University Staff
Description
**University of Colorado Anschutz
Department: Ophthalmology
Job Title:
Clinical Research Finance Specialist (Open Rank: Senior - Principal)
Position #00852030 - Requisition #40792
Job Summary:**
The Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is seeking a Clinical Research Finance Specialist/ Research Senior-Principal Services Professional to provide financial, operational, and research administration support for the department's clinical trial and sponsored research program. This is an open-rank position and may be filled at the Senior or Principal Professional level, commensurate with the selected candidate's qualifications, experience, and demonstrated competencies.
Under the direction of the Program Manager of Research Finance and Administration, this position plays a critical role in the fiscal management of clinical trials and sponsored research activities within the Department of Ophthalmology. The successful candidate will work closely with investigators, clinical research staff, the Program Director of Clinical Research, external vendors, study sponsors, and university administrative offices to ensure accurate contracting, budgeting, billing, payment processing, financial reporting, regulatory compliance, and related tasks.
Core responsibilities include supporting clinical trial finance and revenue cycle operations, encompassing budget review and negotiation, sponsor invoicing, payment tracking, financial reconciliation, billing coordination, and study closeout activities.
The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented finance and operations professional who is knowledgeable about the entire clinical research life cycle, experienced in managing a large clinical research portfolio, adept at partnering with faculty and research staff, and committed to sound financial stewardship in an academic medical environment.
Key Responsibilities
Senior Professional
Clinical Trial Finance and Revenue Cycle Management
Serve as a departmental resource for clinical trial finance, billing, invoicing, payment tracking, and revenue cycle activities from study start-up through closeout.
Review clinical trial protocols, informed consent forms, clinical trial agreements, sponsor budgets, payment terms, and study calendars to identify financial and operational requirements; develop, negotiate, and finalize clinical trial budgets with sponsors and contract research organizations (CROs) to ensure appropriate study funding and fiscal compliance.
Collaborate with Clinical Research Administration (CRAO), study teams, sponsors, and departmental leadership to support accurate study startup, financial tracking, billing, and closeout.
Interface with OnCore, EPIC, and other clinical trial management systems to track patient visits, medical procedures, recurring administrative fees, and invoice study activity.
Manage clinical trial accounts receivable and payable functions, including sponsor invoicing, payment tracking and reconciliation, follow-up on outstanding receivables, and processing vendor payments in accordance with contract terms, documentation requirements, and departmental procedures.
Perform financial reconciliations and resolve discrepancies related to study revenues, expenses, sponsor payments, invoicing, billing activity, and revenue allocations to ensure accurate financial reporting, account management, and study closeout.
Monitor clinical trial budgets, revenues, and expenses to ensure accounting accuracy, budget compliance, and adherence to institutional, sponsor, federal, state, and departmental requirements.
Develop and maintain a comprehensive calendar that includes award start dates, end dates, renewal dates, progress report deadlines, final report deadlines, invoice schedules, and other key financial milestones.
Prepare and submit journal entries (JEs) to distribute funds, correct financial activity, or transfer expenditures.
Prepare and manage purchase orders, invoices, sponsor payments, subcontract expenses, vendor payments, and other financial transactions to ensure accurate processing, tracking, and documentation.
Maintain supporting documentation for financial transactions, sponsor invoices, reconciliations, award terms, and audit requests.
Compliance, Data Management, and Systems
Maintain complete and accurate study financial records; ensure compliance with sponsor requirements and applicable university, departmental, federal, and state regulations; and provide financial documentation and supporting records for audits, sponsor reviews, and institutional reporting requirements.
Extract data from InfoEd, CU Data, PeopleSoft, OnCore, EPIC and other systems to collect, verify, and store proposal, award, financial, and clinical trial
Principal Professional - all of the above, plus:
Partner with research finance leadership to advance strategic initiatives through scalable process improvement and the implementation of AI, automation, and data-driven solutions that strengthen research administration, operational efficiency, and compliance.
Serve as a departmental subject matter expert on our clinical trial financial policies, interpreting and applying sponsor, institutional, federal, state, foundation, and industry requirements to ensure compliance and provide guidance to faculty and staff.
Work Location:
Hybrid - this role is eligible for a hybrid schedule of 3 days per week on campus and as needed for in-person meetings in Aurora, CO.
Why Join Us:
The Department of Ophthalmology is housed in the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center on the Anschutz Medical Campus. This state-of-the-art facility is one of the largest eye centers in the country and serves not only patients in the Rocky Mountain region but also patients all over the world.
The technological innovations conceived and developed by departmental faculty have changed the practice of eye care throughout the world. Our educational programs train the next generation of leaders in ophthalmology. Our specialists have developed national and international reputations for excellence in routine and complex ophthalmic care.
We have invested heavily in tracking our clinical outcomes and we are proud that our clinicians perform at the highest levels in their respective fields.
The mission of the Department of Ophthalmology is to be a nationally recognized department of ophthalmology by providing exemplary patient care founded on educational leadership, innovative research, and high ethical standards.
Why work for the University?
We have AMAZING benefits and offerexceptional amounts of holiday, vacation and sick leave! The University of Colorado offers an excellent benefits package including:
Medical: Multiple plan options
Dental: Multiple plan options
Additional Insurance: Disability, Life, Vision
Retirement 401(a) Plan: Employer contributes 10% of your gross pay
Paid Time Off: Accruals over the year
Vacation Days: 22/year (maximum accrual 352 hours)
Sick Days: 15/year (unlimited maximum accrual)
Holiday Days: 15/year
Tuition Benefit: Employees have access to this benefit on all CU campuses
ECO Pass: Reduced rate RTD Bus and light rail service
There are many additional perks & programs with the
CU Advantage
.
**Qualifications:
Minimum Qualifications
Senior Professional:**
Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration, public administration, healthcare administration, research administration, or a directly related field from an accredited institution.
Two (2) years of professional experience in finance, accounting, budgeting, business operations, research administration, grants management, contract manageme
