Clinical Research Finance Manager - Hybrid - Cancer Center

The Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Iowa is seeking a Finance Manager with the Clinical Research Services team that will provide oversight for cancer clinical research finance and accounting.  Proactively monitors complex accounting functions, ensuring compliance with all university, state, federal, and sponsor requirements.  Negotiates budgets and acts as a resource for financial analysts in negotiating budgets with sponsors.  Partners with principal investigators, clinical research staff, and administrators to increase understand of research finances and ensure transparent, compliant, and efficient management of oncology clinical research funding. Partners with leadership to support cross-departmental initiatives and organizational efforts to improve financial compliance and operational efficiency.

This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement of both on-campus (UI Health Care) and remote work within the state of Iowa upon completion of a 6 month onsite training period, with the majority of work taking place on the U of I/UI Health Care campus.  Per policy, work arrangements will be reviewed annually, and must comply with the remote work program and related policies and employee travel policy when working at a remote location.

Duties To Include:

Financial Operations and Oversight

• Oversees clinical research financial workflow processes, ensuring efficiency, accuracy, and regulatory compliance.
• Continuously evaluate existing procedures for recording financial transactions to determine and implement methods to improve efficiency and accuracy.
• Acts as primary contact for issues related to industry, consortium, NCI-sponsored, and investigator-initiated budgets and accounts.
• Oversees and participates in clinical trial budget negotiations and preparation.
• Validates accuracy of monthly transactions, ensuring timely sponsor invoicing, subject reimbursements, and vendor payments.
• Participates in cross-functional committees, making recommendations and implementing change as appropriate.
• Assists in orientation and education of new staff and faculty regarding the clinical trial financial process and expectations.
• Oversees the reviews of open trials, ensuring accurate financial reconciliation and implementing corrective actions for billing and compliance issues.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Works closely with the Research Billing Compliance department of Patient Financial Services to identity opportunities to improve communication and workflows related to financial information
• Coordinates Medicare Coverage Analyses with internal staff and external vendors and ensures alignment with the OnCore CTMS system.
• Acts as resource for internal and external audit procedures.
• Develops and implements internal controls to ensure adherence to university, state, federal, and sponsor guidelines.
• Collaborates with compliance offices (e.g., Joint Office for Compliance, Research Billing Compliance) to identify and mitigate risks.

Team Leadership & Supervision

• Provides administrative supervision of financial analysts, including performance management, workload assessment, and professional development.
• Establishes audit and monitoring systems to evaluate staff performance and ensure adherence to financial and compliance standards.
• Leads hiring, onboarding, and training of finance staff.
• Develops and maintains guidance documents, SOPs, and training resources for finance, regulatory, and clinical research teams.
• Designs and implements career ladder frameworks, competencies, and retention strategies in collaboration with HR to support staff growth.

Reporting & Strategic Support

• Oversees the preparation and analysis of monthly financial reports for HCCC leadership regarding trial revenue and expenditures
• Designs and delivers reporting tools to support principal investigators’ understanding of trial finances.
• Prepares specialized financial analyses and recommendations for leadership decision-making.
• Identifies emerging financial and compliance risks and advises leadership on process or policy changes.
• Provides financial and operational leadership for large-scale initiatives (e.g., billing system modernization, departmental integration efforts).

Strategic Planning & Workflow Optimization

• Provide strategic leadership in the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of post-award clinical research financial workflows to ensure efficiency, compliance, and alignment with institutional goals.
• Serve as a key stakeholder in the planning, decision-making, and cross-functional collaboration for the billing integration between the institution’s clinical trials management and electronic medical record systems (e.g. OnCore and Epic) as it relates to clinical research finance, billing, and compliance, ensuring optimized processes and data accuracy.
• Identify opportunities to streamline financial operations and drive process improvement.

Supervision Received:

 Direct administrative supervision is exercised over all financial analysts in HCCC Clinical Research Services.

 Functional supervision for the pre-study finance team is provided by the Regulatory and Compliance Manager for activation of trials.

