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General information

Location
Cambridge, MA
Ref #
42692
Job Family
Administration
Workplace
On-Site
Date published
24-Jul-2025
Time Type
Full time

Description & Requirements

Operations and Financial Specialist- Schmidt Center We are seeking a meticulous and experienced Operations and Financial Specialist to join the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Center (EWSC) team. Reporting to the Director of Operations, this critical role will provide comprehensive financial support, managing intricate transactions, creating budgets, generating and monitoring financial reports, and ensuring precise tracking of all financial operational activities for the Center. The ideal candidate will possess strong analytical abilities and demonstrate proficiency in financial management processes.

The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Center is enabling a new field of interdisciplinary research at the intersection of the data and life sciences, aimed at improving human health. Our researchers and partners work together to make the biological questions of our time key drivers for foundational advances in machine learning - and vice versa. Given the collaborative and hands-on nature of this role, we require four days of on-site work per week.

A cover letter is highly encouraged as part of your application.

Responsibilities:
  • Responsible for all Concur travel processing and tracking, including account set-up for visitors, postdocs, and students.  Will be responsible for assisting fellows in booking travel, training them on how to submit their receipts, and ensuring timely expense reporting.
  • Create purchase orders through procurement, vpay cards, and submit monthly Concur reports for the Center credit card.  
  • Review and approve vendor invoices, and request close-outs to purchase orders as needed.
  • Manage and monitor all technical asset expenses, such as monthly Foundry compute charges and licensing fees
  • Monitor the Center cost objects, including endowed funds, administrative funds, and research projects to ensure accuracy of all financial transactions, including invoices, purchase orders, salary charges, and Concur reimbursements/travel reports.
  • Research and compile financial data for reports, ensuring timely and accurate budgets and forecasting.
  • Work closely with staff in the office of sponsored research (OSR) and with our partners at MIT and Harvard on drafting and tracking billing agreements and related invoices.
  • Work closely with MIT staff on student appointments for Schmidt Center fellows.
  • Assist in proposal preparation as needed by OSR; track submitted proposals, review award terms, ensure supporting documents are up to date.
  • Provides periodic updates on status and action items for core projects; develops and maintains operational plans for core projects and tracks project spend
  • Organizes and prioritizes day-to-day activity according to core projects
  • Ensures tasks and milestones are met on time
  • Provides ongoing support to team members
  • Supervises and trains team members in the use of Concur, Vpay, PO process
  • Identifies collective opportunities to advance general knowledge and establish new capabilities
  • Coordinates financial activity with the Office of Sponsored Research as needed, including assisting with grant applications
  • Responds to moderately complex inquiries from all levels of employees or external sources
  • Makes travel arrangements including flight, hotel and rental car
  • Responds to routine correspondence under own signature or drafts responses for manager’s review on more complex correspondence
  • Generates reimbursements for travel and food related expenses; submits to Finance
  • Maintains biographical sketch/CV for manager and other staff as directed
  • Other related tasks as needed

Required skills:

  • Excellent communication skills and the ability to interact professionally with all levels of staff and external contacts required
  • Excellent organization and time management skills required
  • Must be able to use sound judgment to solve a variety of issues
  • Experienced in project management to support driving initiatives and meet deadlines.
  • Ability to work both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced and challenging work environment and respond to shifting priorities
  • Highly detail oriented
  • Must possess a high level of initiative
  • Demonstrated ability to identify and implement process improvements.

Minimum qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s Degree required, preference for business administration, finance or related major
  • Minimum of 3 years of related operational support experience – with at least 2 years of experience in financial operations
  • Knowledge of federal web-based grants management systems, enterprise financial systems, query tools, or grants management tools is a plus.

The Broad will not offer sponsorship for this opportunity.