Sponsored Research Finance Manager

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, 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