Location

Simpson Querrey Biomedical Research Center

Job Description

The Research Financial Portfolio Manager is responsible for communicating accurate and timely financial data and providing financial advisement to principal investigators in the financial administration of grants, contracts clinical trials and other internally funded support. The Research Financial Portfolio Manager works closely with Research Support and Sponsored Program Offices counterparts and on behalf of their PIs in the development of budgets and spending plan projections to follow applicable sponsor regulations and requirements. The Research Financial Portfolio Manager will serve as lead subject expert regarding Lurie Children's and Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute post-award policies, procedures and systems and assist with management of the finances of the sponsored projects for assigned Departments, Divisions and PIs.

Job Duties:

• Provide proactive financial advice and planning for each PI's sponsored projects funding portfolio and overall funding situation of assigned PI, divisions and departments.
• Synchronize planning for each funding source into an integrated, holistic strategy for entire PI's portfolio.
• Communicate accurate and timely financial data to PIs, sponsors and other divisional/departmental administration; maintain portfolio project reports for PIs.
• Implement Lurie Children's and Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute post-award policies and procedures to ensure compliance with sponsor rules and regulations and generally accepted accounting principles.
• Present PIs and administrators with option for solving and implement PI approved recommendations while remaining compliant with sponsor guidelines, federal regulations, Lurie Children's and Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute Policies and generally accepted accounting principles.
• Identify cost transfers requests or award prior approval requests for PIs and departments; Initiate award prior approval requests as needed.
• Review transactions and resolve issues that requires a complex level of financial understanding such as cost sharing and effort reporting.
• Provide information to divisional leadership for departmental budgeting purposes.
• Facilitate continuation award tasks in coordination with the Research Accountants and the Office of Sponsored Programs.
• Be liaison between PIs and central research administration units and finance units.
• Cover portfolio for other Research Financial Portfolio Managers during absences and position vacancies.
• Provide input and suggestions to the Associate Director for improving operations.
• Actively participate as a member of the Sponsored Research Finance Office team to help assure the accomplishment of departmental goals and objectives.
• Perform job functions adhering to service principles with customer service focus of innovation, service excellence and teamwork to provide the highest quality care and service to our patients, families, donors, volunteers, co-workers and others.
• Other job functions and special projects as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Bachelor's Degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or other field with equivalent combination of training, education, and experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the essential functions of the position required.
• Master's degree and/or Certified Research Administrator (CRA)/Certified Financial Research Administrator (CFRA) preferred.
• Minimum of five years of work experience involving grant/research administration, combined with experience with legal terminology, reviewing detailed legal documents, and language relevant to award administration, and/or accounting related experience to include tracking and reconciling accounts.
• Minimum of three years of professional experience in providing post-award services to PIs with federally funded grants and contracts required.
• Extensive knowledge of Uniform Guidance, NIH Grant Policy Statement, and other federal regulations required.
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a team and follow through on assignments with minimal direction required.
• Solution oriented with proven record of managing large scale research projects with diverse complexity required.
• Ability to quickly reason with information to solve new, unfamiliar problems or independent of any prior knowledge required.
• Exceptional ability to distill complex compliance issues so it is understandable to the lay audience required.
• Ability to handle high volume of work with changing priorities and constant interruptions and establish priorities and deadlines required.
• Ability to communicate, both orally and in writing, complex technical issues in a clear, concise manner, to individuals with little or no technical background required.
• Ability to work accurately with detailed complex information required.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications required.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to establish and maintain cooperative, tactful, effective and harmonious working relationships with co-workers, supervisors, Lurie and Northwestern administrators and sponsors required.
• Capable of working in a diverse, multi-disciplinary team and interacting with all levels of the organization required.
• Working knowledge of accounts payable, general ledger, payroll, and budgeting preferred.
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel spreadsheet preferred.
• Knowledge of Workday software or similar ERP software preferred.

Education
Bachelor's Degree: Accounting (Required)

Pay Range
$70,720.00-$115,627.20 Salary

At Lurie Children's, we are committed to competitive and fair compensation aligned with market rates and internal equity, reflecting individual contributions, experience, and expertise. The pay range for this job indicates minimum and maximum targets for the position. Ranges are regularly reviewed to stay aligned with market conditions. In addition to base salary, Lurie Children's offer a comprehensive rewards package that may include differentials for some hourly employees, leadership incentives for select roles, health and retirement benefits, and wellbeing programs. For more details on other compensation, consult your recruiter or click the following link to learn more about our benefits.

Benefit Statement

For full time and part time employees who work 20 or more hours per week we offer a generous benefits package that includes:

Medical, dental and vision insurance

Employer paid group term life and disability

Employer contribution toward Health Savings Account

Flexible Spending Accounts

Paid Time Off (PTO), Paid Holidays and Paid Parental Leave

403(b) with a 5% employer match

Various voluntary benefits:

• Supplemental Life, AD&D and Disability
• Critical Illness, Accident and Hospital Indemnity coverage
• Tuition assistance
• Student loan servicing and support
• Adoption benefits
• Backup Childcare and Eldercare
• Employee Assistance Program, and other specialized behavioral health services and resources for employees and family members
• Discount on services at Lurie Children's facilities
• Discount purchasing program