Rice360 NEST Financial Monitor and Analyst

Position Summary:
The Rice360 Institute for Global Health Technologies offers innovative programs that engage undergraduate students in the design and implementation of new technologies to address global health challenges. Through a Global Health Technologies minor, international summer internships, and post-baccalaureate fellowships, these early-stage technologies are prototyped, evaluated, refined, deployed, and scaled around the world. Rice360 has become a leader in global health education, research, and implementation, focusing on experiential and problem-based learning, and has been recognized as a model of excellence by Science magazine and the U.S. National Academy of Engineering. Rice360 works closely with research and program partners in the developing world, collaborators within Rice, the Texas Medical Center, and other educational and medical institutions in the U.S. and around the globe. Rice360 has staff permanently located in Blantyre, Malawi; Nairobi, Kenya; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; and Lagos, Nigeria, to support in-country education and research partnerships.

The NEST Financial Monitor & Analyst is part of the Rice360 Institute for Global Health NEST360 project team and works closely with the Rice360 Faculty Directors and Executive Director on NEST360 project budget oversight and reporting. The NEST Financial Monitor & Analyst serves as a key liaison with NEST360 partner institutions, both domestic and international, on the tracking, analysis, and reporting of finances related to the multi-year, multi-institution, multimillion-dollar NEST360 research project.

Special Instructions to Applicants:
All interested applicants should attach a resume in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

Ideal Candidate Statement:
The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented research accounting and finance professional with advanced knowledge of accounting principles, contract and grant procedures, and compliance frameworks. They are a proactive problem solver who works well under deadlines and demonstrates advanced proficiency in Excel and financial systems, with preference given to candidates familiar with Rice University systems. They possess excellent interpersonal and cross-cultural skills, enabling them to collaborate effectively with diverse partners, including those in low-resource settings.

Workplace Requirements:
This position is exclusively on-site, requiring all duties to be performed in person at the Houston-based Bioscience Research Collaborative (BRC), Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with occasional evening and weekend work. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

Hiring Range: $61,000 - $69,000/year, contingent upon qualifications and experience.

*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime. 

This position is funded by grant, soft, and/or restricted funds. Continued employment is contingent upon the renewal of funding.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree

• 2+ years of experience in grant-funded research budget oversight, expenditure tracking, and analysis in a higher education setting

  • In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education beyond what is required may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis

Skills

• Advanced knowledge of contract and grant procedures and the ability to apply accounting practices

• Advanced knowledge of accounting principles, concepts, and the analysis of accounting transactions

• Advanced knowledge of Uniform Guidance and Cost Accounting Standards

• Advanced working knowledge of Excel

• Ability to independently diagnose and solve problems using sound judgment and decision-making skills

• Strong customer service skills

• Ability to work collaboratively with a variety of stakeholders

• Excellent oral and written communication skills

Preferences:

• Prior experience working with Rice University financial systems (e.g., Banner, iO), the Office of Sponsored Research and/or Research Compliance, and the Office of Research and Cost Accounting

• Related experience in complex research budget oversight, including expenditure tracking and analysis, as well as the assessment of multiple international subawards

• Related experience working with research faculty and staff to communicate the financial status of and prepare financial reports for a multi-year, multi-institution international research project

• Advanced proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite

• Advanced knowledge of enterprise resource planning (ERP) and financial systems

• Advanced professional communication skills, including the ability to prepare materials and clearly and effectively communicate information to internal and external audiences, client groups, and management

• Strong project management skills and the ability to contribute to or lead a cross-functional team

Essential Functions:

• Reviews and interprets legal documents for financial terms and conditions

• Reviews account setup in financial systems to ensure financial terms are recorded with appropriate key attributes

• Clarifies financial terms and ensures correct account setup to maintain compliance

• Prepares financial reports

• Coordinates and works with Sponsored Projects and Research Compliance senior management, institutional representatives, and administrators to establish account structures for complex programs and centers

• Monitors sponsored project activity, including cost overruns, cost sharing, and unallowable or administrative expenses throughout the project lifecycle to ensure compliance

• Performs reconciliations and comprehensive analyses of expenditures and final award closeouts for assigned departments or sponsor award portfolios

• Interprets complex university and government policies

• Serves as a liaison among the University, sponsors, and department staff

• Completes other duties as assigned

Additional Functions:

• Performs highly analytical and complex finance and control functions; multidimensional and complex reconciliations and related analyses; prepares, reviews, and approves complex and high-dollar-value transactions

• Develops complex budgets and forecasting scenarios, long-range plans, and analyses for financial reporting and presentations; designs and runs ad hoc reports

• Recommends and develops solutions that may require policy changes or the development of new processes; maintains a broad organizational and university perspective in decision-making

• Manages compliance programs for the area of responsibility

• Leads and executes unit or cross-functional projects and teams; makes decisions regarding projects and programs affecting operational effectiveness, policies, or processes

• Engages in continuous critical analysis of existing systems and processes; makes recommendations to achieve greater efficiencies and improve internal controls

• Defines requirements, develops and implements complex test cases, performs testing, and analyzes results

• Leads and supports unit and organizational strategy and change management initiatives

• Represents the organization to client groups and external partners; serves as a subject matter expert on matters involving complex technical, financial, or specialized expertise

• Assesses client and business needs and formulates recommendations to determine approaches for managing and completing processes

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits 
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Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please get in touch with Rice University’s Human Resources Office via email at facstaffada@rice.edu for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at jobs@rice.edu . Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.