Research Finance Specialist

About the role

The Research Finance Specialist is responsible for providing comprehensive financial support for clinical research operations. This role operates in a highly complex environment and requires advanced expertise in clinical trial billing, grant and post-award financial management, regulatory compliance, and financial analysis. The position involves independent decision-making with direct financial and compliance impact and requires strong analytical capabilities, system proficiency, and subject matter expertise in research billing compliance and contract interpretation. The Research Finance Specialist plays a critical role in ensuring billing integrity, financial accuracy, and alignment with sponsor, federal, and institutional requirements, while supporting the overall success of the research enterprise.

Responsibilities

• Monitor assigned studies to ensure accurate billing, timely payment posting, and appropriate resolution of outstanding balances and discrepancies.
• Investigate and resolve complex or escalated billing and financial issues across multiple systems and stakeholders.
• Review clinical trial protocols, budgets, contracts, and related study documents to determine billing coverage, payer responsibility, and financial obligations.
• Analyze study-related procedures to ensure accurate designation of standard of care versus sponsor-funded activities.
• Ensure compliance with federal regulations, institutional policies, sponsor requirements, and audit standards, including NIH, IRB, Medicare, Medicaid, and ACH requirements.
• Demonstrate subject matter expertise in research billing compliance and contract interpretation.
• Review and validate clinical charges to ensure accuracy, identify errors, and coordinate corrections as needed to support billing integrity and financial accuracy.
• Review grant budgets and funding agreements to determine allowable costs and ensure alignment with sponsor, federal, foundation, industry, and institutional guidelines.
• Monitor grant-related expenses and support post-award financial management activities, including expense reconciliation, budget tracking, and financial reporting.
• Conduct quarterly and annual revenue and expense analysis to support operational decision-making, financial oversight, and leadership reporting.
• Coordinate ordering of study-related supplies and equipment in accordance with approved study budgets, grant funding, and sponsor or institutional requirements.
• Serve as a liaison between Clinical Research Coordinators, Principal Investigators, Accounting, Finance, sponsors, and Contract Research Organizations (CROs) to support communication, issue resolution, and financial accountability.
• Utilize EHR/EMR and CTMS systems, such as Epic and OnCore, to manage and track research-related billing activity, financial documentation, and study information.
• Support the coordination and implementation of research finance systems and related workflows, including collaboration with IS/IT to ensure alignment with departmental needs.
• Coordinate high-impact financial interactions across departments and external partners, ensuring accountability and resolution of complex financial issues.
• Perform other duties as required.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor's degree required in Healthcare Administration, Finance, Accounting, or a related field; or high school diploma/equivalent with 8 years of directly related experience.
• Licensure: Not applicable.
• Certification: Not applicable.
• Years of relevant experience: 5 years of experience required in one or more of the following areas: Healthcare billing or revenue cycle, Clinical research administration, Research finance or grants management.
• Years of supervisory experience: Not applicable.
• Full Time FTE: 1.000000
• Status: Fixed Hybrid

Skills

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage high variability
• Demonstrated ability to make independent decisions with financial and compliance impact
• Advanced knowledge of research billing compliance, coverage analysis, and contract interpretation
• Understanding of grant funding mechanisms, allowable costs, and sponsor-specific financial requirements
• Proficiency with EHR/EMR systems (Epic preferred)
• Experience with CTMS platforms (OnCore preferred)
• Familiarity with financial and reporting systems (Infor, Workday, Strata)
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders and manage cross-functional collaboration
• Ability to work independently, prioritize tasks, and manage multiple deadlines in a complex environment

Schedule

Full-time, 40 hours/week, Days, 8am-4:30pm; Hybrid remote with onsite required 6-12 days per month.