Associate Director of Finance

Associate Director of Finance

The mission of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is to advance the public's health through learning, discovery and communication. To pursue the mission, the school produces knowledge through research then translates this knowledge into evidence that can be communicated to the public, policymakers, and practitioners to advance the health of populations.

The Office of Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) supports the School's mission by serving as a central resource for the research community through the provision of expertise and leadership in obtaining and managing research funds. It acts as the institutional representative of the President and Fellows of Harvard College for the administration of sponsored projects for the school. SPA is comprised of research administrators that work in partnership with faculty to review and submit proposals for funding and to ensure that proposals and then awards conform and are managed according to sponsor guidelines and University policies.

The Associate Director of Finance is a key departmental leader responsible for overall financial and grants management. This role supervises a team of financial staff, including grant managers and accounts payable personnel. The position reports to the Director of Finance, Administration, and Compliance in Sponsored Programs Administration, with joint reporting lines to the Director of Administration (EH) and the Deputy Director (HCPDS).

The responsibilities of the ADF include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Team Management
  • Supervising and training research and financial administrators; providing daily guidance
  • Allocating workloads to maximize research administrator effectiveness
  • Assessing performance and conducting reviews for staff
  • Serving as a resource for Grants Managers by assisting them in interpreting Harvard, School and sponsor policies, regulations, and procedures
  • Having overall responsibility for the management of non-sponsored funding, including gifts and endowments
• Oversight of Department's Sponsored Research
  • Overseeing pre- and post-award management for a large portfolio of sponsored research grants and subcontracts, a large portion of which is from the NIH
  • Providing guidance to the faculty, ensuring they have the information they need to effectively and compliantly manage their funding and effort
  • Developing and implementing departmental policies and processes
  • Ensuring research administration compliance with sponsor guidelines and Harvard policies
  • Ensuring departmental financial transactions are compliant with Harvard and sponsor policies and regulations; approves and transmits most departmental transactions.
• Strategic and Financial Leadership
  • Oversight and management of the department's non-sponsored accounts. These include but are not limited to endowments, gifts, start-up funding, and cost recovery centers
  • Collaborates with departments academic staff regarding student finances and financial planning
  • Preparing annual Department budget, working closely with the Department Administrator and senior leadership
  • Working closely with senior management, including the Director of Administration, Department Chair, and Directors of educational programs and student services, in developing and implementing strategic financial plans
  • Participating in School-wide and University-wide initiatives and meetings
• Performs other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience required
• Minimum of 7 years' relevant work experience
• Advanced knowledge of sponsored research regulations
• Supervisory experience

• MBA or Masters' degree in relevant field
• CRA certification
• Strong computing skills, particularly with Microsoft Excel and Word
• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite, advanced Excel skills
• Knowledge of advanced financial principles, budget management, financial analysis
• Expert knowledge of federal sponsored research policies and regulations strongly preferred.
• Experience working with international projects
• Education and/or experience with general finance and accounting concepts and practices
• Knowledge of Harvard systems including GMAS, HART, Buy2
  
  Pay, and Concur
• Knowledge of human subject use, animal use and other research compliance areas
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Effective interpersonal skills
• Experience working with faculty and students
• Effectively assesses priorities, manages change, and effectively juggles multiple complex activities in a time-sensitive environment.

Additional Information

• Standard Hours/
  
  Schedule:
  
  35 hours per week
• Visa Sponsorship Information:
  Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position
• Pre-Employment Screening:
  Identity, Education, Criminal, Credit