Senior Analyst, Post-Award

Job Summary

The Senior Analyst, Post‑Award Support provides advanced financial and administrative analysis of sponsored research awards, ensuring compliance with federal, sponsor, and institutional policies while supporting principal investigators and departmental administrators in the effective stewardship of research funds.

• Payroll Costing and Allocation Analysis – Analyze and manage payroll costing allocations charged to sponsored research accounts to ensure accuracy and compliance with sponsor requirements; review salary distributions; identify discrepancies and collaborate on corrections; provide guidance on salary charging practices and payroll allocation strategies; monitor payroll projections.
• Ad‑hoc Sponsored Project Financial Management – Oversee a portfolio of sponsored research awards; monitor expenditures; prepare detailed financial analyses, forecasts, and projections; review transactions including payroll distributions, cost transfers, procurement charges, and sub‑award activity.
• Compliance and Risk Management – Ensure compliance with sponsor guidelines, federal regulations (e.g., Uniform Guidance), and institutional policies; identify potential compliance risks; support audit preparation and respond to sponsor or internal audit requests.
• Reporting and Analysis – Prepare financial reports for principal investigators, departments, and central administration; analyze award spending trends and provide recommendations; assist with closeout preparation including final financial reviews and reconciliation.
• Systems and Process Improvement – Utilize institutional financial systems to track award activity; develop and maintain reporting tools and dashboards to improve financial visibility; identify opportunities to improve post‑award processes, data accuracy, and operational efficiency.
• Mentorship and Leadership – Provide guidance and training to junior analysts and departmental administrators; contribute to the development of best practices and standard operating procedures for post‑award management.

• Education:
  
  Minimum requirement is a college or university degree in a related field.
• Work Experience:
  
  Minimum requirement is knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related discipline.
• Certifications:
  
  None required.

• Education:
  
  Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, business administration, public administration, or related field strongly preferred;
  Master’s degree in business, public administration, or related field, strongly preferred.
• Experience:
  
  Experience working in higher education research administration; familiarity with enterprise financial systems such as Oracle Cloud and Workday; professional certification such as Certified Research Administrator (CRA).
• Preferred
  
  Competencies:
  
  Financial analysis and data interpretation; payroll costing and effort compliance oversight; regulatory compliance and policy interpretation; communication and stakeholder partnership; problem solving and critical thinking; process improvement and operational efficiency.

Eligible for standard benefits including health, retirement, and paid time off. For details, see the Benefits Guidebook.

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University’s Notice of Nondiscrimination.