Overview
SRI Biosciences, a division of SRI International, integrates basic biomedical research with drug and diagnostics discovery and preclinical and clinical development. SRI International, a research center headquartered in Menlo Park, California, creates world-changing solutions to make people safer, healthier, and more productive.
As a part of the Financial Operations Team this role would be dedicated to supporting projects accross SRI’s Biosciences Division. Financial Operations is a team of about 40 business managers, and financial project administrators. The work in this area focuses on government contracting/grants financial revenue models. Our largest funder in the Biosciences is NIH.
The Project Administrator/Controller (PA) ensures that the project’s financial status is managed in accordance with GAAP, FAR/CAS, SRI policy and contractual requirements. The PA will support various projects and their leaders in the preparation of proposals and cost estimates, project setup, and maintenance with timely and accurate financial reporting and invoicing. The PA reports directly to and performs project financial analysis and reporting for the division Business Manager (BM), in SRI’s Financial Operations team, and partners with division leadership, contracts, corporate accounting, and procurement groups among others, responding to queries from both internal organizations and external clients. Responsibilities include maintaining several project forecasts, ensuring accurate revenue recognition, preparing cost estimates for pricing including estimating project cash flows, providing responses to internal and external financial audits and reviews, as well as reviewing contract provisions, financial reporting requirements, and schedules necessary for project set up. The PA will assist in division budget preparation by maintaining project forecasts, review and approval of purchase orders, expense reports, timely invoice back-up reports, and assisting Project Leaders (PL) and BMs by monitoring project financial status and project funding levels, responsible for escalating potential major financial impacts prior to their occurrence.
Responsibilities
The Project Administrator/Controller (PA) ensures that the project’s financial status is managed in accordance with GAAP, FAR/CAS, SRI policy and contractual requirements. The PA will support various projects and their leaders in the preparation of proposals and cost estimates, project setup, and maintenance with timely and accurate financial reporting and invoicing. The PA reports directly to and performs project financial analysis and reporting for the division Business Manager (BM), in SRI’s Financial Operations team, and partners with division leadership, contracts, corporate accounting, and procurement groups among others, responding to queries from both internal organizations and external clients. Responsibilities include maintaining several project forecasts, ensuring accurate revenue recognition, preparing cost estimates for pricing including estimating project cash flows, providing responses to internal and external financial audits and reviews, as well as reviewing contract provisions, financial reporting requirements, and schedules necessary for project set up. The PA will assist in division budget preparation by maintaining project forecasts, review and approval of purchase orders, expense reports, timely invoice back-up reports, and assisting Project Leaders (PL) and BMs by monitoring project financial status and project funding levels, responsible for escalating potential major financial impacts prior to their occurrence.
The PA will learn and perform the following functions with guidance and oversight from the BM:
Project
- Responsible for project setup; partnering with Accounting and Contracts to ensure projects are set up correctly
- Charging structure collects costs appropriately
- Contractual obligations captured accurately
- Billing instructions are per contract/grant terms
- Revenue Recognition established accurately
- Understand contractual requirements (deliverables), terms and conditions (invoice/payment schedules, start/end dates etc.)
- Maintain project plan/forecast by reviewing actual hours vs. planned vs. available personnel, bringing issues to the attention of the Principal Investigator (PI) or Project Manager (PM) and Business Manager (BM)
- Track project billing & accounts receivable (AR); verifying invoices are prepared and issued correctly, on time and per the contract/grant requirements, understanding aging receivables and unbilled on each project
- Prepare contractually required invoice back-up reports, accurately and timely
- Prepare project accruals and estimates at completion (EAC)s
- Provide approved estimates at completion, (EACs) to accounting as required
- Report on key metrics such as project cash position, risks in planned margin/revenue recognition rate (understanding fluctuations as compared to EAC)
- Identify, understand, and explain items that attribute to margin variances and notify PM/PI as well as all other departments concerned of potential issues or risks
- Monitor projects for 75% complete requirements, alert contracts team when notice is required based on the project forecast
- Ad-hoc requirements as needed
Pricing
- Work with PI/PM or capture manager to develop proposal and pricing strategy; ensure proper collection of material quotes, and labor cost, price proposals per the Cost Estimating Manual (CEM) and training
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications:
- BS/BA in business administration, accounting or finance
- U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residency
- 5 years of related experience
- Strong proficiency in Excel, and Microsoft Office apps and the desire to learn new software and system skills
- Able to deal well with conflicting priorities, use judgement to manage work schedule to meet critical deadlines, adapting to flexible work schedule to support varying US time zones
- Work well in an unstructured (possibly remote) environment, seeking information to obtain information, learn new skills quickly and independently, views problems as opportunities, self-motivated to take action
- Collaborative, partnering with others to realize better results, demonstrates a genuine interest and enthusiasm in work, inspiring others
- Detail-oriented, checking all work thoroughly to ensure accuracy, perseverance and positive when facing challenges and adversity
- Exemplary customer service skills
- A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace
Preference will be given to candidates who have:
- Understanding of project forecasting, variance analysis and reporting, proposal preparation, cost control, and project maintenance functions in government contracting environment
- Experience in Costpoint/Deltek
- Familiarity with GAAP, CAS and FAR regulations
- A knowledge of NIH, DHHS, or NSF grant or contracting processes and procedures
SRI is committed to creating and celebrating a diverse workplace that recognizes and values differences, and reflects the communities where our employees live and where our clients operate. This includes valuing differences of race, ethnicity, age, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, body type/physical appearance, disability/differently abled and work styles, or any other legally protected category.
The salary range is: $88,640 – $110,000. Salary ranges will vary and are based on several factors, including geographic location, market competitiveness and equity amongst internal employees in similar roles. Positions may also qualify for SRI’s Pay for Outstanding Performance program or the annual Performance Based Compensation program. SRI also has a competitive benefits package, to view details please go to https://www.sri.com/resources/benefits/.
SRI International, an over 75-year strong pioneering research institute, has a rich history supporting government and industry. Our innovations have created new industries, billions of dollars in market value and lasting benefits to society. SRI is organized around broad disciplines and capabilities, with research and development divisions and labs to groups who excel at identifying new opportunities, developing products and creating custom solutions. Our organization is driven by impact – delivering unique solutions for the world’s important challenges and transforming ideas into reality for clients and partners.