Business Manager: Financial Operations - OVPR

Carnegie Mellon University•Pittsburgh, PA

41d

About The Position

The Business Manager supports the Office of the Vice President of Research’s day-to-day financial operations and post-award grant activities. The role bridges financial planning, transaction processing, and grant compliance to ensure accurate reporting, efficient budget management, and adherence to regulatory and sponsor obligations. It reports to the Assistant Vice President for Finance and Budget and contributes to Carnegie Mellon University’s research enterprise and institutional excellence. The Office of the Vice President of Research oversees university-wide strategic initiatives and operational functions for CMU’s research enterprise, including technology transfer and startup activities. Its staff work across the university on external partnerships, interdisciplinary teams, and resources that support research from funding and development through innovation and impact.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, or a related field.
Five years of experience in financial analysis and/or grant management.
Proficiency in financial modeling, budgeting, forecasting, and reporting tools such as Excel, Power BI, SAP, or Oracle.
Strong understanding of grant compliance and federal and state regulations, such as 2 CFR and OMB Circulars.
Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
Successful completion of a background check.
A combination of education and meaningful experience demonstrating comparable knowledge may be considered.

Nice To Haves

Experience with nonprofit, government, or research grant funding.
Knowledge of internal controls, audit processes, and compliance frameworks.
Advanced Excel skills, including VLOOKUP, pivot tables, and macros.

Responsibilities

Create and initiate processes to process financial transactions accurately and in a timely manner.
Analyze financial data and trends to provide insights on performance, profitability, and cost management.
Prepare regular financial reports, dashboards, and presentations for senior management, highlighting KPIs and variances.
Track and monitor financial performance against budgets, identifying and addressing variances.
Participate in finance team meetings and provide feedback and ideas.
Manage grant-related expenses, ensuring proper documentation and reimbursement processes.
Maintain accurate grant accounting records and reconcile grant balances.
Prepare and submit required grant reports, compliance documents, and financial statements to funders and internal auditors.
Monitor grant funds for compliance with award terms, regulations, and donor requirements.
Coordinate with program managers to align financial reporting with project milestones.
Collaborate with finance, operations, compliance, and program management teams to align on financial and grant-related goals.
Identify process improvements to enhance accuracy, efficiency, and compliance in operational and grant management.