Financial Assistant

About the role

The Financial Assistant provides financial and accounting support to the NUCATS Institute’s Center for Clinical Research (CCR). As a member of the CCR Finance Unit, this position contributes to the financial oversight of clinical research studies, contracts, and recharge activities while ensuring compliance with university, sponsor, and regulatory requirements. Working collaboratively with CCR leadership and institutional partners, the Financial Assistant supports efficient, compliant, and sustainable financial practices across the clinical research enterprise. The position provides financial analysis, transaction processing, and general accounting services for departmental, clinical research, recharge, and sponsored project accounts administered by CCR.

Responsibilities

• Maintains and tracks individual budget accounts.
• Coordinates the annual budget process, including tasks associated with open/close processes; updates calendars, spreadsheets, templates, and forms; monitors submissions; completes reconciliation procedures; and creates summary reports.
• Prepares account, budget, cost, expenditure, and/or funds analysis; provides reports to managers/PIs to track payment status and notify when balances and activities do not comply with policy or procedures; creates reports and queries; reviews for incomplete records, data entry errors, and/or accounting mistakes; analyzes open encumbrances that are no longer valid and recommends modifications to ensure smooth processing of financial transactions.
• Completes and maintains transactions in enterprise systems; provides review and oversight of financial transactions, some of which may be complex in regard to size or duration of account; reviews for approval based on practice and policy; troubleshoots problems; performs vendor/account research; obtains additional information from or provides instruction and guidance to customers/vendors; corrects or escalates issues; accesses multiple banking systems to process transactions, retrieve information, or initiate wire transfers; provides financial policy interpretation to determine validity of customer requests and ensure compliance; contacts outside agencies, banks, and/or banking systems to obtain clarification of rules and/or regulations; enters information into databases.
• Provides assistance regarding grant financial administration, including preparing financial information for grant submission; completes post-award accounting; sets up sub-contracts and/or start-up research accounts; modifies grant budgets; closes grants; processes subcontract payments according to granting agency rules and regulations; reconciles subcontract payments; verifies payroll funding entries; and corrects charges to various accounts.
• Provides excellent customer service, answering questions regarding status of requests, policies and procedures for processing transactions, and instructions for completing paperwork; instructs and advises regarding options and appropriate courses of action and follows up on inquiries to ensure customer satisfaction; completes administrative and/or clerical activities such as organizing meetings and reserving AV equipment.
• Assists with training of new staff members and creates and provides financial training on practice, procedure, policy, and/or laws and regulations to customers.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree.
• 2 years of accounting and/or bookkeeping or other relevant experience.
• Demonstrated experience managing financial records, processing transactions, and reconciling accounts.

Qualifications

• Excellent computer skills including proficiency in spreadsheet, database, and word processing software.
• Basic understanding of accounting principles and financial reporting practices.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail with the ability to maintain accurate financial records.
• Ability to analyze financial information and identify discrepancies.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to prioritize multiple assignments and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related financial field.
• Experience supporting clinical research finance, clinical trial budgeting, invoicing, and study reconciliation.
• Experience working in an academic medical center, research institution, contract research organization (CRO), pharmaceutical company, or healthcare environment.
• Experience managing sponsored research, recharge/service center activities, or contract-related financial processes.
• Experience with Northwestern University financial systems and business processes or similar enterprise financial systems.

Preferred Competencies

• Working knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and financial management practices.
• Knowledge of clinical trial financial management, including invoicing, payment tracking, budgeting, and study closeout activities.
• Familiarity with sponsored research administration and regulatory requirements associated with clinical research.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify and resolve financial issues independently.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate effectively with investigators, study teams, sponsors, and institutional stakeholders.
• Demonstrated professionalism, discretion, and ability to maintain confidentiality when handling sensitive financial information.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and take initiative in managing responsibilities.
• Adaptability and ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining accuracy and customer focus.

Pay

The target hiring range for this position is between $21 and $24 per hour. The offered rate will be determined by the applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Schedule

This is a hybrid position with an expectation of working both remotely and on-site at Northwestern University’s Chicago campus.