CAP Finance Technician

College Access Partnerships (CAP) programming is primarily funded through the US Department of Education. The goal of College Access Partnerships is to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in post-secondary education. In addition to direct services to identified students and parents in target schools, and provide training and support for administrators and teachers at secondary schools.The CAP Finance Technician supports the financial processing procedures for large federal grants in the College Access Partnerships department. This position will:Apply considerable knowledge of government accounting methods, procedures and accounting practices needed to perform the work.Apply the knowledge in a variety of technology, financial systems and packages to create and maintain data.Develop formulas for moderately complex spreadsheets.Maintain ongoing communication with external school district partners (including financial officers) with an understanding of school district policies and procedures.Perform quarterly site visits with county finance and administrative teams to monitor compliance and provide other training as needed.Apply an understanding of the federal regulations governing GEAR UP including but not limited to EDGAR, Code of Federal Regulations (Uniform Guidance), and GEAR UP program statutes, and program regulations.Have high attention to detail and strong organizational skills.Set and meet deadlines ensuring on-time payments.Always remain audit-ready.Use effective collaboration skills that are essential to working with the team, within administration, with the office of Special Funds Accounting, as well as with program coordinator team at Appalachian.Effectively analyze, examine, track, inquire, and ensure deadlines are met for match and reimbursement packets which are submitted on a monthly basis from 10 different counties and 8 higher education institutions across western North Carolina.Use critical thinking skills to provide regular recommendations for improved efficiencies in processes and procedures. An operational mindset is required.Travel to partner school districts and higher ed institutions to provide regular monitoring of finance and compliance procedures.Duties include:Maintaining finance communications with all partnersAssessing accuracy of financial documentation to ensure compliance prior to payments being processed.Assist with the development and monitoring of annual program budgets.Correspondence with external agencies (K-12 school district finance officers, community college finance officers, etc.)Assisting Finance Staff with reimbursement and match packet processing.This is a twelve-month, full-time position, contingent upon continued external funding, which is currently funded through December 2027. The position allows for remote work within a reasonable driving distance to Boone, NC and requires some travel throughout western NC as needed. Reports to campus on a regular basis for meetings as well.