Research Finance Specialist

Akron Children's; Akron (OH); Hybrid; USD 75.000 - 110.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

Akron Children's is seeking a Research Finance Specialist to provide financial support for clinical research operations. The role demands expertise in billing, grants management, compliance, and financial analysis to ensure billing integrity and sponsor alignment.

Responsibilities include monitoring studies, reviewing budgets and contracts, and collaborating across departments using Epic/OnCore. Strong analytical skills and 5 years in related fields are essential for success.

Qualifikationen

• Bachelor's degree in healthcare administration, finance, accounting, or related field (or 8 years related experience).
• Minimum 5 years in healthcare billing, clinical research administration, or grants management.
• Ability to interpret contracts and sponsor requirements.
• Experience with EHR/EMR and CTMS systems (Epic/OnCore preferred).
• Strong analytical and communication skills.

Aufgaben

• Monitor studies to ensure accurate billing and posting of payments.
• Review protocols, budgets, contracts to determine billing coverage and obligations.
• Ensure compliance with NIH, IRB, Medicare/Medicaid, ACH requirements.
• Validate clinical charges, identify errors, and coordinate corrections.
• Review grant budgets to determine allowable costs.
• Monitor grant expenses and support post-award financial management.
• Conduct quarterly and annual revenue and expense analyses.
• Coordinate ordering of study supplies per budgets.
• Liaise with coordinators, PIs, accounting, sponsors, and CROs.
• Use Epic/OnCore to manage billing and research documentation.
• Support IS/IT collaboration to align research finance workflows.
• Perform other duties as required.

Kenntnisse

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Independent decisions

Communication

Cross-functional

Excel

Epic

OnCore

Infor

Workday

Strata

EHR/EMR

CTMS

Ausbildung

Bachelor's degree

8+ years related experience

Tools

Epic

OnCore

CTMS

Infor

Workday

Strata

Jobbeschreibung

Full-time, 40 hours/week
Days, 8am-4:30pm

Hybrid Remote- onsite required 6-12 days/month

Summary:

The Research Finance Specialist is responsible for providing comprehensive financial support for clinical research operations. This role operates in a highly complex environment and requires advanced expertise in clinical trial billing, grant and post-award financial management, regulatory compliance, and financial analysis. The position involves independent decision-making with direct financial and compliance impact and requires strong analytical capabilities, system proficiency, and subject matter expertise in research billing compliance and contract interpretation. The Research Finance Specialist plays a critical role in ensuring billing integrity, financial accuracy, and alignment with sponsor, federal, and institutional requirements, while supporting the overall success of the research enterprise.

Responsibilities:

1. Monitor assigned studies to ensure accurate billing, timely payment posting, and appropriate resolution of outstanding balances and discrepancies. Investigate and resolve complex or escalated billing and financial issues across multiple systems and stakeholders.

2. Review clinical trial protocols, budgets, contracts, and related study documents to determine billing coverage, payer responsibility, and financial obligations. Analyze study-related procedures to ensure accurate designation of standard of care versus sponsor-funded activities.

3. Ensure compliance with federal regulations, institutional policies, sponsor requirements, and audit standards, including NIH, IRB, Medicare, Medicaid, and ACH requirements. Demonstrate subject matter expertise in research billing compliance and contract interpretation.

4. Review and validate clinical charges to ensure accuracy, identify errors, and coordinate corrections as needed to support billing integrity and financial accuracy.

5. Review grant budgets and funding agreements to determine allowable costs and ensure alignment with sponsor, federal, foundation, industry, and institutional guidelines.

6. Monitor grant-related expenses and support post-award financial management activities, including expense reconciliation, budget tracking, and financial reporting.

7. Conduct quarterly and annual revenue and expense analysis to support operational decision-making, financial oversight, and leadership reporting.

8. Coordinate ordering of study-related supplies and equipment in accordance with approved study budgets, grant funding, and sponsor or institutional requirements.

9. Serve as a liaison between Clinical Research Coordinators, Principal Investigators, Accounting, Finance, sponsors, and Contract Research Organizations (CROs) to support communication, issue resolution, and financial accountability.

10. Utilize EHR/EMR and CTMS systems, such as Epic and OnCore, to manage and track research-related billing activity, financial documentation, and study information.

11. Support the coordination and implementation of research finance systems and related workflows, including collaboration with IS/IT to ensure alignment with departmental needs.

12. Coordinate high-impact financial interactions across departments and external partners, ensuring accountability and resolution of complex financial issues. Perform other duties as required.

Other information

Technical Expertise

1. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage high variability
2. Demonstrated ability to make independent decisions with financial and compliance impact
3. Advanced knowledge of research billing compliance, coverage analysis, and contract interpretation
4. Understanding of grant funding mechanisms, allowable costs, and sponsor-specific financial requirements
5. Proficiency with EHR/EMR systems (Epic preferred)
6. Experience with CTMS platforms (OnCore preferred)
7. Familiarity with financial and reporting systems (Infor, Workday, Strata)
8. Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel
9. Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
10. Ability to communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders and manage cross-functional collaboration
11. Ability to work independently, prioritize tasks, and manage multiple deadlines in a complex environment

Education and Experience

1. Education: Bachelor's degree required in Healthcare Administration, Finance, Accounting, or a related field; or high school diploma/equivalent with 8 years of directly related experience required.

2. Licensure: NA

3. Certification: NA

4. Years of relevant experience: 5years of experience required in one or more of the following areas: Healthcare billing or revenue cycle, Clinical research administration, Research finance or grants management

5. Years of supervisory experience: NA

Full Time

FTE: 1.000000

Status: Fixed Hybrid