Research Finance Manager - FT - Days - MHS

Summary

The Research Finance Manager serves as the operational lead for enterprise-wide research financial activities. This role oversees pre- and post-award financial management, ensuring compliant, efficient, and transparent operations that support clinical trials, investigator-initiated studies, and sponsored programs. The Manager translates financial strategy into daily operations by standardizing processes, monitoring performance, and ensuring alignment with institutional policies, sponsor requirements, and regulatory standards.

Responsibilities

• Develops and manages financial dashboards, KPIs, and reporting (e.g., budget vs. actuals, revenue cycle, accounts receivable aging, study start-up timelines).
• Leads study budget development and sponsor negotiations in collaboration with Contracts, ensuring alignment with coverage analysis.
• Manages the Research Finance team, ensuring effective workflow coordination, regulatory compliance, staff development, and the financial sustainability of research operations.
• Standardizes and oversees pre- and post-award processes, including grant financial management (setup, tracking, reporting, and closeout).
• Oversees end-to-end research finance operations, including pre-award budgeting, post-award management, invoicing, reconciliation, revenue recognition, and staff supervision, including performance evaluations.
• Leads and develops research finance staff, fostering cross-functional collaboration with investigators, Finance, Contracts, IRB, Clinical Operations, and sponsors to support efficient study execution.
• Ensures billing compliance with Medicare Coverage Analysis, CMS requirements, and institutional policies. Maintains compliance with federal, state, and sponsor-specific financial regulations, and support audit readiness in partnership with Compliance and Quality Assurance.
• Partners with Clinical Trial Units, Research Administration, HRPP, Finance, and Compliance to ensure accurate budgeting, billing compliance, and effective stewardship of research funds.
• Provides regular financial reporting and insights to executive leadership to support data-driven decision-making and growth.
• Monitors financial performance across active studies, including revenue, expenses, margins, and overall portfolio health. Implements and monitors internal financial controls, proactively identifying and mitigating financial risks across the research portfolio.

Competencies

• ACCOUNTABILITY
• CUSTOMER SERVICE
• DEVELOPS RELATIONSHIPS
• EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
• MANAGING FINANCIAL OPERATIONS
• PROJECT MANAGEMENT
• RESEARCH - BUDGETING
• RESEARCH - REPORTING
• RESPONDING TO CHANGE
• STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOR

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Healthcare Administration, or a related field (required).
• Minimum of five (5) years of core work experience in research finance, clinical trial budgeting, or healthcare financial management, including at least two (2) years in a leadership or managerial role.
• Experience with pre-award and post-award financial management.
• In-depth knowledge of federal and state regulations governing research billing and grant financial management.
• Knowledge of clinical research billing compliance, Medicare Coverage Analysis, and sponsor billing requirements.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Requires critical thinking skills, effective communication skills, organization skills, decisive judgment and the ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Must be able to work in a stressful environment and take appropriate action.