Manager, Grant Financial Operations

Massachusetts Life Sciences Center • Waltham, MA

8d

About The Position

MLSC is seeking a detail-oriented, highly organized, and process-driven Manager, Grant Financial Operations to join its Finance team. This position independently manages the reimbursement process for an assigned portfolio of grants, ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant processing of high volumes of reimbursement requests across multiple funding programs. The Manager provides responsive, professional support to grant awardees and works closely with Finance leadership and program teams to maintain strong financial controls and support the efficient, responsible administration of grant funding.

The role oversees the end-to-end reimbursement process, including reviewing financial documentation, verifying eligible expenditures, monitoring grant balances, and submitting validated reimbursement requests for payment processing. It also supports fiscal year-end close and audit activities and identifies ways to improve processes, including through technology and automation.

Requirements

• At least three years of progressively responsible experience in accounting, financial operations, grants administration, reimbursement processing, accounts payable, or a related function.
• Demonstrated experience managing or processing high volumes of financial transactions while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to provide attentive, responsive, courteous, and professional support to grant awardees.
• Commitment to accuracy, accountability, confidentiality, and responsible financial stewardship.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and collaborate effectively across departments.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Experience using accounting, financial management, or grants management systems.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with financial process improvement, workflow optimization, or automation.
• Knowledge of or familiarity with NetSuite and Airtable; this is desirable but not required.

Responsibilities

• Manage the day-to-day administration of MLSC's high-volume grant reimbursement process across multiple funding programs.
• Review and validate reimbursement requests and supporting documents, including invoices, payroll records, and other expenditure-related materials, for accuracy and compliance with internal policies, grant agreements, and budgets.
• Identify and flag potential issues with reimbursement requests and work with grant awardees to resolve them promptly.
• Communicate with awardees about missing, incomplete, or incorrect information and documents submitted with reimbursement requests.
• Submit validated reimbursements for payment in NetSuite.
• Monitor reimbursement activity against approved budgets and award amounts.
• Maintain complete, accurate, audit-ready documentation supporting grant expenditures and reimbursement decisions.
• Develop and maintain standardized workflows, operating procedures, review checklists, and documentation requirements.
• Evaluate reimbursement procedures and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, accuracy, consistency, and processing timelines.
• Identify opportunities to use technology and automation to streamline reimbursement processing, reduce manual tasks, and improve tracking and reporting.
• Support the Finance team during fiscal year-end close and audit.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed