Research Finance Team Lead

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.

Financial Administration (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.

More about FAD:
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).)

Harvard's Financial Administration Department (FAD) is responsible for the stewardship of the University’s finances, including related business processes and technology in support of the teaching and research mission of the University. The Office for Sponsored Programs (OSP) is a department within FAD that manages a diverse portfolio of federal, foundation, international, and industry sponsors; we provide lifecycle sponsored programs support and partner with schools, departments, and centers across the University to facilitate proposal submission, award acceptance and administration, and all sponsored financial reporting and invoicing throughout the life of the award.

Job Description

The Research Finance Team Lead in the Office for Sponsored Programs supervises staff and supports a team that manages post-award activities for a large volume of federal and non-federal sponsored research projects at Harvard University. Reporting to a Research Finance Portfolio Team Manager, this position encompasses a range of administrative, financial, and other tasks associated with post-award activities, including reviewing sponsored expenditures for compliance with award terms, completing timely financial reports and invoices, ensuring that funds are collected, and reconciling and closing accounts.

This position supports the Portfolio Team Manager in managing client relationships, providing determinations for complex situations, managing team workload, and mentoring staff.

• Responsible for fulfilling financial reporting requirements of Harvard’s sponsors, including reporting, cash management, account reconciliation and award closeout for a complex individual portfolio as well as general oversight at the school level.

• Develops reporting mechanisms and financial models, typically in Excel, to analyze the financial position of awards and portfolios

• Provides ongoing monitoring and assessment of team workloads and assignments to staff and coordinates updates with the Portfolio Manager

• Interprets award terms and makes decisions regarding the setup and scheduling of financial deliverables in compliance with Harvard policies

• Generates and reviews financial reports for expense appropriateness and allowability under government and sponsor compliance requirements (e.g. Federal Uniform Guidance; sponsor-specific guidelines)

• Interprets complex sponsored regulations, guidelines, award terms and conditions, and award notices and agreements, as well as financial data, to assess and resolve complex issues.
• Reviews and signs invoices, reports, and other financial documents, ensuring accuracy and compliance, as an authorized signatory of the University for sponsored awards.

• Creates internal guidelines to ensure compliance with University and federal regulations and takes the lead on identifying, suggesting, and implementing improvement opportunities.

• Works with the sponsored community…