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Location

Cambridge, MA | United States

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Job description

Position Description

Financial Administration (FAD) is dedicated to advancing Harvard University's teaching and research mission by stewarding its resources; providing support, guidance, and consultation; ensuring compliance with University and federal guidelines; mitigating risk; pursuing operational excellence; and promoting the financial health of the University.

The Office for Sponsored Programs (OSP) is a department within Harvard University's Financial Administration that is focused on providing high-quality administrative and financial assistance to faculty and other University affiliates performing sponsored research. OSP works with researchers across Harvard to help obtain and negotiate awards from sponsoring agencies, assist with grant proposal preparation, ensure compliance with federal regulations and University policies, provide financial support including financial reporting and billing and collection services, and promote knowledge of sponsored research administration throughout the University research community.

The Financial Analyst (FA) is responsible for the oversight of financial deliverables and related compliance of a portfolio of sponsored awards, including monitoring, reporting, invoicing, accounts receivable collections, reconciliation, and closeout. The FA works in collaboration with clients (departments, centers, schools) to meet these deliverables and manage sponsored accounts. The portfolio will include a mix of departments and centers with approximately 200 active awards of various size and complexity. The position requires performance of complex analyses and review of award expenditures in conjunction with sponsor terms and regulations. After sufficient training in grants compliance and Harvard policies and systems, the FA will work independently and use judgment in interpreting and implementing sponsor and University policies and procedures.

This is a great opportunity for a professional with some experience in accounting or financial management who is interested in working for a nonprofit, supporting University research, and learning more about sponsored accounting within higher education. The FA reports to the Research Finance Portfolio Team Manager.

Typical Core Duties:

• Serves as a principal source of information on complex University, federal, and sponsor fiscal policies and procedures related to cash management, reporting, and closeout. Interprets guidelines and policies, and effectively advises departmental staff on options or alternatives and recommends courses of action.
• Works with departmental staff to achieve timely and accurate invoicing, financial reporting, reconciliation, and closeout of all sponsored awards in the portfolio. Monitors active awards to proactively identify potential issues.
• Works collaboratively to research and resolve issues, escalating as needed.
• Analyzes financial data and submits journal entries that will affect Harvard's general ledger. Independently enters final data in Harvard's auditable system of record for grants management (GMAS), including the sub-ledger responsible for receivables.
• Analyzes financial data to identify potential risks and issues. Presents data and issues (quantitatively and qualitatively) in a way that is meaningful to departments, colleagues, managers, and auditors. Proposes resolutions for complex issues and for financial management best practices.
• Documents all work so that it is clear to other staff or auditors. Provides requested documentation for annual Single Audit and ad-hoc internal or external audits.
• Interacts with Harvard's sponsors as needed to clarify terms and submit required reports and invoices.
• Liaises effectively with other groups, such as school financial offices, academic department leadership, pre-award offices, and central financial and technology units.
• Assists with developing and delivering metrics/reports, business process documentation, training initiatives, and special projects as needed.

Basic Qualifications

• Associates degree or relevant work experience.
• 3+ years of direct accounting, financial management, data analysis, and/or grants management experience.

Additional Qualifications and Skills

If you meet some, but not all qualifications, you are still encouraged to apply; we value employees with a willingness to learn.

• Education beyond high school or progress toward relevant professional certification may count toward experience
• Intermediate to advanced expertise in Microsoft Excel (e.g. formulas, filters, charts, and pivot tables) and other Microsoft tools.
• Demonstrated agility working with systems and reporting.
• Ability to handle complex and confidential information with discretion and judgment.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Working knowledge of accounting and direct experience in financial management (incurring expenses, invoicing and reporting, accounts payable, and/or accounts receivable).
• Experience with;
  • Fund accounting or sponsored accounting (a plus)
  • Auditing or responding to an audit (a plus)
• Experience in a research environment (a plus).
• Problem-solving orientation and ability to be thorough and detail-oriented, but also summarize and convey the bigger picture.
• Customer service orientation with a collegial and collaborative approach to working with others across the University.
• Independent and professional judgment and prioritization. Ability to focus on the highest-risk items and allocate time accordingly, juggling multiple job duties and clients.

Additional Information

Please provide a cover letter with your application.

Please note:

• Harvard University requires pre-employment reference and background screening.
• We are unable to provide work authorization and/or visa sponsorship.
• This position has a 90-day orientation and review period.

The health of our workforce is a priority for Harvard University. With that in mind, we strongly encourage all employees to be up-to-date on CDC-recommended vaccines.

Accessibility:
Harvard University IT plays an important role in supporting Harvard's commitment by seeking to create, procure and deploy technologies that are accessible to all, including and especially those who live with disability. Harvard welcomes individuals with disabilities to apply for positions and participate in its programs and activities. If you would like to request accommodations or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact our University Disability Resources Department.

Benefits

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