Clinical Research Finance Manager

Aston Carter•Boston, MA

14h•$55 - $65•Hybrid

About The Position

The Clinical Research Finance Manager provides advanced financial and budgeting support for clinical research studies within a large, mission-driven healthcare organization undergoing an enterprise ERP transformation. This senior-level role leads the development and negotiation of clinical research budgets, evaluates study feasibility, ensures compliance with Medicare and institutional regulations, and serves as a key resource for research finance matters. The position plays a critical part in modernizing financial operations across research, supporting patient care and operational excellence, while mentoring junior staff and contributing to high-visibility reporting and leadership presentations.

Requirements

Proven experience in financial analysis and financial reporting, with a focus on supporting complex projects or programs.
Demonstrated expertise in clinical research finance, including clinical budgets and study financial management.
Strong proficiency in budgeting and financial planning and analysis (FP&A) for clinical research or similar environments.
Hands-on experience developing and negotiating clinical research budgets with industry sponsors.
In-depth understanding of Medicare regulations and institutional compliance requirements as they relate to clinical research budgeting and billing.
Ability to evaluate clinical study feasibility from a financial perspective, including cost structures and reimbursement assumptions.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel for financial modeling, analysis, and reporting.
Experience using Smartsheet or similar tools to support project tracking, budgeting, and reporting.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to resolve complex budget and billing issues.
Effective communication skills, with the ability to present financial information clearly to leadership and non-financial stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to serve as a senior resource on research finance matters and to provide guidance to colleagues and stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

Experience working within a healthcare, hospital, or clinical research environment.
Background supporting large-scale enterprise initiatives, such as ERP transformations or system modernization projects.
Familiarity with process redesign, data integrity, and cross-functional collaboration in complex organizational settings.
Experience mentoring or coaching junior staff in finance or research administration.
Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, people-first culture that values teamwork, respect, and knowledge-sharing.
Comfort working in a dynamic, transformative environment with evolving processes and priorities.
Interest in contributing to mission-driven work that directly supports patient care, research, and frontline staff.

Responsibilities

Lead the development of detailed and accurate budgets for clinical research studies, ensuring alignment with institutional guidelines and sponsor requirements.
Evaluate the financial feasibility of proposed clinical research studies, analyzing costs, reimbursement assumptions, and resource utilization.
Negotiate clinical research budgets with industry sponsors, advocating for appropriate funding and cost coverage while maintaining strong sponsor relationships.
Ensure compliance with Medicare regulations and institutional policies in all aspects of clinical research budgeting and billing.
Serve as a senior resource and subject matter expert for research finance matters, providing guidance and support to investigators, study teams, and internal stakeholders.
Identify, investigate, and resolve budget and billing issues related to clinical research studies in a timely and accurate manner.
Support the preparation of financial reports, dashboards, and analyses for leadership, including materials for presentations and decision-making.
Contribute to the financial planning and analysis (FP&A) activities related to clinical research, including forecasting, variance analysis, and financial modeling.
Utilize tools such as Microsoft Excel and Smartsheet to manage budgets, track financial performance, and support project planning and reporting.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams involved in the enterprise ERP transformation to support system modernization, process redesign, and data integrity for research finance.
Participate in or support activities related to the integration of clinical research financial processes into the broader ERP program across HR, Finance, Supply Chain, and Research.
Mentor and support junior staff within the clinical research finance team, sharing knowledge, best practices, and guidance on complex financial issues.
Engage with stakeholders across clinical, research, and administrative functions to ensure alignment on financial processes, policies, and project goals.
Contribute to a collaborative, people-first culture by actively participating in knowledge-sharing, continuous improvement, and team-based problem-solving.