Business Manager II

Organizational Unit Overview:

The Office of Clinical Research (OCR) encompasses the pre-award, post-award, and clinical operation activities related to industry-sponsored clinical research, including clinical trials, for the Brody School of Medicine (BSOM) and ECU Health. The Director of OCR reports to the BSOM Associate Dean for Research, who also holds the role of Associate Chief of Clinical Research and Research Strategy in the Office of Research, REDE at ECU. Importantly, the Chief of Clinical Research and Research Strategy also oversees clinical research for ECU Health to facilitate clinical research integration across institutions. The vision for OCR is to expand and manage all industry-associated clinical research projects across ECU and ECU Health after additional needed financial and staff resources become available.

Job Duties:

The Brody School of Medicine (BSOM) Research and Graduate Studies and Office of Clinical Research (OCR) department at East Carolina University is seeking a (12-month, AT-WILL) Business Manager II for the Office of Clinical Research (OCR). The Business Manager II is responsible for the overall financial and business operations of the OCR, which supports clinical research programs for East Carolina University and ECU Health. The manager oversees the financial administration of clinical trials and sponsored projects, ensuring compliance with university, state, and federal regulations. This position also involves direct supervision of administrative and finance support staff and plays a key role in developing and implementing standard operating procedures (SOPs) for business management within the office. Job duties include the following:

Financial management and oversight (approx. 60%)

• Provide day-to-day oversight of financial activities for all clinical trials, industry, federal, and self-funded, at East Carolina University and ECU Health.
• Assist the Office of Clinical Research Executive Director with annual budget development processes at ECU and ECU Health.
• Manage the full life cycle of post-award clinical contracts, including budget monitoring, processing payments, tracking expenditures, and ensuring final fund audits are completed accurately.
• Serve as the primary financial contact for sponsored projects, offering expert consultation on budgeting, cost analysis (including Medicare Coverage Analysis), and billing compliance.
• Utilize ECU and ECUH financial systems, such as Banner, PeopleSoft, and ECUBIC, to reconcile grant and clinical trial budgets, identify financial discrepancies, and generate regular and ad-hoc financial reports for principal investigators (PIs) and leadership.
• Review and approve financial transactions, including payroll redistributions, invoices to sponsors, and purchases, ensuring alignment with funding source and policy.
• Develop and project financial models to assist with pre-award funding strategies and budget negotiations for new clinical trials.
• Ensure the office and its projects adhere to all purchasing and procurement policies of ECU, ECU Health, and the state of North Carolina.

Supervision and personnel management (approx. 20%)

• Directly supervise and manage the performance of Financial Analysts and other assigned personnel in the Office of Clinical Research.
• Assist in the recruitment, hiring, and performance evaluation process for departmental staff.
• Provide ongoing training, guidance, and mentorship to staff on all financial and administrative post-award processes.
• Coordinate staff assignments and workflows to ensure efficient support for the OCRs portfolio of clinical trials and sponsored projects.

Operational administration and compliance (approx. 15%)

• Evaluate and improve workflows, assist in the creation and modification of departmental SOPs, and recommend process changes to increase operational efficiency and compliance.
• Collaborate with various ECU and ECU Health departments, such as Human Resources, Finance, and the Office of Research Administration, to ensure seamless project operations and reporting.
• Stay current on federal, state, and institutional policies impacting clinical trial funding and administration.
• Coordinate with internal and external auditors during financial reviews of sponsored projects.

Special projects and other duties (approx. 5%)

• Undertake special projects as assigned by the Office of Clinical Research Executive Director or other senior leadership to advance the strategic goals of the office.
• Serve on university committees and represent the Office of Clinical Research at internal and external meetings as needed.

Contingent upon the availability of funds

Minimum Education/Experience:

A Masters degree in business administration, healthcare administration, or a related field; or a Bachelors degree with at least three years of experience in clinical research or grants management. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

License or Certification Required by Statute or Regulation:

None

Preferred Experience, Skills, Training/Education:

• A minimum of six years of progressively responsible experience in accounting or financial management, preferably within a university or healthcare setting.
• Evidence of the demonstrated experience that is relevant to success in this role:
  • post-award grants and contracts administration, including budget management and invoicing; evidence of demonstrated experience supervising and training professional staff.
  • Healthcare billing, EPIC, and clinical trials management systems like OnCore are desirable but not required.
• Proficiency with financial and reporting systems such as Banner, PeopleSoft, BIC, and others.
• Comprehensive understanding of federal, state, and university regulations governing sponsored research.