Associate Administrative Officer, Research Administration

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

. Independently manage financial administration for assigned departments, faculty portfolios, and sponsored and non-sponsored projects .

Posted 10/7/2026full-timeFranklin • Tennessee • United StatesJuniorMid-LevelWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

Use this summary to align your resume positioning with the role.

Demonstrates expertise in financial management, research administration, and budgeting within higher education or complex organizations, with a strong focus on analysis, reporting, and compliance. Capable of developing and managing financial processes while maintaining confidentiality and professionalism.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Financial ManagementResearch AdministrationBudget DevelopmentMicrosoft Excel ProficiencyOracle Cloud Experience

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Financial ReportingBudgetingForecastingExpense ReviewReconciliationCost TransfersData AnalysisFinancial ControlsProject Budget DevelopmentAudit Standards Knowledge

Soft Skills

Interpersonal SkillsCommunication SkillsProfessionalismJudgmentCollaboration

Tools & Technologies

Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft WordMicrosoft PowerPointOracle CloudILab

Industry Keywords

Higher EducationSponsored ResearchNot-for-ProfitFinancial AdministrationComplex Organizations

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

CloudOracle

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Independently manage financial administration for assigned departments, faculty portfolios, and sponsored and non-sponsored projects
Develop, analyze, and present monthly financial and forecast reports for faculty and departmental leadership
Evaluate salary, fringe, and non-salary activity and communicate financial position, risks, trends, and recommended actions
Identify deficits, unallowable or misallocated expenses, funding gaps, and discrepancies; lead corrective actions
Prepare and review effort, project, portfolio, and ad hoc financial reports
Evaluate, prepare, submit, and monitor retroactive cost transfers and other financial corrections
Review final financial reports and closeout data; reconcile records and resolve differences with Research Finance and central offices
Develop internal project budgets and advise faculty on resource allocation, spending strategies, and projected financial outcomes
Support annual budget development by compiling, validating, and analyzing financial information
Partner with procurement staff to resolve open commitments, encumbrances, payment issues, subcontract invoices, billing activity, and budget agreements
Maintain and validate personnel and billing information in university and medical center systems, including iLab
Provide guidance on financial, research administration, procurement, and operational matters
Manage assigned initiatives and special projects with work plans, priorities, milestones, and follow-up processes
Establish and update departmental financial and administrative processes
Build relationships with faculty, staff, Research Finance, procurement, shared resources, and university partners
Participate in meetings, training sessions, and roundtable discussions; share expertise and contribute to team resources
Exercise professional judgment and discretion with confidential or sensitive information

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in business, finance, accounting, or a related field is preferred
Minimum of four years of progressively responsible experience in financial management, research administration, accounting, or a related field is required
Experience managing sponsored research finances in higher education, an academic medical center, or a comparable complex organization is strongly preferred
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel
Proficiency in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint
Experience with Oracle Cloud or a comparable enterprise resource planning system is preferred
Ability to analyze complex financial information, anticipate problems, develop sound recommendations, and carry corrective actions through completion
Knowledge of financial controls, expense review, budgeting, forecasting, reconciliation, and financial reporting
Knowledge of not-for-profit or sponsored-program auditing standards is preferred
Strong interpersonal and communication skills
Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, meet deadlines, and collaborate effectively in a team-based environment
Professionalism, maturity, sound judgment, and discretion when handling confidential and highly sensitive information
Continuous-improvement mindset and ability to identify efficiencies, strengthen processes, and adapt effectively to change is preferred

Benefits

Comp & perks

Equal-opportunity employer
Opportunities for professional learning and growth
Hybrid work arrangement