Research and Budget Analyst

Job Summary

The Budget Analyst Research Administrator is a member of the Economics Finance and Research Administration team. This position facilitates day-to-day financial management operations for faculty, staff, researchers and students. The Budget Analyst Research Administrator reports to the Associate Director of Financial and Research Administration (ADRFA) in the Department of Economics.

This position will perform accounting and financial management duties to assist department leadership with planning efforts, budget analysis, financial reporting, and sponsored research administration duties. The Analyst will have the most intimate working knowledge of all faculty funds than anyone in the department as the individual is tasked with monitoring and reconciling these funds and advising on spending strategies and proper use. They are responsible for providing comprehensive grant lifecycle support inclusive of pre- and post-award sponsored project support to Principal Investigators (PIs), researchers, and students.

This position will work with diverse funding sources, including but not limited to Federal and Non-Federal sponsored awards, gifts, endowments, restricted, unrestricted funds types. The position will be multitasking across various tasks. This role requires independent judgement and problem-solving skills to ensure compliance with FAS and University policies, sponsor regulations, and departmental procedures, and will be an essential member of the Finance and Research Administration team.

Position Description

This position manages diverse and complex accounting, financial administrative, and research administration duties using multiple funding sources, such as sponsored research awards, gifts, endowments, and unrestricted funds. Regular updates on project statuses are provided to the ADRFA.

Budget and Funds Monitoring

• Monitor and reconcile faculty-controlled funding (Federal, Non-Federal, internal research funds, gifts).
• Identify spending trends, potential budget issues, and recommend fund management strategies.
• Ensure faculty have current fund balance information and produce related reports.
• Provide departmental finance analyses to inform leadership decisions.
• Assist with the annual budget process and multi-year forecasts.
• Prepare and review monthly financial reports, meeting with faculty to address spending and discrepancies.

Accounts Payables/Receivables

• Prepare and process journal transfers for error correction and fund reconciliation.
• Distribute financial reports to faculty and department leadership.
• Administer petty cash account reconciliation.
• Assist with accounts payables/receivables and maintain accurate financial records.
• Facilitate supplier setup and wire payments in Harvard's procurement system.

Grants Management

• Manage the entire lifecycle of assigned grants.
• Provide pre-award support for proposal development and submission.
• Collaborate with Harvard's Office for Sponsored Programs and FAS Research Administration Services.
• Coordinate progress reporting and financial reporting to sponsors.
• Provide post-award management support to PIs, ensuring compliance and preparing awards for close-out.
• Prepare monthly accounting updates for grant expenses and projections.

Administration of Agreements

• Assist in preparing, reviewing, and routing contractual agreements.
• Manage the lifecycle of Service and Billing Agreements, ensuring accurate billing, execution, and database updates.
• Maintain and update the database of agreements, ensuring proper funding sources and successful close-out and reconciliation.

Compliance and Training

• Ensure compliance with University financial policies, including Uniform Guidance and Sponsored Expenditures Guidelines.
• Serve as an expert on fiscal policies, procedures, and systems, providing guidance and training.
• Draft best practice guidelines and departmental processes.
• Maintain and archive audit records to comply with University retention policies.

Other Financial Support Services

• Serve as a resource for transactional inquiries and budgetary questions, providing training as needed.
• Mentor interns, assign duties, review work, and provide feedback.
• Act as backup for team members and contribute to unit goals.