Finance and Grants Manager (TEMP)

The University of Central Florida Board of Trustees; United States; On-site; USD 61,000 - 99,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Central Florida Board of Trustees, via Pegasus Research Institute, seeks a strategic finance professional to manage sponsored research portfolios and ensure fiscal integrity across complex funding streams.

You will lead budgeting, forecasting, award management, and post-award administration for federal, state, industry, and other sponsors, partnering with institute leadership and principal investigators to ensure regulatory compliance and sound financial stewardship.

Qualifications

• Master's degree from an accredited institution.
• 7–10 years in strategic communications, public affairs, stakeholder engagement, research communications, or related program communications.
• Experience in communications for research or sponsorship-related programs.

Responsibilities

• Oversee financial administration of sponsored research programs, grants, contracts, and funding sources.
• Develop and oversee operating budgets, multi-year plans, forecasts, and funding projections.
• Monitor expenditures and revenue for compliance with sponsor requirements and policies.
• Prepare executive-level financial reports, budget summaries, projections, and ad hoc analyses.
• Coordinate invoicing, reconciliations, and financial transactions for sponsored awards.

Skills

Strategic communications

Public affairs

Education

Master's degree in related field

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.

The anticipated hourly range for this position is $44.06 - $71.84.

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.

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.