Research Financial Operations Advisor-Center for Clinical Research Management

About the role

Financial Operations Advisor that leads and advises the full lifecycle of pre- and post-award fixed-price grants and contracts for the College of Medicine (COM) Center for Clinical Research Management (CCRM). Provides expert-level guidance with minimal supervision. Serves as key strategic resource for investigators, research staff and CCRM staff.

Responsibilities

• Collaborates with funding agencies to develop, negotiate, and administer complex research budgets, ensuring awards are aligned with sponsor requirements and institutional objectives; liaison between CCRM, sponsors and Office of Legal affairs for non-funded agreements.
• Maintains communications between all three entities, provide pertinent information and resolve any discrepancies.
• Directs post-award financial management activities, including budget implementation, expenditure review and approval, fiscal monitoring, financial reporting, and reconciliation on fixed price studies.
• Proactively identifies and resolves budget variances, funding overruns, and compliance issues while ensuring adherence to sponsor guidelines, cost principles, and matching fund requirements.
• Oversees project closeout processes, including financial reconciliation and transfer of residual/overrun balances to investigator departments for all CCRM managed studies and assists COM physicians with residual process.
• Serves as a subject matter expert on sponsor, university, and third-party regulations, interpreting policies and ensuring compliance across all assigned projects.
• Advises PIs and research staff on grant administration best practices, regulatory requirements, and funding strategies.
• Fosters collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including funding agencies, sponsors, and the Office of Sponsored Programs, to support research growth and funding success.
• Evaluates funding opportunities, provide strategic guidance to investigators, and contribute to the development of research administration processes.
• Mentors and trains new investigators and research staff, promoting operational excellence and strengthening organizational capacity in research administration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• 6 years of relevant experience required.
• 8-12 years of relevant experience preferred.

Skills

• Considerable contract management experience required.
• Experience in a fiscal management capacity desired.
• Experience in writing administrative components of grants preferred.
• Experience investigating for research funding sources desired.
• Knowledge of OSU Office of Sponsored Programs policies and procedures desired.