Research Financial Analyst 4
University of California, San Francisco· Higher Education· Jun 9, 2026 · 5mo agoPosted 140 days ago
San Francisco, CA, United States
In office
Full-time
Mid
$75K–$95K est.
4+ years exp
Before you apply
Ghost Signal:
Open since June 9, 2026 — 140 days, and still accepting applications.
Job description
JOB SUMMARY
Involves providing analytical, financial and training activities in support of contract and grant proposal development, grant-writing, funding, administration, and budget development. Activities may include, management of funds post-award, and closeout activities for federal, state, local and private sponsors. Involves activities associated with analyzing research funding trends and sources, forecasting, planning, and managing of research portfolios by performing some or all of the following:; reviewing proposals to ensure institutional compliance and program success; negotiating, administering and monitoring contract and grant awards, including compliance with regulations, terms and conditions; financial management and reporting; and sub award / subcontract issuance and administration.
The Research Finance Analyst (RFA) uses advanced contracts and grants concepts in the timely management of high volume and high complexity transactions. Review and guide others in the review of financial and administrative management requirements of research contract and grant proposals, awards, and / or transactions to ensure compliance with institutional and sponsor policies. Works independently to assess complex grant, contract and subcontract transactions where analysis requires an in-depth evaluation of variable factors while managing many competing priorities. Provides high level analysis and recommendations for finanical management and sustainability for individual faculty and non-faculty academic portfolios, including sponsored and non-sponsored funds through standard accounting practices and thorough data analysis, including the use of a variety of data sets. The RFA is expected to review, reconcile and maintain records and ledgers in compliance with university policy.
The RFA will serves as the faculty's single point of contact for postaward financial management for research/public service grants and contracts for faculty at UCSF Fresnoand ensures Fresno faculty are provided with a high quality, efficient, responsive, and responsible post-award research administration services.The RFA will be responsible for the entire scope of post-award management services for a variety of award mechanisms, including federal government and non-profit grants, and state and industry sponsored contracts. There are also a number of departmental grants and School of Medicine internally funded grants held by Fresno faculty to administer. The RFA will work with departments at UCSF: several in the Office of Sponsored Research: and the UCSF Controller's Office. The RFA will handle grants and contracts from eight residency programs and three special programs at UCSF Fresno. This position will be required to travel to Fresno for quarterly meetings with faculty.
Collaborates with colleagues both internal and external to the department to meet the required finanical management of sponsored funds. Manages payroll for half of the faculty in the department. May assist the Finance Manager and Chief Administrative Officers with specific assigned projects related to required financial reporting to central units, School of Medicine Dean’s Office or other agencies, as requestd. May assist with training new financial team members, as requested. The RFA must be an expert on University, federal, state and nonprofit accounting policies and extramural fundmanagement, audit compliance, and strictly adheres to grant and UCSF policies. The RFA will be responsible for monitoring the award budget, revenue and cost allocation by working with the various UCSF and other required applications.
DUTIES & ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Identify the functions or tasks that employees in the job perform. The essential functions should state the purpose of the work and the results to be accomplished, rather than how the function is performed. Of the tasks listed , what percentage of time is devoted to each? The more time employees spend on a function, the more likely it is that the function is essential. Generally, include those functions that account for 10% or more of the work, i.e., key items that contribute significantly to the achievement of the job. The functions should add up to 100%.
%
of time
Essential Function (Yes/No )
Key Responsibilities
(To be completed by Supervisor)
15
Yes
Provide high level management, planning, and monitoring of fiscal budget control of contracts and grants administration, submissions, budgets, support documents, gifts, endowments, and privately funded projects for faculty research programs.
• Ensure compliance with all sponsors and university requirements.
• Address issues with members, and is primary contact for sponsoring agencies.
• Reviews the entire portfolio and determines how to accommodate this request; works with central units to request a re-budgeting of the grant by the sponsoring agency
• Ensures that spending remains in compliance with donor intents
10
Yes
Administers, in coordination with central and departmental administrators, the administrative and financial aspects of complex, awarded projects with broad impact.
30
Yes
Provides highly complex projections, analysis, and recommendations. Activities include, but not limited to:
• Financial forecasting on the long-range health of a faculty portfolio,
• Assisting with the analysis and distribution of ICR-related funding,
• Management of state and discretionary resources as assigned to a PI and how that impacts the overall projected finanical health of the PI,
• Analysis of financial health of the overall research portfolio of the department.
• Provide financial advise to PI on available effort of lab for new project;
• Advise on purchasing or contracting needs to outside agencies associated with our projects.
5
No
Assists in support of audit as directed by senior staff.
0
No
Provides guidance and counsel on wide variety of highly complex research administration matters to principal investigators, senior departmental administrators and less experienced department staff. Leads education and outreach activities to facilitate connections between faculty and relevant programs / funding opportunities and promote research to external entities.
15
Yes
Ensures complete and accurate collection of research management administration data at all stages of the contract and grant life cycle. Independently oversees award reporting and closeout working closely with central grant teams and controller’s office to ensure compliance, regulatory, and fiscal accounting reporting details are met in a timely manner.
0
0
0
0
0
0
15
Yes
Reviews budget allocations for policy exceptions, conceives of and maintains chart of accounts or other data management tools, and related business processes. Reviews and reconciles ledger accounts. Participates in gathering data from the general ledger for the collection of information for UBIT, preparing summary schedules, and either answering questions from departments or coordinating getting answers.Manages, maintains and proactively takes action on all requires transactional activities to ensure compliance, regulatory and finanical solvency for all funding associated under assigned portfolio.
• Keep PI appraised of funding mechanism utilization and burn rate during the project via regularly scheduled meetings. Makes appropriate adjustments in a timely manner to ensure overspending/deficits do not occur.
0
10
Yes
Prepares, reviews and / or approves financial transactions. Independently gathers information as needed to perform financial analysis.
100%
(To update total %, enter the amount of time in whole numbers (without the % symbol - e.g., 15, 20) then highlight the total sum (e.g., 1%) at the bottom of the column and press F9. The total sum should add up to 100%.)
Required Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree in accounting, business, or related area and 4+ years of related experience; and / or equivalent experience / training.
• Extensive knowledge of program administration guidelines of Federal and non-Federal sponsors supporting research and educational activities, preferably in a university environment.
• Advanced knowledge of applicable compliance requirements related to use of human or animal subjects in research, financial conflict of interest, biosafety, etc.
• Ability to manage high volume and complex transactions.
• Ability to perform highly complex financial analysis and customized reporting.
• Demonstrated advanced competence in the use of spreadsheet and database software in financial analysis, fiscal management and financial reports.
• Ability to maintain independent judgment;; and a customer service focus across broad and diverse subject areas. Ability to provide clear and accurate explanations to faculty using data-derived reporting mechanisms.
• Maintains knowledge of and ability to interpret and apply sponsor, institutional and departmental policies. Knowledge of current compliance regulations in all areas of research administration.
• Demonstrated advanced knowledge of generally accepted accounting, fiscal and reporting principles.
• Full knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulation, Code of Federal Regulations, sponsor-specific policies, intellectual property policy, conflict of interest requirements, publication rights, application of indirect cost rates and other complex concepts in research administration.
Preferred Qualifications
• Master’s degree in business, finance, or higher education.
• Ability to interpret policy for others.
• Advanced knowledge of effective grant funding processes, procedures and techniques
• Experience with all types of award mechanisms, including grants, contracts, subcontracts, and cooperative agreements.
• Ability to facilitate difficult conversations, and seek appropriate guidance (department leadership, compliance, or legal) with faculty members.
Application prep
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