Employment

Harvard Forest is seeking a full-time Financial Associate to join our administrative team. This role is responsible for a variety of financial administration activities (including sponsored research and capital projects), human resources, academic affairs, and general administrative assistance, including contract management and other special projects. 

This position serves as a principal resource for information on internal and external financial policies and procedures. They interact with all Harvard Forest staff and researchers including visiting researchers and external collaborators and a variety of central University offices and external vendors.

Position Description

Financial Administration:

• Ensure accurate and timely recording of financial transactions by preparing various journal entries, internal billings, and travel expense reporting on a regular basis.
• Perform account reconciliations and remedies.
• Recommends improvements for processes.
• Maintains and serve as a principal resource of complex financial policies at the university, school, and department level.
• Query financial records and prepare complex financial reports for use in decision making.
• Analysis of spending patterns and trends.
• Responsible honorarium payments and corresponding documentation
• Train new staff on financial processes and policies.
• Back up for Accounting Associate duties.
• Manage financial records and file retention in accordance with Harvard’s General Record Schedule (GRS).

Sponsored Research Assistance:

• Maintain expertise in the area of research administration to be able to support labs. This may take the form of non-financial progress report compliance and ancillary document preparation and guidance at proposal stage.
• Entering and revising budgets in Grants Management Application Suite (GMAS) at award stage and throughout life of award.
• Setting up and maintaining various tracking spreadsheets to assist with transaction monitoring.

Capital Project & Equipment Management:

• Develop budgets with Director of Administration & Facilities (DAF) and project manager.
• Oversee contractor selection and create contracts, obtain insurance documentation, and monitor payment milestones and deadlines.
• Process invoices and internal journal entries as needed.
• Tracking and reconciling costs to budgets.
• Communicate with Office for Physical Resources & Planning (OPRP) and Harvard Forest (HF) project team regarding status of projects.
• Track capital equipment transactions such as new purchases and disposals.
• Provide guidance on policies and procedures.
• Coordinate departmental inventory every two years.
• Manage financial records and file retention in accordance with Harvard’s General Record Schedule (GRS).

Contract management:

• Contract and service agreement creation and management, including monitoring payment milestones and deadlines.
• Obtaining proof of insurance from new contractors and maintaining for ongoing contractors.
• Oversee independent contractor process.
• Creating bid requests for utilities such as propane and electricity.

Human Resources Coordination and Academic Affairs:

• Management of Temporarily and Less-than Half Time (LHT) appointments including processing all aspects of their appointments, ensuring their on-boarding, and approving their weekly payroll.
• Responsible for all academic appointment stewardship including postdocs, associates, visiting scholars, Bullard Fellows, and other fellows, including the various aspects of onboarding each of these categories of academic appointments.
• Assists and acts as backup to Department of Administration and Facilities (DAF) on all appointment processing and onboarding for all Forest FTE, particularly Research Assistants and Technicians
• Manages confidential files and employee personnel records.

General Administration:

• Support the department with phone and in-person inquiries. Backup to department coordinator on conference center tasks.
• Maintain water operations paperwork and ensure compliance with testing schedule in accordance with MA Department of Environmental Protects (DEP) regulations.
• Maintain and recommend department financial and facilities-use policies and procedures.
• Complete other tasks as needed

Basic Qualifications

• Associate's degree or equivalent experience.
• Three to five years of related experience.

Additional Qualifications and Skills

• Written and oral communication skills required.
• Computer competency requiring spreadsheet and database software required. 
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Ability to handle complex and confidential information with discretion.
• Familiarity with Harvard University financial applications.
• May be tested on appropriate computer skills.

Physical Requirements

• Sitting using near vision for computer use for extended periods of time

Working Conditions

• Work is typically preformed in an office environment.

Additional Information

• We regret that Harvard University is unable to provide work authorization and/or visa sponsorship for this position.
• All formal offers will be made by FAS Human Resources.

Work Format Details

• This is a hybrid position that is based in Petersham, Massachusetts.
• Additional details will be discussed during the interview process.
• All remote work must be performed within one of the Harvard Registered Payroll States, which currently includes Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Washington, and California (CA for exempt positions only). 

To apply or learn more about the position, including its benefits package, click here.