Finance and Accounting Analyst 2 - Center for Health Systems Effectiveness

Department Overview

The Center for Health Systems Effectiveness (CHSE) is devoted to transforming health systems through actionable cross-disciplinary and collaborative research. CHSE is committed to providing a welcoming, inclusive work environment that promotes diversity.¿ CHSE is a 35+ person, $4 million multi-sourced annual research unit within the OHSU School of Medicine’s Department of Emergency Medicine (DEM). The Center is independently funded through a complex web of federal grants, contracts with multiple states and various stakeholders, and foundational support. The Center receives only basic, annual financial oversight from the DEM and otherwise manages its finances independently of the DEM. The CHSE Senior Fiscal Analyst is responsible for developing, accurately, and managing all Center-wide budget tools for CHSE’s portfolio of over 30 federal and state-agency grants and contracts totaling approximately $15 million across multiple years. The SFA actively coordinates between CHSE’s independent budget and requirements from the DEM. The SFA manages complicated labor schedules and distributions along with effort certification for CHSE staff in compliance with federal research regulations. Due to CHSE’s complex web of funding sources, the Center has internally developed multiple financial management tools that complement University systems. In addition to these customized internal systems, the SFA regularly works with reports from OHSU’s general ledger, the Oracle Grants Accounting systems, OHSU Cognos, the University Financial Outlook (UFO) projection system, and the OHSU Foundation accounting system. The position maintains an intimate understanding of CHSE funding sources, strong relationships with DEM’s management staff, and a muscle-memory working knowledge of these OHSU financial systems. In addition to center-wide financial reporting and analysis, the SFA issues monthly reports on individual CHSE grant and contract accounts, communicating with investigators and project leads about project financial status and problem-solving on resource needs. The SFA consults with investigators on budgeting and contracting for individual grant and contract accounts in compliance with sponsor or federal budget guidance. The CHSE Senior Fiscal Analyst reports regularly to the CHSE Director of Operations and is responsible for proactive problem-solving in every financial area of the Center. The SFA has seats on two of the Center’s internal operational teams, Administration and Research, providing key economic direction and advice that supports fiscally viable decisions and effective center performance.

 

This position has the potential to be fully remote or in Portland, Oregon at OHSU’s South Waterfront campus.

Function/Duties of Position

Specialized Financial Management. In addition to general accounting mechanics, work with interrelated accounts of high complexity within CHSE's / OHSU's accounting system, allocating changes to funds and accounts, reconciling accounts, analyzing accounting transactions, preparing reports, and maintaining accounting controls at the organization level or institutional level.

Cost & Financial Analysis. Employ 1) cost-benefit analysis to review financial requests, assessing program tradeoffs and exploring alternative funding methods, and 2) independent financial performance analysis and evaluation in cases of a complex or unusual nature, preparing presentations for and making recommendations to unit leaders. Develops and maintains financial analysis tools to meet the specialized needs of different leadership roles. 

Center-wide Governance Functions. Actively contributes to the review of CHSE working practices and the development of administrative and fiscal policies that further the Center’s mission and values. 

Complex Labor Distribution and Reconciliation with Project & Center-wide Budgets. All CHSE faculty, researchers, and staff work with the Center’s Financial Analyst to ensure full coverage for all faculty and staff across all funding sources while ensuring that FTE paid appropriately reflects effort spent.¿This position provides continual evaluation of actual effort versus proposed and reviews all effort certification statements.

Data Queries & Variance Analysis. Creates complex ad hoc data queries to analyze financial data of a complex or unusual nature, develops queries/reports for distribution to others, and analyzes and explains to leadership the budget-to-actual variances. 

Other duties as assigned. 

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field from an accredited college or university. AND 

• Minimum of 2 years of progressively responsible relevant work experience Depending upon the specific job duties, a position assigned to this classification may require the candidate to have 36 hours of accounting courses as described above, or an accounting degree, or demonstrate proficiency of accounting principles (e.g. GAAP). 

• Prior Academic Health Center or relevant financial specific experience performing analysis related to operational improvements and business cases

Job Related Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (Competencies): 

• Highly proficient with use of PC including database and spreadsheet applications. 

• Advanced spreadsheet skills, including complex functions, formulas, and formatting. 

• Experience with relational databases.  

• Understanding of financial reporting concepts such as cost accounting and net present value analysis.  

• Communication and interpersonal skills including the ability to consult with internal and external customers regarding matters/issues, which may be sensitive in nature. 

• Familiarity with NIH grant administration practices and rules

Preferred Qualifications

Experience

• Prior Academic Health Center or relevant financial specific experience performing analysis related to operational improvements and business cases for a complex-funded, multi-portfolio Center. 

Job Related Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (Competencies):

• Experience managing accounts using Oracle Grants Accounting and Cognos systems, OHSU HR Express system,  

• Strong working knowledge of the pros/cons of OHSU’s University Financial Outlook (UFO) system and ability to use UFO in combination of other Center-built tools for complex budget management and projections.

• Familiarity with basic database operations and SQL  

Additional Details

• This is a full-time 1.0 position. Hours vary ~40 hrs./week; core hours are 10:00-2:00 PST with occasionally required evenings or weekends. 

• Must be able to sit at a desk for 2-3 hours at a time performing repetitive keyboard motions. 

All are welcome

Oregon Health & Science University values a diverse and culturally competent workforce. We are proud of our commitment to being an equal opportunity, affirmative action organization that does not discriminate against applicants on the basis of any protected class status, including disability status and protected veteran status. Individuals with diverse backgrounds and those who promote diversity and a culture of inclusion are encouraged to apply. To request reasonable accommodation contact the Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Department at 503-494-5148 or aaeo@ohsu.edu. As an organization devoted to the health and well-being of people in Oregon and beyond, OHSU requires its employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.