Finance and Grants Manager (TEMP)

UCF; Orlando (FL); On-site; USD 61,000 - 99,000; Full time

Job summary

Pegasus Research Institute, part of the University of Central Florida, seeks a strategic financial manager to oversee sponsored research administration for federal, state, and industry projects. You will lead budget development, forecasting, award management, and post-award activities, ensuring compliance and sound financial stewardship.

You will partner with institute leadership and principal investigators to provide timely financial analysis, reporting, and proactive planning across multiple

Qualifications

• Master's degree with 7-10 years in strategic communications, public affairs, stakeholder engagement, research communications, or related program communications.
• Communications strategy, message architecture, editorial planning, and brand governance.
• Executive, public, sponsor, and multi-stakeholder communications.
• Workshops, events, councils, industry outreach, and stakeholder engagement.
• Website, content, publication, and technical-communications oversight.
• Issues, approvals, sensitive-content, and crisis-communications management.
• Team leadership and workload prioritization across communications deliverables.

Responsibilities

• Manage the financial administration of sponsored research programs, grants, contracts, and institutional funding sources.
• Develop and oversee operating budgets, multi-year financial plans, forecasts, and funding projections for research programs and institute operations.
• Monitor expenditures and revenue activity to ensure appropriate use of funds and compliance with sponsor requirements and institutional policies.
• Analyze funding availability and provide recommendations to institute leadership regarding budget planning, resource allocation, and financial strategy.
• Prepare executive-level financial reports, budget summaries, projections, and ad hoc analyses to support decision-making.
• Review and monitor cost allowability, cost allocation, cost sharing, and other financial compliance requirements.
• Coordinate invoicing, account reconciliations, and financial transactions associated with sponsored awards and research activities.
• Maintain accurate financial records and supporting documentation to facilitate audits, reviews, and sponsor reporting.
• Manage award setup, modifications, amendments, subawards, and closeout activities in accordance with sponsor and institutional requirements.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, sponsor, and institutional regulations governing sponsored research activities.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Communications strategy

Crisis communications management

Executive communications

Workshops and events

Brand governance

Education

Master's degree (strategic communications, public affairs, stakeholder engagement, research communications)

Job description

Pegasus Research Institute:

Pegasus Research Institute (PRI) is the University of Central Florida’s applied research institute, bringing together expertise from across UCF to solve complex, real-world challenges. Through multidisciplinary collaboration among faculty, researchers, students, and industry and government partners, PRI helps move innovative ideas from research and prototyping to real-world validation and deployment. Its work spans space technologies, health and human performance, energy and sustainability, immersive experiences, and transformative technologies and national security, creating a dynamic environment where research, innovation, and operational impact intersect.

The Opportunity:

This position provides strategic financial management and sponsored research administration support for the institute's research portfolio. The incumbent is responsible for overseeing budget development, financial forecasting, award management, compliance monitoring, financial reporting, and post-award administration for federal, state, industry, and other sponsored projects. This position serves as a key partner to institute leadership, principal investigators, and administrative offices to ensure sound financial stewardship, regulatory compliance, and effective management of research funding.

Responsibilities:

• Manage the financial administration of sponsored research programs, grants, contracts, and institutional funding sources.
• Develop and oversee operating budgets, multi-year financial plans, forecasts, and funding projections for research programs and institute operations.
• Monitor expenditures and revenue activity to ensure appropriate use of funds and compliance with sponsor requirements and institutional policies.
• Analyze funding availability and provide recommendations to institute leadership regarding budget planning, resource allocation, and financial strategy.
• Prepare executive-level financial reports, budget summaries, projections, and ad hoc analyses to support decision-making.
• Review and monitor cost allowability, cost allocation, cost sharing, and other financial compliance requirements.
• Coordinate invoicing, account reconciliations, and financial transactions associated with sponsored awards and research activities.
• Maintain accurate financial records and supporting documentation to facilitate audits, reviews, and sponsor reporting.
• Manage award setup, modifications, amendments, subawards, and closeout activities in accordance with sponsor and institutional requirements.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, sponsor, and institutional regulations governing sponsored research activities.

Minimum Qualifications:

Master's degree from an accredited institution with 7-10 years in strategic communications, public affairs, stakeholder engagement, research communications, or related program communications.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Communications strategy, message architecture, editorial planning, and brand governance.
• Executive, public, sponsor, and multi-stakeholder communications.
• Workshops, events, councils, industry outreach, and stakeholder engagement.
• Website, content, publication, and technical-communications oversight.
• Issues, approvals, sensitive-content, and crisis-communications management.
• Team leadership and workload prioritization across communications deliverables.

NOTE:

Please have all documents ready when applying so they can be simultaneously uploaded. Once the online submission process is finalized, the system does not allow applicants to submit additional documents later.

Special Instructions to the Applicants:

The anticipated hourly range for this position is $44.06 - $71.84. The final rate will be determined based on the candidate's qualifications, experience, and internal equity considerations.

All applicants must be authorized to work for any U.S. employer. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position, and the university cannot accommodate H-1B transfers or employment-based visa processing for individuals currently sponsored by another employer.

Are you ready to unleash YOUR potential?

As a next-generation public research university and Forbes-ranked top employer in Florida, we are a community of thinkers, doers, creators, innovators, healers, and leaders striving to create broader prosperity and help shape a better future. No matter what your role is, when you join Knight Nation, you’ll play an integral role at one of the most impactful universities in the country. You’ll be met with opportunities to connect and collaborate with talented faculty, staff, and students across 12 colleges and multiple campuses, engaging in impactful work that makes a positive difference. Your time at UCF will provide you with many meaningful opportunities to grow, you’ll work alongside talented colleagues on complex projects that will challenge you and help you gain new skills and you’ll have countless rewarding experiences that go well beyond a paycheck.

Are Benefits Important to You?

State Benefits eligibility for OPS employees are subject to criteria established by the State of Florida. The state’s benefits administrator, People First, determines eligibility and coordinates enrollment. If this position becomes eligible for state benefits the employee will be notified directly by People First. OPS positions are not entitled to paid time off.

Unless explicitly stated on the job posting, it is UCF’s expectation that an employee of UCF will reside in Florida as of the date the employment begins.

Additional Requirements related to Research Positions:

Pursuant to Florida State Statute 1010.35, prior to offering employment to certain individuals in research-related positions, UCF is required to conduct additional screening. Applicants subject to additional screening include any citizen of a foreign country who is not a permanent resident of the U.S., or who is a citizen or permanent resident but is affiliated with or has had at least 1 year of education, employment, or training in China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, North Korea, Syria, or Venezuela.

The additional screening requirements only apply to research-related positions, including, but not limited to faculty, graduate positions, individuals compensated by research grants or contract funds, postdoctoral positions, undergraduate positions, visiting assistant professors, and visiting research associates.

Department

Institute for Simulation and Training (IST) - EG Operations - OPS

Hours of Work

Full time

Work Schedule

Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Type of Appointment

Fixed Term (Fixed Term)

Hourly Rate

Negotiable

Benefits Eligibility

State Benefits eligibility for OPS employees are subject to criteria established by the State of Florida. The state’s benefits administrator, People First, determines eligibility and coordinates enrollment. If this position becomes eligible for state benefits the employee will be notified directly by People First. OPS positions are not entitled to paid time off.

The University of Central Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.

As a Florida public university, the University of Central Florida makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request.

UCF is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer.