Assistant Financial Compliance Manager

About the role

Reporting to the Director of Financial Management and Compliance – Post Award, the Assistant Financial Compliance Manager leads the Financial Compliance Team within Virginia Tech’s Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP). The position oversees daily operations, staff development, financial compliance reviews, audit support, data validation, and regulatory reporting for a large and complex sponsored research portfolio. Virginia Tech administers more than 3,000 active sponsored research projects with over $460 million of expenditures reported in fiscal year 2026, funded by federal, state, industry, foundation, and international sponsors.

Responsibilities

• Lead, supervise, coach, mentor, and provide training to the Financial Compliance Team while fostering a high‑performing, collaborative culture.
• Review expenditures and cost transfers for compliance and allowability.
• Coordinate responses to internal and external audits, supplying requested information, explanations, and support documentation.
• Manage the university’s effort reporting process.
• Provide expert financial compliance guidance to faculty, staff, and OSP colleagues.
• Review and update financial compliance policies and procedures, including internal OSP policies.
• Develop and deliver research administration and financial compliance training to university‑wide stakeholders.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, public administration, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience in post‑award research administration, financial management, grant administration, or financial compliance in a similarly regulated environment.
• Financial management experience with sponsored programs (state, federal, university).
• Knowledge of the OMB Uniform Guidance, Federal Acquisition Regulations, federal cost principles, and sponsor requirements.
• Experience reviewing and analyzing financial transactions and identifying compliance risks.
• Experience responding to audits, monitoring activities, or compliance reviews.
• Strong communication skills for interaction with faculty, staff, sponsors, and auditors.
• Ability to interpret and communicate sponsor requirements.
• Strong personal integrity, good judgment, attention to detail, critical thinking, analytical skills, proactive problem‑solving, and ability to manage priorities, deadlines, and delegate tasks.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in sponsored projects in higher education.
• Certified Research Administrator (CRA) or Certified Federal Research Administrator (CFRA) designation.
• Sponsored projects‑related audit experience.
• Demonstrated supervisory experience, including leading, training, and evaluating direct reports.

Pay

Salary: $70,000 – $76,000 per year (exempt; not eligible for overtime).

Schedule

40 hours per week. The position is hybrid with a weekly on‑campus presence and requires completion of a telework agreement in accordance with Policy 4325. The hybrid work schedule will be confirmed after an onsite training period.