Research Finance Analyst and Post-Award Grants Administrator

Budgeted Pay Range: $120,327 to $135,922 annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Work Arrangement: This position is hybrid eligible, with a combination of telecommuting and two on-site days per week.

Application Requirement: To be considered, applicants must submit a resume and cover letter describing their experience with post-award research administration, grants management, research financial analysis, sponsored award compliance, and management of faculty financial portfolios.

The Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine within Stanford University’s School of Medicine is seeking a Research Finance Analyst and Post-Award Grants Administrator (Financial Analyst 2) to provide research finance analysis and post-award financial administration for faculty portfolios, including sponsored grants, contracts, and non-sponsored funding. Reporting to the Associate Director of Finance, this position will support principal investigators and Institute leadership by managing complex financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, expenditure review, compliance monitoring, award closeout support, and financial analysis across multiple PI portfolios.

This role is best suited for a financial professional who enjoys research finance analysis, post-award grants administration, compliance, forecasting, and faculty-facing financial partnerships.

The successful candidate will serve as a primary financial partner to principal investigators, faculty, lab staff, research administrators, and Institute leadership, providing proactive portfolio oversight from award setup through closeout. The position requires the ability to reconcile and analyze detailed financial data, identify trends and risks, and translate information from multiple sources into accurate forecasts and a clear, comprehensive picture of each faculty member’s financial portfolio.

In this role, you will monitor expenditures, commitments, salary allocations, effort, award terms, reporting deadlines, and available balances; prepare recurring and ad hoc reports; advise faculty and research teams on financial decisions; and coordinate with Institute colleagues and central university offices to resolve issues. The role requires advanced knowledge of Stanford financial systems, sponsored research administration, internal policies, sponsor requirements, external regulations, and financial reporting tools. Success in this role requires strong judgment, advanced Excel and financial systems skills, attention to detail, knowledge of sponsored research administration, and the ability to manage multiple complex portfolios and competing deadlines.

In addition, you will use financial systems and reporting tools to create, maintain, and analyze faculty financial reports; monitor sponsored and non-sponsored funds; support budgeting and forecasting; review expenditures for allowability and compliance; support cost transfers and labor adjustments; and provide high-level financial summaries and recommendations to assist with decision-making. You will also partner with Institute and central university partners, including the Office of Sponsored Research (OSR), the Office of Research Operations (ORO), faculty research and administrative teams, and the Institute Grants Coordinator, to support award management, proposal budget input, financial reporting, audit inquiries, process improvements, account setup, extensions, and closeout support.

The Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine was established to build on Stanford’s leadership in stem cell science. Its mission is to promote discovery, accelerate translational research, and conduct training, education, and outreach in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. Institute staff are committed to creating a scientific and organizational environment that values research, collaboration, growth of skills and knowledge, safety, ethical conduct, good stewardship, and compliance with applicable policies and regulations.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
 

• Post-award research administration experience in a university, academic medical center, or biomedical research environment.
• Experience managing complex faculty portfolios that include federal grants, non-federal awards, subawards, gifts, endowments, and other institutional funds.
• Knowledge of federal sponsored-project requirements, including Uniform Guidance, 2 CFR 200, and familiarity with NIH or other federal sponsor policies.
• Experience with Stanford financial and research administration systems, or comparable enterprise financial and grants-management systems.
• Experience with cost transfers, labor adjustments, labor schedules, effort review, account setup, account extensions, cost sharing, award closeout, and sponsored-project compliance.
• Experience preparing financial projections, budget reports, portfolio summaries, and recommendations for principal investigators, faculty, or senior management.
• Certified Research Administrator, Certified Financial Research Administrator, or relevant NCURA training.

Core Duties:

• Perform and design ad hoc analyses of large complex data sets: reconcile complex accounts. Identify and resolve complex issues which may span multiple areas.

• Construct and assemble data for budgeting and decision making; develop conclusions, and present high level summary of recommendations. May develop annual budget for individual department/unit.

• Conduct analysis and resolution, and recognize exceptions. Participate in developing solutions that may require policy changes or the development of new processes; maintain broader organizational perspective in decision making.

• Execute internal control programs established by management, research new regulations, and recommend and implement approved changes. May manage compliance program for area of responsibility, and create complex compliance reports.

• Develop reports and presentations of complex financial data and metrics for management and third parties.

• Participate as a member of a project team; support new initiatives. Make decisions determining approach to managing and completing processes.

• Contribute to unit and organization strategy; assist in the development of change management plans and materials as needed.

• Develop and maintain desktop procedures and process documentation for area of responsibility.

• Define requirements, develop and implement complex test cases, perform system testing and analyze results.

• Participate in critical analysis of existing systems and processes, and identify opportunities for process improvement.

• Provide consulting advice to client group(s); serve as a resource on matters that require specific technical, financial, or subject matter expertise; support negotiations with external partners.

• May supervise, train, coach, and review the work of other staff, as needed. Contribute primarily through applying individual expertise.

Minimum Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree and four years of relevant experience or combination of education and relevant experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Advanced proficiency in business applications, such as Microsoft Office suite, especially Excel.

• Demonstrated knowledge of financial systems; internet and computer literacy.

• Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).

• Strong communication skills, including ability to prepare materials for and clearly and effectively communicate information to internal and external audiences and client groups.

• Demonstrated project management skills and ability to contribute to or lead part of a multi-functional team.