Business and Grants Manager

Overview

The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) seeks an experienced Business and Grants Manager to provide integrated leadership of departmental financial operations and sponsored research administration. This role combines oversight of non-sponsored departmental finances with comprehensive management of the sponsored research lifecycle (pre- and post-award) for faculty, research staff, and students.

Reporting to the Senior Manager of Finance and Administration, the Business and Grants Manager serves as a senior departmental resource for financial strategy, compliance, and operational effectiveness. The position oversees day-to-day financial management, acts as a key approver for departmental transactions, manages research portfolios, and provides supervisory oversight of administrative staff supporting business and sponsored research operations. This role requires strong analytical and financial planning skills, deep knowledge of University and sponsor regulations, and a collaborative, service-oriented approach.

Demonstrated experience working directly with faculty Principal Investigators (PIs) is required.

Departmental Financial Management, Budgeting, and Planning & Analysis

• Oversee day-to-day financial operations for the department, including operating, endowment, gift, and discretionary funds (approximately $9.2M annual budget).
• Formulate and recommend the annual operating budget in collaboration with the Senior Manager of Finance and Administration and Department Chair; monitor, forecast, and analyze expenses.
• Develop and manage pro forma operating budgets, including chartstrings, programs, and activity-based financial structures.
• Ensure appropriate and compliant use of University general funds, endowed funds, and donor-restricted resources in accordance with deeds of gift and University policies.
• Establish and maintain chart field strings, funds, and programs as needed to support new awards and financial tracking.
• Prepare financial reports, projections, analyses, and summary materials for departmental leadership and faculty.
• Set-up casual employee tasks, approve all bi-weekly Time and Absence for the Department. Hire and approve payroll for students through new student employment JobX Hiring and TimesheetX Time Approval system.
• Serve as a primary departmental approver for financial transactions across University systems (e.g., Prime Marketplace, Concur, Prime Financials, Labor Accounting, JobX/TimesheetX, ERA).
• Oversee labor accounting, time and absence approvals, student and casual employment transactions, and payroll coordination.
• Review and approve department credit card activity, travel and expense applications, and SAFE-related transactions.
• Communicate and enforce University, departmental, and sponsor policies and procedures to ensure compliance.
• Respond to and coordinate internal and external audit requests.

Sponsored Research Administration (Pre- and Post-Award)

Pre-Award

• Guide approximately 22 faculty PIs through the proposal development and submission process, serving as a key departmental resource for sponsored research administration.
• Assemble, review, and submit proposals through Princeton ERA and sponsor systems, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and compliance with University and sponsor requirements.
• Collaborate with faculty to develop budgets, timelines, and required proposal components.
• Review and maintain biosketches, current and pending support, and collaborator documentation using SciENcv and ORCID.
• Serve as departmental ERA proposal approver and liaison with the Office of Research and Project Administration (ORPA).

Post-Award

• Manage faculty research portfolios, including sponsored and related non-sponsored funds.
• Oversee subaward management, including budget development and expenditure monitoring.
• Reconcile grants and discretionary accounts monthly; identify and resolve discrepancies.
• Provide regular financial summaries, projections, and burn-rate analyses to principal investigators.
• Review and approve expenditures, including invoices, purchase orders, travel, reimbursements, and credit card activity, ensuring allowability and allocability.
• Oversee salary allocations for faculty, research staff, postdoctoral scholars, and students; support effort certification and summer salary processes.
• Manage rebudgeting, no-cost extensions, cost transfers, and award modifications.
• Coordinate required sponsor reporting and manage award closeouts in collaboration with ORPA and Sponsored Research…