Financial Associate II

Company Description

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Why join Harvard Medical School?

Harvard Medical School's mission is to nurture a diverse, inclusive community dedicated to alleviating suffering and improving health and well-being for all through excellence in teaching and learning, discovery and scholarship, and service and leadership.

You’ll be at the heart of biomedical discovery, education, and innovation, working alongside world-renowned faculty and a community dedicated to improving human health. This is more than a job - it’s an opportunity to shape the future of medicine.

About the Harvard Program in Therapeutic Science:

The Harvard Program in Therapeutic Science (HiTS) is a vibrant, interdisciplinary research community spanning Harvard Medical School, affiliated hospitals, and partner institutions. The HiTS Finance and Administration team provides expert research administration and financial management services to faculty and researchers conducting high-impact science, supported through a complex portfolio of federal awards, private foundation grants, industry partnerships, and an active and growing service center operation.

Job Description

The Financial Associate II reports directly to the Assistant Director of Finance (ADF) and is a core member of the HiTS Finance and Administration team. The team’s mission is to provide the HiTS research community with exceptional pre- and post-award research administration services while ensuring full compliance with all applicable federal, sponsor, and University guidelines. This position carries primary responsibility for accounts payable and receivable, travel and corporate card administration, financial reporting and monitoring, and financial data management across HiTS systems. The associate also provides pre- and post-award lifecycle support for fellowship applications and manages a small portfolio of sponsored research awards at the supervisor’s discretion. The role requires a high degree of accuracy, sound independent judgment, and comprehensive working knowledge of University, HMS, and sponsor-specific financial policies. As the sole individual on the HiTS Finance team managing this scope of work, the associate plays an important operational role in enabling HiTS to meet its financial obligations to sponsors, donors, Harvard University, and the research personnel that we support.

Job Responsibilities:

• Processes all financial transactions for accounts payable, purchasing card, reimbursements, journal entries, and review of travel and Corporate Card charges in a timely, efficient and transparent manner in compliance with the rules that govern the expenditure of grant, school, and gift funds.
• Ensures all service center expenses are properly allocated to HiTS funds. Manages open commitments reports for POs, non-employee reimbursements, Concur payments, etc.
• Processes and issues invoices to affiliated hospitals and local university partners for chargebacks and LSP Service Center fees.
• Participates in monthly reconciliation processes.
• Problem-solves reimbursements for non-employees and resolves numerous vendor management issues with Central Accounts Payable.
• Point person in HiTS to provide travel and conference-related support to HiTS members using Concur and Egencia.
• Updates and maintains prepayment schedules for HiTS and the Core; prepares and posts related quarterly prepayment journals to the general ledger in accordance with GAAP and University policy.
• Initiates all personnel costing change request documents on a monthly basis and routes them for timely grants manager approval.
• Provides pre- and post-award administration and lifecycle support for fellowship applications, including submission preparation, award setup, ongoing monitoring, monthly projections, and regular communication of award status to principal investigators.
• May be assigned a small portfolio of sponsored research grants at the manager’s discretion.
• All financial staff have a responsibility to read, interpret and act on University policies and HiTS guidelines. Ensures appropriate business purpose descriptions, correct Chart of Accounts use, proper approval authorization, compliance with Uniform Guidance and other financial accounting requirements, and ensures appropriate documentation to adequately support and all transactions.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications:

• 5 or more years of experience in accounting, finance, research administration or related field. Higher education may count towards experience.

Additional Qualifications and Skills:

• Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to convey complex financial information clearly to non-financial audiences.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and to handle complex, confidential information with discretion.
• Proficiency in Excel and the ability to navigate enterprise Oracle-based financial applications.
• Aptitude and motivation to learn complex data query tools and adapt to new web-based systems.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple concurrent priorities and see tasks through to timely completion.
• Ability to work both collaboratively as part of a team and independently, taking initiative as needed.
• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field.
• Experience with Harvard financial and grant management systems, including HART, Buy-2-Pay, and Concur.
• Familiarity with Uniform Guidance and federal sponsored research regulations.
• Prior experience in a higher education or academic research administration environment.