Financial Specialist Senior

Job Profile

Financial Analyst 2

Job Family

Budget, Planning and Financial Analysis

Time Type

Full time

Apply before 11:59 PM Arizona time the day before the posted End Date.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree and three (3) years of experience appropriate to the area of assignment/field; OR, Any equivalent combination of experience and/or training from which comparable knowledge, skills and abilities have been achieved.

Job Profile Summary

Performs routine and operational financial analysis, reporting, and systems development in support of other financial activities within the institution. Performs commitment analysis, variance analysis (actual vs budget); revenue and expense projections/forecasts. May have interactions outside department, as functionally required.

Job Description

The School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy (SEMTE) is seeking a collaborative and service-oriented Financial Specialist Senior to join its Research Advancement team. This position provides financial management and post-award support for sponsored research projects while partnering with faculty and university stakeholders to ensure responsible stewardship of research funding. Individuals with experience or interest in research administration and financial management are encouraged to apply for this opportunity.

The Research Advancement team provides financial oversight and administration of sponsored grants and contracts while partnering closely with faculty conducting innovative research that addresses today's most pressing global challenges. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of financial management principles, a commitment to exceptional customer service, and a continuous improvement mindset. The role requires accuracy across established business and research administration processes, the ability to diagnose problems and propose solutions within applicable standards and best practices, and sound judgment to recognize and escalate unusual situations.

This is a p2 position reporting to the Financial Manager. The role offers opportunities to take on increasingly complex responsibilities based on performance, with potential career growth into specialized areas of research administration or supervisory leadership.

Position Salary Range: $54,600 - $63,000 per year; D.O.E.

Essential Duties:

• Manage an assigned portfolio of sponsored projects and related post-award financial activities for designated sponsored projects, including award setup, budget allocation, expenditure monitoring, monthly account reconciliations, and closeout, completing transactions accurately and providing consistent information across the full process.

• Prepare, review, and revise project budgets, including budget justifications, re-budgets, and multiyear financial planning.

• Prepare and submit sponsor financial reports and invoices, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with award terms and conditions.

• Monitor expenditures for allowability, allocability, and consistency; diagnose the cause of discrepancies or process issues; propose and implement solutions within established standards and best practices; and escalate unusual situations as appropriate.

• Review and approve financial transactions, such as cost transfers, payroll allocations, journal entries, procurement, and subaward invoices.

• Manage cost share commitments, including tracking, documentation, reporting, and ensuring compliance with institutional and sponsor requirements.

• Provide financial forecasting and portfolio analysis (burn rates, projections, variance analysis), identify potential deficits or variances, and prepare clear reports and analyses for review and to support faculty and management decision-making.

• Manage closeout processes, ensuring timely final reconciliations, final reports, and compliance documentation.

• Collaborate with pre-award, compliance, departmental, and central finance units to ensure accuracy and consistency across the award lifecycle, build effective working relationships, and resolve shared operational issues.

• Serve as a financial resource by providing standard professional guidance on sponsored project financial policies, procedures, systems, and best practices; communicate clearly with stakeholders and refer or escalate matters outside established processes or authority.

• Identify opportunities for improvement within assigned processes and share recommendations with Research Advancement Leadership.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience in research administration, particularly post-award financial management for sponsors such as NSF, Navy, DOE, NIH, and USDA.

• Experience interpreting and applying Uniform Guidance, federal agency terms, and audit requirements.

• Experience managing sponsored project portfolios with multiple funding sources.

• Proficiency with institutional financial systems, eRA platforms, and automated reporting tools.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including financial forecasting, variance analysis, root-cause diagnosis, and development of solutions within established processes and best practices.

• Experience with effort reporting, payroll certification, and related compliance requirements.

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with faculty, researchers, and cross-functional administrative units.

• Excellent communication skills, with demonstrated ability to listen effectively, collaborate, build relationships, and explain financial concepts clearly.

• Experience working independently in environments with competing deadlines, sensitive information, frequent priority changes, and responsibilities requiring reliable workload planning, prioritization, and escalation of unusual situations.

• Advanced skill in budget development, multi-year financial planning, and scenario modeling.

• Demonstrated experience managing cost share commitments, tracking, documentation, and reporting.

Work Environment:

• Activities are performed in an environmentally controlled office setting subject to extended periods of sitting, keyboarding, and manipulating a computer mouse

• Required to stand for varying lengths of time and walk moderate distances to perform work

• Infrequent bending, reaching, lifting, pushing and pulling up to 25 pounds

• Regular use of standard office equipment including, but not limited to: computer workstation/laptop (keyboard, monitor, mouse), printer, fax, calculator, copier, telephone and associated computer/technology peripherals

Department Statement

At the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, we are delivering a world-class learning experience for our students and advancing research and innovation  — all at scale . The Fulton Schools research enterprise leads use-inspired research and key national initiatives, including the Southwest Advanced Prototyping Hub, accelerating microelectronics and workforce development for the Department of Defense. We also lead the Electrified Processes for Industry Without Carbon Clean Energy Manufacturing Institute, supported by the Department of Energy, aiming to reduce carbon emissions and strengthen manufacturing. Additionally, we lead an NSF Engineering Research Center developing sustainable civil infrastructure and partner with another ERC advancing clean water technology.

The Fulton Schools hosts numerous research centers that leverage faculty expertise to drive engineering innovation and entrepreneurship across four interdisciplinary impact areas: Climate Technology Solutions, Competitive Manufacturing in an Advanced Economy, National and Economic Security, and Technology-Enhanced Health and Medicine. Our faculty are achieving excellence at scale, positioning the Fulton Schools among the nation’s top engineering colleges for invention disclosures, U.S. patents, and startups.

We are an engineering school on the rise at the nation’s most innovative university, situated in the heart of its fastest-