Associate Director of Finance

About This Role

This leadership position supports innovative research at Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, specifically across the Department of Environmental Health and the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies. The Associate Director of Finance is responsible for overall financial and grants management, including supervising a team of financial staff.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and train research and financial administrators, providing daily guidance
• Allocate workloads to maximize research administrator effectiveness
• Assess performance and conduct reviews for staff
• Serve as a resource for Grants Managers by assisting them in interpreting Harvard, School, and sponsor policies, regulations, and procedures
• Have overall responsibility for the management of non-sponsored funding, including gifts and endowments
• Oversee pre- and post-award management for a large portfolio of sponsored research grants and subcontracts, a large portion of which is from the NIH
• Provide guidance to the faculty, ensuring they have the information needed to effectively and compliantly manage their funding and effort
• Develop and implement departmental policies and processes
• Ensure research administration compliance with sponsor guidelines and Harvard policies
• Ensure departmental financial transactions are compliant with Harvard and sponsor policies and regulations; approve and transmit most departmental transactions
• Oversee and manage the department’s non-sponsored accounts, including endowments, gifts, start-up funding, and cost recovery centers
• Collaborate with academic staff regarding student finances and financial planning
• Prepare the annual Department budget, working closely with the Department Administrator and senior leadership
• Work closely with senior management, including the Director of Administration, Department Chair, and Directors of educational programs and student services, in developing and implementing strategic financial plans
• Participate in School-wide and University-wide initiatives and meetings
• Perform other duties as assigned

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
• Minimum of 7 years’ relevant work experience
• Advanced knowledge of sponsored research regulations
• Supervisory experience

Nice to have:

• MBA or Master’s degree in a relevant field
• CRA certification
• Strong computing skills, particularly with Microsoft Excel and Word
• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite, advanced Excel skills
• Knowledge of advanced financial principles, budget management, financial analysis