University of Maryland
Research Financial Project Manager-1
🇺🇸 College Park, MD
🕑 Full-Time
💰 $106K - $127K
💻 Project Management
🗓️ October 16th, 2025
GAAP
Edtech.com's Summary
University of Maryland College Park (UMCP) is hiring a Research Financial Project Manager-1. The role involves managing the full lifecycle of research project contracts, including collaborating with Principal Investigators on proposal development, processing pre-authorizations, ensuring regulatory compliance, monitoring budgets and expenses, reconciling accounts monthly, and closing out project awards following university and sponsor policies.
Highlights
- Manage contract lifecycle from proposal to closeout for research projects
- Collaborate with Principal Investigators and department leadership on program and budget monitoring
- Ensure compliance with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and university policies
- Reconcile accounts monthly and track project and funding balances
- Bachelor’s degree required; preferred fields include business administration, finance, or accounting
- Minimum of three years professional research project experience; five years preferred
- Experience in higher education, Department of Defense, or research environments preferred
- Proficient with federal contract regulations including 2 CFR 200, GAAP, and Uniform Guidance
- Strong financial management and project management skills including budget development and forecasting
- Experience with Enterprise Resource Planning financial systems and shadow accounting software such as Priority BA4
- Salary range: $105,886.00 - $127,063.20
- Reports to Associate Director, Special Operations within VPR-Research Programs Management Hub
Research Financial Project Manager-1 Full Description
Job Description Summary
Organization's Summary Statement:
The University of Maryland is seeking a Research Project Manager to manage the full life cycle of contracts for a research project. Key responsibilities from proposal development to contract closeout include collaboration with Principal Investigators (PIs) to assist in proposal development for contract submissions. Process pre-authorization requests, ensuring smooth and efficient operations, and conduct meticulous reviews of transactions based on Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) to guarantee compliance.
Research Project Managers are responsible for making sure all expenses are within the budget for a research project, reconciling accounts each month to verify the appropriateness of all charges, and ensuring an effective method of tracking project and funding balances. In addition, Research Project Managers ensure all project deliverables have been completed on time and the project award is closed out in accordance with the closeout instructions, including a reconciliation of the final balance, conducting a final review of documentation on file, and verifying that inventory has been accounted for and reports as required in accordance with sponsor and University policies and procedures.
As a Research Project Manager, you will play a vital role in ensuring accurate reporting, adhering to federal and state regulations, and complying with University of Maryland policies. Successful candidates will be highly organized and detail-oriented professionals with a passion for managing contracts. The Research Project Managers have significant contact with sponsors, PIs and department leadership to review program activities and discuss tasks needed to accomplish program goals, while monitoring impacts on the overall budget.
This position will work closely with members of the research administration team in the department, reporting directly to the Associate Director, Special Operations.
Physical Demands:
Sedentary work is performed in a normal office environment. Ability to travel locally, in state, and out of state to attend and/or set-up meetings, conferences, and other events. Spending long hours in front of a computer. Regularly required to stand, walk, sit, reach, lift/move (up to 20 pounds), point, talk, and hear. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required.
Preferences:
-Bachelor's degree in business administration, finance, accounting, or related field
- Five (5) years of expereince.
-Experience working in a higher education, DOD, or research environment preferred.
-Working knowledge of federal regulations governing contracts, including 2 CFR 200.
-Project management experience in academia, industry, and/or government required, including tracking and monitoring the project's status, budget, and deliverables.
-Strong financial management skills, including budget development, forecasting, and monitoring.
-Ability to work well under pressure without sacrificing accuracy or customer service, handle a complex portfolio of work in an intensive, multi-tasking environment.
-Demonstrating proficiency in the use of software applications, databases, spreadsheets, and/or word processing.
-Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work well with and motivate colleagues of varying responsibilities in the organization.
-Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a demonstrated ability to develop and implement effective policies and procedures while analyzing situations and providing alternative solutions.
-Proven track record of successful grant management, including experience managing complex budgets and meeting reporting requirements.
-Ability to work independently and prioritize multiple competing demands.
-Demonstrated knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and federal regulations and policies governing research administration, including but not limited to, Uniform Guidance, and OMB Circulars.
-Dedication to providing excellent service to internal and external customers.
-Experience with Enterprise resource planning financial system, or other similar.
-Experience with a shadow accounting software Priority BA4, or other similar accounting software.
-Prior experience in a University setting working directly with faculty, researchers or individuals in other related fields.
-Exceptional attention to detail.
The University of Maryland is seeking a Research Project Manager to manage the full life cycle of contracts for a research project. Key responsibilities from proposal development to contract closeout include collaboration with Principal Investigators (PIs) to assist in proposal development for contract submissions. Process pre-authorization requests, ensuring smooth and efficient operations, and conduct meticulous reviews of transactions based on Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) to guarantee compliance.
Research Project Managers are responsible for making sure all expenses are within the budget for a research project, reconciling accounts each month to verify the appropriateness of all charges, and ensuring an effective method of tracking project and funding balances. In addition, Research Project Managers ensure all project deliverables have been completed on time and the project award is closed out in accordance with the closeout instructions, including a reconciliation of the final balance, conducting a final review of documentation on file, and verifying that inventory has been accounted for and reports as required in accordance with sponsor and University policies and procedures.
As a Research Project Manager, you will play a vital role in ensuring accurate reporting, adhering to federal and state regulations, and complying with University of Maryland policies. Successful candidates will be highly organized and detail-oriented professionals with a passion for managing contracts. The Research Project Managers have significant contact with sponsors, PIs and department leadership to review program activities and discuss tasks needed to accomplish program goals, while monitoring impacts on the overall budget.
This position will work closely with members of the research administration team in the department, reporting directly to the Associate Director, Special Operations.
Physical Demands:
Sedentary work is performed in a normal office environment. Ability to travel locally, in state, and out of state to attend and/or set-up meetings, conferences, and other events. Spending long hours in front of a computer. Regularly required to stand, walk, sit, reach, lift/move (up to 20 pounds), point, talk, and hear. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required.
Preferences:
-Bachelor's degree in business administration, finance, accounting, or related field
- Five (5) years of expereince.
-Experience working in a higher education, DOD, or research environment preferred.
-Working knowledge of federal regulations governing contracts, including 2 CFR 200.
-Project management experience in academia, industry, and/or government required, including tracking and monitoring the project's status, budget, and deliverables.
-Strong financial management skills, including budget development, forecasting, and monitoring.
-Ability to work well under pressure without sacrificing accuracy or customer service, handle a complex portfolio of work in an intensive, multi-tasking environment.
-Demonstrating proficiency in the use of software applications, databases, spreadsheets, and/or word processing.
-Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work well with and motivate colleagues of varying responsibilities in the organization.
-Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a demonstrated ability to develop and implement effective policies and procedures while analyzing situations and providing alternative solutions.
-Proven track record of successful grant management, including experience managing complex budgets and meeting reporting requirements.
-Ability to work independently and prioritize multiple competing demands.
-Demonstrated knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and federal regulations and policies governing research administration, including but not limited to, Uniform Guidance, and OMB Circulars.
-Dedication to providing excellent service to internal and external customers.
-Experience with Enterprise resource planning financial system, or other similar.
-Experience with a shadow accounting software Priority BA4, or other similar accounting software.
-Prior experience in a University setting working directly with faculty, researchers or individuals in other related fields.
-Exceptional attention to detail.
Minimum Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Experience: Three (3) years of professional research project experience. Other: Additional work experience as defined above may be substituted on a year for year basis for up to four (4) years of the required education. Knowledge of institutional and bureaucratic structures.Knowledge of program management and administration.Skill in oral and written communication.Skill in the use of Microsoft Office products. Ability to interpret and apply policies, procedures, regulations, and laws.Ability to multitask while demonstrating a commitment to customer service and sensitivity to a culturally and ethnically diverse community.
Additional Job Details
Required Application Materials: Cover Letter and Resume
Best Consideration Date: 10/24/2025
Posting Close Date: N/A
Open Until Filled: Yes
Job Risks
Not Applicable to This Position
Financial Disclosure Required
Yes
For more information on Financial Disclosure, please visit Maryland's State Ethics Commission website.
For more information on Financial Disclosure, please visit Maryland's State Ethics Commission website.
Department
VPR-Research Programs Management HUB
Worker Sub-Type
Staff Regular
Salary Range
$105,886.00 - $127,063.20
Benefits Summary
For more information on Regular Exempt benefits, select this link.
Background Checks
Offers of employment are contingent on completion of a background check. Information reported by the background check will not automatically disqualify anyone from employment. Before any adverse decision, the finalist will have an opportunity to provide information to the University regarding disclosable background check information. The University reserves the right to rescind the offer of employment or otherwise decline or terminate employment if the information reported by the background check is deemed incompatible with the position, regardless of when the background check is completed.
Employment Eligibility
The successful candidate must complete employment eligibility verification (on Form I-9) by presenting documents that establish identity and work authorization within the timeframe required by federal immigration law, and where applicable, to demonstrate renewed employment authorization. Failure to complete employment eligibility verification or reverification within the timeframe set forth by law may result in suspension or termination of employment.
EEO Statement
The University of Maryland, College Park is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment. Please read the University's Equal Employment Opportunity Statement of Policy.
Title IX Non-Discrimination Notice
Resources
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