Finance Manager/Finance Coordinator, CIRES

Summary

Job Summary

The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) actively seeks and encourages applications for the role of Finance Manager/Finance Coordinator, with an emphasis on individuals who have worked in research post-award administration areas! As a research administrator, this role will deliver high-quality post-award support services to CIRES Principal Investigators and research personnel. This position will interact with CIRES employees and serve as a primary liaison to CU’s Procurement Service Center, Office of Contracts and Grants, the Campus Controller’s Office, the Research & Innovation Office, various departments on campus, and numerous external funding agencies, etc. to coordinate our research administration services which encompass all financial aspects of sponsored and non-sponsored funding for the institute.

This position is being offered at the Finance Coordinator or Finance Manager level, depending on the experience of the selected candidate. Work between these levels will be distinguished based on the complexity of research portfolios assigned and the independence of work.

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

At CIRES, the Cooperative Institute for Research In Environmental Sciences, more than 900 people work to understand the dynamic Earth system, including people’s relationship with the planet. An institute at the University of Colorado Boulder, we have partnered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) since 1967. Our areas of expertise include weather and climate, wildfire and water, changes at Earth’s poles, air quality and atmospheric chemistry, water resources, solid Earth sciences, and more. Our researchers work in 10 CU Boulder departments and eight NOAA laboratories and centers.

Our mission: Conduct innovative research that advances our understanding of the global, regional, and local environments and the human relationship with those environments, for the benefit of society.

Our vision: CIRES is an international leader in conducting cross-cutting environmental research of the highest quality while bridging fundamental science and service to society. We build leaders, scientists, communicators, and teams dedicated to developing sound and trusted information to address environmental challenges. We embrace a positive and inclusive culture, recognizing that CIRES thrives when our people do.

Responsibilities

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Sponsored Projects Management: 25%

• Interpret, understand and share with PIs and project personnel award terms and conditions in the assigned research portfolio.
• Work with PI to prepare and submit necessary award actions to OCG or through agency websites including but not limited to no-cost extensions, changes in scope of work, budget revisions, restricted funds transfers, PI or Co-PI change or transfer, PI or Co-PI disengagement, requests for additional funding, and addition of new sub-awardee.
• Organize and conduct project kick-off meetings with Principal Investigators (PIs) and essential research personnel during the initiation of new awards.
• Establish regular communication with the PI to manage the financial aspects of the award.
• Maintain proficiency in the Office of Contracts and Grants (OCG) and Campus Controller's Office/Research & Financial Services (CCO/RFS) workflow for project and speedtype setup.
• Interpret, understand, and implement award-specific terms and conditions, adhere to funding agency requirements, follow CU policies and procedures, and observe state regulations for the appropriate utilization of both restricted and non-restricted funds.
  
  

Collaboration with PI/Supervisors and CIRES HR: 10%

• Help facilitate new hires by providing accurate speedtypes, ensuring hire allowability, funding availability, and compliance with the CIRES HR hiring checklist.
• Enter monthly salary assignments and proactively liaise with PIs and research staff for funding assignments and salary projections for the upcoming months.
• Verify funding adequacy for requested salary allocations, analyzing appropriateness based on the approved budget, project scope, award terms, and relevant federal and university policies.
• Submit funding distributions via the salary upload tool or manually enter data into the internally developed salary allocation application for automatic conversion into the Central Salary Database Spreadsheet.
  
  

Reconciliation, Financial Analysis, Reporting, and Project Projections: 50%

• Review funding levels, remaining balances, and project end dates. For sponsored projects, collaborate with PIs, OCG, and sponsors to facilitate additional funding processes. For non-sponsored funds, liaise with other units to manage budgeting or cash transfers.
• Conduct expense reconciliations by running reports in CU Data, scrutinizing each expense for appropriateness, and ensuring accurate account coding. Process expense transfers (Journal Entries) and gather documentation for costs not available in finance systems, saving them in the relevant project folder.
• Encumber future expenses for sponsored projects and auxiliary programs, using reports generated through the internally developed finance reporting application or customized Excel spreadsheets. Projection reports are vital for effective fund forecasting and management, conveying critical financial data to PIs, research personnel, and CIRES Administration.
• Generate ad hoc reports, such as salary histories and what-if scenarios, for PIs.
• Collaborate with PIs to prepare and submit necessary award actions to OCG and through agency websites, covering activities like no-cost extensions, changes in the scope of work, budget revisions, restricted funds transfers, PI or Co-PI changes or transfers, PI or Co-PI disengagement, requests for additional funding, and the addition of new sub-awardees.
  
  

Procurement: 10%

• Use CU Marketplace, as well as the PSC website, to determine and implement appropriate methods of payment (Procurement Card (PCARD)), Payment Voucher, Payment Authorization, Non-Employee Reimbursement, Departmental Purchase Order, Purchase Order (including Individual Services Agreements) or Standing Purchase Order (including Sub Awards) for any given expense. This includes working through interdepartmental processes with the Office of Contracts and Grants, Human Resources, International Tax Office, and the Procurement Service Center.
• Determine the necessary supplemental documentation (Official Function, Honorarium, Request for Sub Award form, Sole Source Justification, Scope of Work, etc.).
• Assist with reviewing and approving monthly PCARD reports for research personnel.
• Monitor PCARD transactions to ensure complete documentation of all card transactions and that all transactions are made per university regulations and sponsor requirements.
  
  

Other: 5%

• Back up other team members, including the CIRES purchasing and CIRES Travel teams, where needed.
• Participate in campus initiatives or working groups and attend training in award administration provided by NCURA, funding agencies, OCG, and CCO.
  
  

What You Should Know

• This position offers a hybrid work modality requiring a minimum of 2 days per week of in-person work, following current CIRES and university guidelines and policies.
• This position may need to be in person more often during the training period.
  
  

What We Can Offer

The annual hiring ranges by position level are:

• Finance Coordinator: $58,200-$72,800
• Finance Manager: $65,500-$81,900
  
  

Some relocation funds are available for eligible candidates.

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder , we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County’s largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be creative. Be talented. Be Boulder.

Finance Coordinator

What We Require

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• One year of experience in research administration, finance, accounting, or related experience.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may substitute.
  
  

Finance Manager

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• Three years of experience in research administration, finance, accounting, or related experience.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may substitute.
  
  

What You Will Need

• Ability to exercise discretion and perform work independently.
• Ability to manage a higher volume of work and a large and diverse research portfolio from multiple sponsors (e.g., federal and industry) and award instruments (e.g., contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, service agreements).
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment while maintaining a high standard of customer service, responsiveness, and willingness.
• Ability to communicate award terms and conditions to project personnel in a courteous, constructive manner; when spending restrictions are necessary, provide options for achieving the project’s objective.
• Ability to learn and navigate finance and university systems.
• Ability to research complex or opaque policies and determine an appropriate course of action.
• Ability to apply good judgment when evaluating expenditures or planning costs with CIRES or CU funds.
• Ability to collaborate and cooperate as part of a complementary team, as well as with other members of the administrative team and campus community.
• Ability to think creatively about our workload and work structure to improve efficiency and customer service while ensuring compliance.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
  
  

What We Would Like You To Have

• Familiarity with financial systems (such as Peoplesoft, Concur, Marketplace, and HCM,or similar).
• Familiarity with federal agency electronic systems such as Research.gov (NSF), NSPIRES (NASA), Grants.gov/Workspace (DOE, Commerce, Ag, etc.), NIH Assist, and eRA Commons (NOAA).
  
  

Special Instructions

To Apply, Please Submit The Following Materials

• A current resume.
• A cover letter that specifically tells us how your background and experience align with the requirements, qualifications, and responsibilities of the position.
  
  

If you are identified as a finalist for this role, we will request professional references at a later time.

Please apply by May 5, 2026, for consideration.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, please apply through CU Boulder Jobs.

In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.