Supervision Exercised:

The Finance Manager reports to the Assistant Director for and collaborates extensively with the Medical Director for CPDM and the Associate Director for Clinical Research.

UI Health Care Core Values (WE CARE)

Welcoming

We are welcoming to the community, partners, staff, and patients utilizing the collective strength of our people. 

Excellence

We achieve and deliver our personal and collective best in the pursuit of quality and accessible health care, education, and research.

Collaboration

We collaborate with health care systems, providers, and communities across Iowa and the region as well within our UI community. We believe teamwork- guided by compassion- is the best way to work.

Accountability

We behave ethically, act openly and with integrity in all that we do, taking responsibility for our actions.

Respect

We create an environment where every individual feels safe, valued, and respected, supporting the well-being and success of all members of our community.

Empowerment

We commit to fair access to research, health care, and education for our community and opportunities for personal and professional growth for our staff and learners.

University of Iowa Health Care—recognized as one of the best hospitals in the United States—is Iowa's only comprehensive academic medical center and a regional referral center. Each day more than 12,000 employees, students, and volunteers work together to provide safe, quality health care and excellent service for our patients. Simply stated, our mission is: Changing Medicine. Changing Lives.®

Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center is Iowa’s only NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center. The NCI designation recognized our cancer center, and its research scientist, physicians, and other health care professionals, for their roles in advancing cancer research that impacts on our ability to prevent, detect and treat our patients with cancer. Not just a floor, or a building, or even confined to a single college. Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center coordinates all cancer-related research, education, and patient care by faculty from 41 departments and six colleges, as well as UI Health Care and UI Children’s Hospital.

Percent of Time: 100%

Work Schedule: Monday – Friday, Hours generally worked between 7:00am-5pm

Pay Grade: 5B

https://hr.uiowa.edu/pay/guide-pay-plans

Benefits Highlights

• Regular salaried position located in Iowa City, IA
• Fringe benefit package including paid vacation; sick leave; health, dental, life and disability insurance options; and generous employer contributions into retirement plans
• For more information about Why Iowa?, click here

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a Business, Accounting or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 3 -5 years of experience in accounting or finance
• 1-3 years of experience in clinical trial budget development and negotiation including investigator initiated and industry sponsored trials
• 1-3 years of supervisory experience that includes financial management as well as performance management and staff development
• Experience with financial contracts, sponsor invoicing, and revenue reconciliation
• Experience with billing compliance requirements and close out procedures
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• Strong attention to detail and proven ability to manage complex workflows
• Demonstrated proficiency in computer software applications including Microsoft products and various databases.
• Demonstrated expertise in complex budget development
• Demonstrated knowledge of Medicare Coverage Analysis and its application to clinical trial
• Experience with insurance and healthcare billing processes
• Experience with financial contracts, sponsor invoicing, and revenue reconciliation
• Experience with billing compliance requirements and close out procedures
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• Strong attention to detail and proven ability to manage complex workflows
• Demonstrated proficiency in computer software applications including Microsoft products and various databases.
• Demonstrated expertise in complex budget development
• Demonstrated knowledge of Medicare Coverage Analysis and its application to clinical trial
• Experience with insurance and healthcare billing processes

Highly Desired Qualifications

Desired Qualifications

• Familiarity with Advarra OnCore CTMS, including financial modules
• Knowledge of medical terminology and clinical trial operations
• Knowledge of University of Iowa accounting policies, procedures, and systems
• Familiarity with Advarra OnCore CTMS, including financial modules
• Knowledge of medical terminology and clinical trial operations
• Knowledge of University of Iowa accounting policies, procedures, and systems

Application Process: In order to be considered, applicants must upload a resume and cover letter(under submission relevant materials) that clearly address how they meet the listed required and desired qualifications of this position.

Job openings are posted for a minimum of 7 calendar days.

Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check and credential/education verification.

References: Five professional references will be requested and required at a later step in the recruitment process

This position is not eligible for University sponsorship for employment authorization. 

With additional questions, please reach out to Sarah Waldschmidt at sarah-waldschmidt@uiowa.edu