Financial Manager

Universities of Wisconsin • Madison, WI

1d • $80,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

This position provides strategic oversight of the department’s research administration and financial operations. It supervises all pre- and post-award activities, ensuring proposals, awards, reporting, and compliance processes are accurate, timely, and aligned with federal, sponsor, and university requirements. The role includes oversight of complex mechanisms, including a T32 training grant, and monitoring of compliance and effort commitments across the department. The position oversees departmental budgets across multiple non-sponsored funding sources, providing financial analysis, monitoring, and long-range planning to safeguard fiscal health. It directs the business operations of five revenue-producing facilities, including rate setting, compliance, and billing, and oversees purchasing processes to maintain strong internal controls and operational efficiency. Working closely with departmental leadership, the individual advises on strategic financial decisions and risk management. This role partners and communicates directly with faculty on budget and sponsored research matters while supervising staff to ensure coordinated, compliant, and effective financial and research administration across the department. The successful candidate will be expected to: Establish and maintain strong working relationships within a higher education environment, including college leadership, faculty, staff, students, alumni, donors, and the community at large. Demonstrate and exercise ethics and integrity in the performance of their duties and interactions with internal and external individuals. Communicate effectively in written and verbal formats, with department and personnel and customers from a wide range of backgrounds. Demonstrate independent and collaborative decision-making and analytical skills, using sound judgment in challenging and complex situations. Manage and lead staff in a complex and changing environment. Solve problems, collaborate, and encourage teamwork. Handle sensitive, complex matters with confidentiality, respect, and discretion. Prioritize workload and manage multiple projects effectively with strict attention to detail, meet internal and external deadlines, work under pressure, and handle time constraints. Demonstrate proficiency with position-related software (e.g., Microsoft Office, virtual meeting platforms, Google suite, people management software, financial systems, or similar systems), and learn and train others with new software/systems Hours are generally 8:00am-4:30pm, Monday--Friday. Hours are flexible and will be determined at the time of hire. This position is eligible for partial remote work; or fully on-site. Remote work requires an approved remote work agreement (RWA) agreement. An RWA requires successful candidates to possess their own high-speed internet and phone to perform the work on a university provided computer. Per University policy, transportation between home and assigned work location is not payable/reimbursable and will be at the expense of the employee.

Requirements

• Significant working experience in financial operations involving the application of cost accounting principles and standards.
• Significant experience in research administration with various sponsors (e.g. NIH, NSF, DOE, DOD, and non-federal entities)
• Experience working with financial and grant systems, tools, or other comparable financial platforms and related software and application systems (i.e., Workday, PeopleSoft, Smartsheet, eRA Commons, research.gov, etc.) to handle financial data and transactions.
• Experience interpreting and applying financial policies and procedures including policy development/update to ensure compliance with established rules, regulations, and financial guidelines, and to process/approve accounting transactions such as cost transfers, procurement, sub-award management, and financial expenditures (e.g., travel, purchasing, etc.).
• Experience supervising and/or leading people (personnel leadership), including knowledge of operational oversight best practices.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of UW, State, and Federal rules and regulations and/or experience managing finances within an institution of higher education.
• Working knowledge of the ERP system, Workday

Responsibilities

• May exercise supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 FTE or equivalent employees
• Serves as a subject matter expert to unit leadership regarding financial operations, status and reporting, and recommends process improvements
• Identifies, verifies, and audits financial charges, credits, and authorizes payments
• Recommends, interprets, disseminates, and implements unit-focused fiscal policies and procedures, ensuring compliance with established rule, regulations and financial guidelines
• Participates in the development, maintenance, and monitoring of automated financial information systems
• Plans, directs, and engages in financial and/or accounting operations for multiple areas; coordinates data management, budget preparation and management, and financial reporting efforts
• Analyzes financial information and makes recommendations to unit leadership

Benefits

• Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and sick leave; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits.
• Please review the summary of benefits for more information.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees