General Summary:
Reporting to the Associate Director of Post Award Support Services (ADPASS), the Manager of Sponsored Finance (Manager) is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of sponsored projects and for supervising a team of financial research administrators (FRAs). This position plays a critical leadership role in stewarding external funding, ensuring compliance and financial integrity, and supporting the strategic and operational objectives of the university’s post-award research enterprise.
The Manager ensures the timely and accurate execution of key post-award functions, including sponsor invoicing, financial reporting, expense monitoring, award modifications, and closeout, in alignment with institutional policies and sponsor requirements. In addition to managing complex post-award issues and contributing to process improvements, the Manager provides training and guidance to all campus research administrators, and performance oversight to Sponsored Finance staff. This role is instrumental in promoting service excellence, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency across post-award operations.
Examples of Duties:
The Manager of Sponsored Finance is responsible for the oversight and leadership of post-award operations, ensuring effective management, compliance, and support across the sponsored project lifecycle, including but not limited to:
•Team Supervision and Development: Directly supervises post-award staff, managing hiring, onboarding, training, and performance evaluations; assigns workloads, monitors deadlines, and ensures consistent practices across post-award activities; promotes a culture of accountability, clear communication, and continuous learning; ensures appropriate prioritization and resource allocation to meet operational deadlines and maintain balanced team capacity.
•Post-Award Financial Management: Oversees the day-to-day administration of sponsored projects, including billing, financial reporting, budget reconciliation, expense monitoring, sponsor prior approvals, and award closeout; provides guidance and training to staff on financial and administrative sponsor requirements, including prior approval requests; reviews complex or final reports and invoices prior to sponsor submission, ensuring compliance with sponsor terms and institutional requirements; interprets and applies university and sponsor policies, ensuring processes remain aligned with evolving regulations and standards.
•Letter of Credit (LOC) Coordination: Coordinates with the Amherst LOC team to ensure the timely and accurate invoicing of letter of credit federal awards; ensure the payment readiness of drawdowns; identifies missing or inaccurate information, flags potential issues, and coordinates their correction with the FRA.
•Project Closeout: Coordinates the timely and accurate closeout of sponsored projects, confirming reconciliation of expenditures, submission of final financial reports, and proper deactivation in university systems; ensures all closeout activities are completed in accordance with institutional procedures and sponsor expectations, while maintaining consistency and accuracy across the team.
•Audit Support: Maintains audit readiness across post-award functions by supporting documentation standards and ensuring compliance with financial and administrative regulations; assists the AVP and institutional leadership in responding to internal and external audit requests by preparing records and supporting analysis; proactively monitors areas of potential risk and assists in implementing corrective actions as needed.
•Communication and Coordination: Serves as a key point of contact for faculty and departments on post-award matters; collaborates with the Controller’s Office, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP), and other units to support efficient, compliant workflows; communicates updates, decisions, and action items to appropriate stakeholders and supports AVP-led initiatives and meetings; facilitates resolution of operational challenges and promotes open, service-oriented communication.
•Training and Documentation: Provides initial and ongoing training to post-award staff and ensures awareness of regulatory and procedural changes; maintains internal operating procedures, process documentation, and job aids to support consistent and effective operations; supports the AVP-RF in implementing new systems, tools, and regulatory updates through structured documentation and training initiatives.
•Reporting and Metrics: Generates, analyzes, and distributes data to evaluate post-award performance; supports forecasting, milestone tracking, and reporting needs for leadership; uses data insights to identify trends, assess workload distribution, and recommend improvements in service delivery, compliance, and operational efficiency.
Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field, and at least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in research administration, including significant post-award financial management experience. Minimum of 3–5 years of direct supervisory experience, including training and performance management of professional staff. Demonstrated leadership in managing sponsored project portfolios, interpreting sponsor requirements, and ensuring regulatory compliance across a team.
Preferred Qualifications: Master’s degree in business, finance, or a related field.
Application Instructions:
Please apply online with your resume, cover letter and list of three professional references.
Review of candidates will begin following the application closing date.
Only Internal candidates in the Professional Staff Bargaining Unit will be considered during the first 10 business days of the posting. All other candidates will be considered after that period.
Salary Ranges for the appropriate Pay Grade can be found at the following link:
Grade: 35
Salary Ranges
This is an exempt union position.
All official salary offers must be approved by Human Resources.
UMass Boston is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, we will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations for the hiring process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact HR@umb.edu or 617-287-5150.