AVP - Post Awards Finance

Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 180,000 - 288,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Paid time off

Educational assistance

Retirement plan with employer match

Adoption assistance

Job summary

Advocate Health in Milwaukee seeks a senior leader to oversee post-award financial administration across the enterprise. You will set strategic direction, ensure compliance with sponsor requirements, and lead a team of managers, analysts, and research accountants to support sponsored programs.

The role requires deep knowledge of federal grant regulations and strong collaboration with investigators, finance, and operations to optimize processes and controls across grants, contracts, and clinical

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in accounting/finance/administration or related field.
• Experience in sponsored research administration and post-award financial management preferred.
• Knowledge of federal grant regulations and sponsor requirements essential.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for post-award financial administration across the enterprise.
• Establish strategic direction and service delivery standards for post-award functions.
• Lead and develop managers, analysts, accountants, and research administration professionals.
• Oversee financial management of sponsored awards (federal/state/foundation/industry trials).
• Ensure awards are established, monitored, and closed per sponsor requirements and policies.
• Direct invoicing, reporting, reimbursement tracking, cash management, and reconciliation.
• Provide oversight of financial performance and funding utilization across portfolio.
• Serve as SME for post-award compliance requirements.
• Ensure compliance with sponsor terms, institutional policies, and federal/state requirements.
• Develop standardized post-award policies and best practices.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, controls, and reporting capabilities.
• Lead system optimization and process redesign projects.
• Coordinate with investigators, faculty, and finance teams for seamless handoffs.

Skills

Sponsored research administration

Post-award financial management

Federal grant regulations

Team leadership

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Enterprise financial systems

Grants management systems

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Healthcare Administration, Research Administration, or related field

Tools

ERP systems

Grants management systems

Reporting tools

Job description

Department: 10209 Enterprise Corporate - Administration: Accounting

Status: Full time

Benefits Eligible: Yes

Hours Per Week: 40

Schedule Details/Additional Information: N/A

Pay Range: $86.75 - $138.80

Major Responsibilities

• Provides leadership and oversight for all post-award financial administration activities across the Enterprise.
• Establishes strategic direction, service delivery standards, and operational priorities for the post-award function.
• Leads and develops managers, analysts, accountants, and research administration professionals supporting sponsored programs.
• Builds organizational capabilities and infrastructure to support growth in sponsored research, grants, and clinical trials.
• Oversees financial management of sponsored awards including federal grants, state grants, foundation awards, and industry-sponsored clinical trials.
• Ensures awards are established, administered, monitored, and closed in accordance with sponsor requirements and organizational policies.
• Directs invoicing, reporting, reimbursement tracking, cash management, and financial reconciliation activities.
• Provides oversight of financial performance, portfolio trends, and funding utilization across the sponsored research portfolio.
• Serves as the organizational subject matter expert for post-award financial compliance requirements.
• Ensures compliance with sponsor regulations, award terms and conditions, institutional policies, and applicable federal and state requirements.
• Establishes and maintains internal controls to protect sponsored program assets and reduce compliance risk.
• Leads audit preparation, sponsor reviews, corrective action planning, and regulatory responses.
• Partners with investigators, faculty, research administrators, operational leaders, and finance teams to provide guidance throughout the post-award lifecycle.
• Collaborates with pre-award administration, research operations, compliance, legal, clinical trials, and finance teams to ensure seamless handoffs and efficient administration of sponsored programs.
• Serves as a trusted advisor regarding award management, financial oversight, compliance requirements, and sponsor expectations.
• Develops and implements standardized post-award policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Identifies opportunities to improve efficiency, service delivery, financial controls, and reporting capabilities.
• Leads projects focused on system optimization, process redesign, and operational scalability.
• Supports integration and standardization efforts across academic, research, and enterprise finance function

Education Required

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Healthcare Administration, Research Administration, or related field.

Work Experience Required

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Healthcare Administration, Research Administration, or related field.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required

• Extensive knowledge of sponsored research administration and post-award financial management.
• Strong understanding of federal grant regulations, sponsor requirements, financial controls, and compliance standards.
• Demonstrated ability to lead large, complex, matrixed teams and initiatives.
• Strong analytical, financial, operational, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to influence senior leaders and collaborate effectively across organizational boundaries.
• Experience with enterprise financial systems, grants administration systems, and reporting tools.

This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties.

Our Commitment to You

Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more - so you can live fully at and away from work, including:

Compensation

• Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training
• Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job
• Incentive pay for select positions
• Opportunity for annual increases based on performance

Benefits and more

• Paid Time Off programs
• Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses
• Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave
• Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs
• Educational Assistance Program

Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview.

About Advocate Health

Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.