Grants Finance Manager - Core Administration

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Position Summary

The Department of Medicine is among the top ranked departments for NIH funding in the nation, internationally recognized in diverse areas such as diabetes, lipid metabolism, cancer biology, human genetics, developmental biology, immunology, data sciences and outcomes research.

As a member of the research team, the Grants Finance Manager contributes to department's research mission by supporting grant-related post-award administrative activities. In this role, the Manager will leverage their expertise in post-award grant administration and their strong organizational, and problem-solving skills. The ideal candidate will provide coaching, feedback, and guidance to support other team members; collaborate on continuous improvement efforts; and support change management. In addition, the Manager will perform the full scope of post-award grant management for a complex portfolio of projects and serve as a resource to researchers and other grant administrators.

To be successful in this role, the Manager should be able to demonstrate strong proficiency in post-award grant management experience and an interest in and ability to develop others. They will also be enthusiastic about building relationships with principal investigators and about contributing to the ongoing development of the post-award team.

Responsibilities

Post-Award Grant Administration

• Manage a diverse portfolio of sponsored projects (grants, contracts, gifts, endowments), including budgeting, reconciliation, forecasting, and financial oversight.
• Serve as a subject matter expert; ensure portfolio accuracy and coordinate with SPA, SPF, and pre-award teams for award setup, modifications, and reporting.
• Set up and monitor subawards and compliance agreements; review and process invoices promptly.
• Oversee payroll and labor transactions; maintain labor schedules, manage effort reporting and salary distributions, and resolve suspense accounts and overruns.
• Review and process grant-related financial transactions in compliance with sponsor and university policies.
• Assist with budget tool updates, annual closeouts, and preparation of financial data for reports and final submissions.
• Maintain audit-ready records aligned with sponsor and institutional guidelines.

Strategy and Continuous Improvement

• Collaborate with leadership to refine grant management processes and policies.
• Stay current on federal and sponsor regulations; share knowledge and best practices with the team.
• Complete all required institutional and departmental training.

People and Stakeholder Management

• Coach junior staff and contribute to team alignment and process improvement initiatives.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with faculty and administrative offices (SPA, SPF, Finance).

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree or combination of education and experience.
• At least 4 years of relevant experience in grants administration, with a focus on post-award management.
• Proficiency in finance and accounting principles as applied to sponsored projects; familiarity with grant management systems (e.g., eRA Commons, InfoEd, ASSIST).
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills; ability to mentor others in these areas.
• Advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookup functions, and data analysis tools.
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment; adept at managing multiple complex projects and making sound decisions.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills; capable of engaging effectively with senior faculty and leadership.
• High emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills; committed to fostering productive relationships across diverse teams.
• Strong customer service orientation and respect for inclusive collaboration.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in biological sciences, finance, accounting, business administration, public health, public administration, or a closely related field.

Other Requirements

• Successful completion of applicable compliance and systems training requirements.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.