Senior Finance Specialist, Comparative Medicine & Research Operations

The University of Virginia's Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) is seeking a Senior Finance Specialist, Comparative Medicine & Research Operations to support the financial integrity, sustainability, and strategic growth of the University's Animal Care and Use Program. This position plays a critical role in advancing UVA's research enterprise by ensuring responsible stewardship of financial resources while enabling high-quality, compliant, and innovative scientific programs.

The selected candidate will provide analytical leadership and operational support for complex research infrastructure, including vivarium operations, specialized facilities (e.g., BSL-2/3, aquatic systems), and residency training programs. Responsibilities include developing multi-year financial projections, developing rate-setting and cost-recovery models, ensuring alignment with university and federal guidelines, and identifying opportunities for operational efficiency and financial optimization.

The incumbent will work closely with the Associate Vice President for Research (Comparative Medicine & Preclinical Studies) & Attending Veterinarian, CCM leadership, OVPR finance partners, and central University finance to support long-range planning, recharge/rate setting, compliance stewardship, capital planning, and executive decision support.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategy, Planning & Decision Support

* Partner with CCM and OVPR leadership to develop and execute a multi-year financial strategy that supports sustainable growth of the Animal Care and Use Program.

* Lead multi-year financial planning and forecasting, including scenario modeling to inform strategic and operational decision-making.

* Partner with the CCM Assistant Director of Facilities to develop and maintain a capital roadmap, including lifecycle replacement planning for major equipment and infrastructure investments.

* Produce monthly and quarterly leadership dashboards and insights (e.g., utilization, cost recovery, subsidies, key cost drivers).

2. Recharge, Rate Setting & Financial Compliance

* Own the annual rate-setting and recharge compliance cycle, including:

* Methodology development and documentation

* Surplus/deficit monitoring and management

* Governance review and presentation to leadership

* Ensure financial operations align with university policy, federal cost principles (Uniform Guidance), and sponsor requirements.

* Serve as a primary finance liaison between OVPR and central finance for internal and external audits, including corrective action planning and risk mitigation.

* Partner with central finance and OVPR finance to ensure alignment on rates, subsidies, and cost recovery strategies.

3. Operations, Budget Oversight & Reporting

* Lead development, monitoring, and reconciliation of complex operating budgets across CCM facilities and programs.

* Conduct variance analysis, trend analysis, and performance metric reporting to support leadership decisions.

* Provide financial oversight of procurement, service contracts, and major equipment purchases.

* Maintain real-time budget portfolios using UVA-approved financial systems (e.g., Workday, Anaplan).

4. Stakeholder Enablement & Institutional Collaboration

* Serve as a trusted financial advisor to CCM leadership, departmental administrators, and investigators.

* Develop business cases for new services, expansions, or partnerships, including costing, pricing, and sustainability analysis.

* Provide guidance and training on recharge methodology, financial compliance, and budgeting best practices.

* Benchmark financial models and best practices with peer research institutions.

What Success Looks Like (First 6-12 Months)

* A clearly articulated, leadership-endorsed multi-year financial and capital plan for CCM.

* A stabilized, well-documented rate-setting and recharge framework with improved transparency and compliance confidence.

* Executive dashboards that enable leadership to understand utilization, subsidies, and financial risk in real time.

* Strengthened partnerships with OVPR finance and central finance, clarifying decision rights and escalation paths.

Minimum Requirements

Education

Bachelor's degree in…