Sr. Research Finance Consultant

OhioHealth•Columbus, OH

About The Position

We are more than a health system. We are a belief system. We believe wellness and sickness are both part of a lifelong partnership, and that everyone could use an expert guide. We work hard, care deeply and reach further to help people uncover their own power to be healthy. We inspire hope. We learn, grow, and achieve more – in our careers and in our communities. Job Description Summary: The Senior Research Finance Consultant for OhioHealth Research Institute (OHRI) will manage the full life cycle of clinical trial budgets and contracts performing specialized technical fiscal activities, financial management and reporting for research clinical trials and research projects conducted at OhioHealth. Activities include a variety of complex and varied fiscal administrative support functions such as analyzing Medicare Coverage Analysis documents, developing comprehensive internal study budgets, facilitating communication across the OH Enterprise, negotiating sponsor budgets according to Research Business Services (RBS) guidelines, analyzing and negotiating contract language and payment terms, creating and maintaining study fiscal records in the Clinical Trial Management System, complete monthly invoicing, study reconciliation and reporting, and final study close-out for assigned service lines, and coordinating fiscal support functions across OhioHealth. Uses skills as a seasoned, experienced financial service professional with a full understanding of industry practices and organizational policies and procedures with the ability to perform tasks independently, consistently, and accurately resulting in high quality work.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree: Accounting (Required)
Degree in Accounting, Finance, Health Sciences, or related field.
2+ years direct clinical research experience to include research finances.
3+ years previous experience working in hospital/bank finance area or similar.
Strong verbal, written communication, customer service skills.
Ability to problem solve, prioritize, and manage multiple tasks across a highly matrixed environment.
Strong computer skills, including thorough knowledge of OhioHealth systems (EPIC, CTMS, Microsoft Office, MS Teams, etc.).
SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE Strong verbal, written communication, customer service skills.
Ability to problem solve, prioritize, and manage multiple tasks across a highly matrixed environment.
Computer skills, including thorough knowledge of OhioHealth systems (EPIC, CTMS, Microsoft Office, MS Teams, etc.).

Nice To Haves

Master’s Preferred (MS, MBA, MPH, Clinical Research).
Broad clinical trial or research experience: cardiovascular; neuroscience; oncology (cooperative and industry); musculoskeletal, etc.
Thorough understanding of concepts and terminology related to clinical research trials: billing plans, standard of care vs research costs, device, and drug studies (CMS – National Coverage Decision re: Clinical Trials).
Research Administrator certification a plus (CRA, CPRA, CFRA, CCRP, CCRA or similar).

Responsibilities

Research Finance: Develop and/or coordinate Medicare coverage analysis for studies as required.
Independently develops comprehensive internal budget including input from various team members for clinical trial budgets for industry as well as investigator initiated clinical research.
Independently negotiate study budgets with CRO or Sponsor.
Critically evaluates research protocols to assess resources needed; assessment includes all research procedures, clinical research staff time, and costs from ancillary departments.
Analyze study budgets, including but not limited to cost analysis, calculating potential profit margins, etc.
Effectively and independently negotiate clinical trial budgets with study sponsors to ensure all costs are identified and covered.
Conduct monthly account reconciliation reporting processes for all sources of funding, track, and project revenue by specific funding category, determine actual performance.
Prepares device information sheet for device trials, and coordinates with supply chain and other ancillaries as needed.
Follows institutional and departmental policies and procedures for setting up a study for concordance review for final sign off from leadership.
Independently develops and maintains study-specific and project-specific financial reconciliation and tracking sheets.
Maintain schedule of reporting requirements for studies.
Attend regularly scheduled meetings with PI and/or study teams to discuss financial projections and activity for each trial and project.
Ensure that invoices to sponsors are submitted based on payment terms.
Responsible for accounts receivable and accounts payable department functions for studies.
Maintain research documents such as contracts and finance related documents for pending, new, and active studies/contracts.
Service as a resource to PIs and study team from study start up, through study activation, and study closeout.
Working with Finance Accounting on existing and future accounts and their financial activity – reconciling regularly for revenues, expenses, payments, etc.
Reconcile all accounts monthly for financial reporting.
Responsible for accurate and timely financial data entry.
Serves as a research finance mentor for training new staff.
Research Business Compliance: Works with RBS Manager on compliance efforts on behalf of OHRI Finance aligned with the Quality Assurance Department.
Assume responsibility for audit preparedness activities for OHRI RBS.
Implements and executes standards and templates for consistency in budgeting, accounting, and billing across all clinical studies.
Provide education and training on clinical research billing and compliance issues.
Reconcile documents to establish compliance per the document concordance policy.
Implements and executes section policies and procedures for pre-award proposal preparation and review and post-award accounting.
Research Reporting: Collects and analyzes OHRI financial and performance reporting metrics.
Generates reports for team and leadership review.
Provide ad hoc financial reports via CTMS, Workday.
Use CTMS to report study finances.
Communication: Recommends initiatives / improvements to RBS Manager to meet the needs of OHRI and using resources wisely to achieve maximum results.
Oversee and monitor tasks which impact a process or policy change for the department.
Advise, communicate, and reinforce standard practices, contractual or regulations to following regarding research study or project including coverage analysis, cost accounting, patient costs, budgeting, reconciling, research accounting and billing.
Other: Attends relevant training courses on financial policy and research compliance.
Ensures staff assigned to clinical trial activities have been trained appropriately and meet internal qualifications.
Maintain familiarity with evolving regulatory and compliance context.
The major duties, responsibilities and essential functions listed above are not intended to be all-inclusive of the duties, responsibilities, and essential functions to be performed by employees in this job. Employee is expected to all perform other duties as requested by supervisor.