Research Financial Analyst

Job Description

JOB SUMMARY

The Research Financial Analyst applies advanced contract and grant concepts to manage high-volume, high-complexity transactions. Responsible for complex analysis and coordination of the financial aspects of contracts, grants, gifts, endowment funds, and other discretionary funds management for Principal Investigators (PIs), their laboratories, and the divisions. Key aspects of the position include interfacing with the Departmental Finance Office, UCSF Office of Research, UCSF Controller's Office, Supply Chain Management, UCSF Development Office, UCSF Human Resources Office, and extramural and intramural sponsors. Review financial and administrative management requirements for research contracts, grant proposals, budgets, awards, and transactions to ensure compliance with institutional and sponsor policies. The incumbent must be able to coordinate between multiple sites, institutions, and investigators, and navigate complex funding agency guidelines. Skillful execution of a wide range of independent responsibilities, including post-award support, general fund management, and prioritizing and managing all aspects of the workflow, is a key element of this position.


The incumbent's role is to ensure that the awards/funds of his/her assigned PIs are managed rigorously in accordance with sponsor, UC, and departmental requirements, and in accordance with planning, budgeting, and spending practices that are efficient and minimize audit risk. The incumbent serves as the departmental representative, supporting his/her assigned PIs, and must demonstrate considerable independence in planning, budgeting, gathering information, and maintaining detailed records of all financial transactions. While this individual works closely and in concert with departmental faculty and staff, s/he functions as the department's representative to the assigned PIs, and reports to the Department's Research Administrative Manager and indirectly reports the Division Administrator of the designated divisions/PIs.

Department Overview

The Department of Pediatrics is one of the largest and most complex departments in the School of Medicine. The department is comprised of 20 divisions, employing over 500 faculty, 100 fellows, 91 residents, 31 postdoctoral fellows, non-faculty academics, and 170 staff. The Department has annual clinical income from inpatient and outpatient activities totaling over $100 million and annual extramural funding (contracts and grants) exceeding $40 million. The department ranks 12th in the nation among Pediatric departments for funding from the National Institutes of Health.


The Department's clinical enterprise is based at the 183-bed UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital San Francisco, the 191-bed UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland, Mount Zion, Zuckerberg San Francisco General, and at a number of outreach clinics throughout Northern California, providing the Department with an unsurpassed opportunity to meet the needs of infants, children, and young adults throughout the Bay Area. In 2019, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals ranked in all 10 children's specialties in U.S. News and World Report.

Responsibilities

DUTIES & ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Identify the functions or tasks that employees in the job perform. The essential functions should state the purpose of the work and the results to be accomplished, rather than how the function is performed. Of the tasks listed, what percentage of time is devoted to each? The more time employees spend on a function, the more likely it is that the function is essential. Generally, include those functions that account for 10% or more of the work, i.e., key items that contribute significantly to the achievement of the job. The functions should add up to 100%.

of time

Essential Function (Yes/No)

Key Responsibilities

(To be completed by Supervisor)

70
Yes
Provides post-award financial administration and management of contracts and grants administration, gifts, endowments, and privately funded projects for faculty research programs in accordance with organization policy and agency requirements.

The Research Financial Analyst applies advanced contract and grant concepts to manage high-volume, high-complexity transactions. Responsible for complex analysis and coordination of the financial aspects of Contracts, Grants, Clinical Trials, and Discretionary funds management for Principal Investigators (PIs) and their laboratories. Key aspects of the position include interfacing with the Departmental Divisions and Finance Office, the UCSF Office of Research, the UCSF Controller's Office, Supply Chain Management, the UCSF Development Office, the UCSF Human Resources Office, and extramural and intramural sponsors.


Ensure that the awards/gifts/discretionary funds of his/her assigned PIs are managed rigorously according to sponsor, UC, and departmental requirements and following planning, budgeting, and spending practices that are efficient and minimize audit risk.

Prepare and provide monthly portfolio reports to PIs and other stakeholders that summarize and provide sufficient detail for financial review and planning.

Prepares journal entries, payroll funding entries, and retroactive payroll expense corrections. Maintains and reconciles ledger accounts in a timely manner.


Assist PIs in reviewing and certifying award verification via the UCSF Award Verification portal in a timely manner.

Applies professional knowledge/experience to prepare, review, and/or approve financial transactions such as Supplies/Services purchases via BearBuy and Expense Reports via Concur.

10
Yes
Meet monthly (no less than quarterly) to review portfolio status, planning, and to provide guidance and counsel on complex research administration matters, including compliance regulations, to principal investigators and department administrators

5
Yes
Participates in training/educational sessions designed to increase knowledge of professional research administration concepts and practices, and department, University, and/or funding agency processes and policies.

5
Yes
Assist PIs and collaborate with the Pre-award team to prepare complex proposal budgets and support documents that are required by proposal guidelines.

5
Yes
Assists in support of audit as directed by senior staff and performance division financial support through updating funding distribution and journal processing

5
Yes
Independently gathers information to perform financial analysis and other ad hoc assignments as needed

0

0

0

0

0

100%


(To update total %, enter the amount of time in whole numbers (without the % symbol - e.g., 15, 20) then highlight the total sum (e.g., 1%) at the bottom of the column and press F9. The total sum should add up to 100%.)

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in a related area and or equivalent experience/training
• Minimum 3+ years of related experience
• Thorough understanding of research administration guidelines of Federal and non-Federal sponsors supporting research and educational activities, preferably in a university environment.
• Ability to manage a significant volume of transactions.
• Ability to perform complex financial analysis and customized reporting.
• Demonstrated competence in the use of spreadsheet and database software in financial analysis, fiscal management and financial reports.
• Ability to maintain independent judgment; strong organization and communication skills; and a customer service focus across broad and diverse subject areas.
• Maintains current knowledge of compliance regulations in all areas of research administration.
• Demonstrated knowledge of effective grant funding processes, procedures, and techniques.
• Strong writing skills in a variety of styles to draft persuasive text for a variety of audiences while ensuring adherence to funding sponsors' guidelines.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Thorough knowledge of applicable compliance requirements related to the use of human or animal subjects in research, financial conflict of interest, biosafety, etc.
• Demonstrated knowledge of generally accepted accounting, fiscal, and reporting principles.
• Experience with clinical trials research administration
• UCSF Post-award Management, Compliance, and Cost Transfers