS, PMT, or equivalent portals, verifying fund availability and sanction compliance.
• Manage procurement workflows: Issue purchase orders for equipment and consumables.
• Verify, process, and forward bills for payment to vendors.
• Process reimbursements and miscellaneous project- related expenses.
• Ensure timely disbursement of monthly fellowships to research scholars as per project norms.

4. Reporting and Compliance:

• Assist faculty and project investigators in the preparation of Utilization Certificates (UCs) and

Statements of Expenditure (SoEs) for submission to funding agencies.

• Ensure timely submission of interim and final financial reports for ongoing and completed projects.

5. Liaison with Finance Department:

• Coordinate with the Finance & Accounts Department for: Processing financial claims.
• Finalization of annual RDC accounts and audit coordination.
• Periodic reporting and bank reconciliations.
• Provide necessary documentation for both internal and external audits.

6. Data Submission and Internal Communication:

• Submit timely and accurate financial data/reports to university authorities or as requested by RDC leadership.
• Maintain records and documentation for transparency and ease of audits.

7. Other Responsibilities:

• Carry out miscellaneous tasks assigned by the Director RDC, Director Regulatory Affairs, or Deputy Directors.
• Support policy development and implementation related to financial procedures in RDC.
• Assist in organizing finance-related workshops/training for PIs and staff, if needed.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Commerce / Accounting / Finance or related discipline.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in financial management or project accounting, preferably in a university or research environment.
• Hands-on experience with Tally ERP 9 and familiarity with PFMS or similar project financial tools is essential.
• Knowledge of Government statutory authorities, funding norms, audit procedures, and
• DST/UGC/CSIR/DBT/ICMR project financial guidelines preferred.

Key Skills and Competencies:

• Strong understanding of budgeting, accounting, and financial reporting.
• High level of professionalism, integrity, and work ethics.
• Ability to work independently and take initiative.
• Proficiency in MS Office tools (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Excellent organizational, analytical, and time- management skills.
• Strong interpersonal and communication abilities to coordinate with faculty, office staff, auditors, vendors, and university officials.
• Attention to detail and high level of accuracy in financial documentation.