Business and Grants Manager
Overview
The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) seeks an experienced Business and Grants Manager to provide integrated leadership of departmental financial operations and sponsored research administration. This role combines oversight of non-sponsored departmental finances with comprehensive management of the sponsored research lifecycle (pre- and post-award) for faculty, research staff, and students.
Reporting to the Senior Manager of Finance and Administration, the Business and Grants Manager serves as a senior departmental resource for financial strategy, compliance, and operational effectiveness. The position oversees day-to-day financial management, acts as a key approver for departmental transactions, manages research portfolios, and provides supervisory oversight of administrative staff supporting business and sponsored research operations. This role requires strong analytical and financial planning skills, deep knowledge of University and sponsor regulations, and a collaborative, service-oriented approach. Demonstrated experience working directly with faculty Principal Investigators (PIs) is required.
Responsibilities
Departmental Financial Management, Budgeting, and Planning & Analysis• Oversee day-to-day financial operations for the department, including operating, endowment, gift, and discretionary funds (approximately $9.2M annual budget).• Formulate and recommend the annual operating budget in collaboration with the Senior Manager of Finance and Administration and Department Chair; monitor, forecast, and analyze expenses.• Develop and manage pro forma operating budgets, including chartstrings, programs, and activity-based financial structures.• Ensure appropriate and compliant use of University general funds, endowed funds, and donor-restricted resources in accordance with deeds of gift and University policies.• Establish and maintain chartfield strings, funds, and programs as needed to support new awards and financial tracking.• Prepare financial reports, projections, analyses, and summary materials for departmental leadership and faculty.• Set-up casual employee tasks, approve all bi-weekly Time and Absence for the Department. Hire and approve payroll for students through new student employment JobX Hiring and TimesheetX Time Approval system.• Serve as a primary departmental approver for financial transactions across University systems (e.g., Prime Marketplace, Concur, Prime Financials, Labor Accounting, JobX/TimesheetX, ERA).• Oversee labor accounting, time and absence approvals, student and casual employment transactions, and payroll coordination.• Review and approve department credit card activity, travel and expense applications, and SAFE-related transactions.• Communicate and enforce University, departmental, and sponsor policies and procedures to ensure compliance.• Respond to and coordinate internal and external audit requests.
Sponsored Research Administration (Pre- and Post-Award)Pre-Award• Guide approximately 22 faculty PIs through the proposal development and submission process, serving as a key departmental resource for sponsored research administration.• Assemble, review, and submit proposals through Princeton ERA and sponsor systems, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and compliance with University and sponsor requirements.• Collaborate with faculty to develop budgets, timelines, and required proposal components.• Review and maintain biosketches, current and pending support, and collaborator documentation using SciENcv and ORCID.• Serve as departmental ERA proposal approver and liaison with the Office of Research and Project Administration (ORPA).
Post-Award• Manage faculty research portfolios, including sponsored and related non-sponsored funds.• Oversee subaward management, including budget development and expenditure monitoring.• Reconcile grants and discretionary accounts monthly; identify and resolve discrepancies.• Provide regular financial summaries, projections, and burn-rate analyses to principal investigators.• Review and approve expenditures, including invoices, purchase orders, travel, reimbursements, and credit card activity, ensuring allowability and allocability.• Oversee salary allocations for faculty, research staff, postdoctoral scholars, and students; support effort certification and summer salary processes.• Manage rebudgeting, no-cost extensions, cost transfers, and award modifications.• Coordinate required sponsor reporting and manage award closeouts in collaboration with ORPA and Sponsored Research Accounting (SRA).• Ensure timely submission of salary and effort certifications.• Monitor spending against awarded budgets to ensure alignment with project objectives.• Develop revised forecasts and budget justifications as required by sponsors or internal needs.
Staff Supervision & Leadership• Supervise and support the Assistant Business and Grants Manager providing clear direction, prioritization, and oversight of business and sponsored research awards.• Meet regularly with direct reports to review workload, provide coaching and feedback, and support professional development and cross-training.• Review and approve flexible work arrangements and submit annual performance evaluations.• Collaborate with the Senior Manager of Finance and Administration on workload planning, performance management, and staffing needs.• Maintain sufficient cross-training and operational knowledge to provide temporary coverage for key functions as needed.
Other Financial Duties• Serve as a key collaborator and advisor to the Senior Manager of Finance and Administration and Department Chair on financial, grants, and operational matters.• Work closely with ORPA, Sponsored Research Accounting, Finance and Treasury (Shared Financial Services), and partner departments, institutes, and centers.• Participate in departmental, school, and University committees to support process improvement and operational efficiency.• Communicate university, departmental, and sponsored research policies and procedures to ensure compliance.• Contribute to continuous improvement of departmental business processes, systems, and controls.• Attend required and relevant University meetings and training sessions related to financial management and sponsored research administration that include but are not limited to: Coffee with ORPA, Finance Exchange, Disclosure Integrity Training for Research Administrators, Princeton ERA, etc.• Maintain current knowledge of University and sponsor regulations through ongoing training and professional development; adapt practices to evolving regulatory requirements.• Perform ad hoc analyses and projects as assigned.
Qualifications
ESSENTIAL Minimum Required Knowledge, Skills, Competencies, and Abilities
• Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 7 years’ experience.• Strong knowledge of academic financial management and sponsored research administration.• Ability to manage complex portfolios, multiple deadlines, and evolving regulations.• Analytical, detail-oriented, and service-focused, with strong communication skills.• Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder engagement skills across diverse constituencies.• Demonstrated ability to gather, analyze, interpret and present data for varying constituencies and purposes.• Intermediate or advanced (preferred) Excel skills• Demonstrated leadership, collaboration, and commitment to continuous learning.
PREFERRED Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Experience, and Other Education
● Familiarity with University policies and procedures regarding grant applications is preferred;● Familiarity with the University's personnel and fiscal management policies, and the University's sponsored projects and financial system applications, such as Princeton ERA, Labor Accounting, Information Warehouse, and PeopleSoft PRIME or previous experience of these systems at another University is desirable;● Ability to comprehend and to implement the policies of a large number of funding agencies (such as NIH, NSF, DOE, NASA, DARPA, ONR and private foundations and corporations);● Commitment to financial integrity and confidentiality.
Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
The University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's qualifications, work experience, education/training, key skills, market, collective bargaining agreements as applicable, and organizational considerations when extending an offer. The posted salary range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate for a full-time position; salaries for part-time positions are pro-rated accordingly.
If the salary range on the posted position shows an hourly rate, this is the baseline; the actual hourly rate may be higher, depending on the position and factors listed above.
The University also offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees. Please see this link for more information.