Financial Analyst

Company Description

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

FAD is dedicated to advancing Harvard University’s teaching and research mission by stewarding its resources; providing support, guidance, and consultation; ensuring compliance with university and federal guidelines; mitigating risk; pursuing operational excellence; and promoting the financial health of the University.

Within and across the University, we aim to be exemplary colleagues, trusted partners, valued advisors, and agents of positive change. Within our own community, we aspire to:

• Engage with respect, honesty, and integrity
• Cultivate equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging
• Welcome innovation, collaboration, and flexibility
• Enjoy our work, grow professionally, and aim for the extraordinary

Learn more about Financial Administration (harvard.edu) and our eight reporting units. ((Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).)

The Office for Sponsored Programs (OSP) is a department within Harvard University’s Financial Administration that is focused on providing high-quality administrative and financial assistance to faculty and other University affiliates performing sponsored research. OSP works with researchers across Harvard to help obtain and negotiate awards from sponsoring agencies, assist with grant proposal preparation, ensure compliance with federal regulations and University policies, provide financial support including financial reporting and billing and collection services, and promote knowledge of sponsored research administration throughout the University research community.

The Financial Analyst (FA) is responsible for the oversight of financial deliverables and related compliance of a portfolio of sponsored awards, including monitoring, reporting, invoicing, accounts receivable collections, reconciliation, and closeout. The FA works in collaboration with clients (departments, centers, schools) to meet these deliverables and manage sponsored accounts. The portfolio will include a mix of departments and centers with approximately 200 active awards of various size and complexity.

The position requires performance of complex analyses and review of award expenditures in conjunction with sponsor terms and regulations. After sufficient training in grants compliance and Harvard policies and systems, the FA will work independently and use judgment in interpreting and implementing sponsor and University policies and procedures.

This is a great opportunity for a professional with some experience in accounting or financial management who is interested in working for a nonprofit, supporting University research, and learning more about sponsored accounting within higher education. The FA reports to the Research Finance Portfolio Team Manager.

• Serves as a principal source of information on complex University, federal, and sponsor fiscal policies and procedures related to cash management, reporting, and closeout. Interprets guidelines and policies and effectively advises departmental staff on options or alternatives and recommends courses of action.
• Works with departmental staff to achieve timely and accurate invoicing, financial reporting, reconciliation, and closeout of all sponsored awards in the portfolio. Monitors active awards to proactively identify potential issues.
• Works collaboratively to research and resolve issues, escalating as needed.
• Analyzes financial data and submits journal entries that will affect Harvard’s general ledger. Independently enters final data in Harvard’s auditable system of record for grants management (GMAS), including the sub‑ledger responsible for receivables.
• Analyzes financial data to identify potential risks and issues. Presents data and issues (quantitatively and qualitatively) in a way that is meaningful to departments, colleagues, managers, and auditors.
• Proposes resolutions for…