About

Fiscal team serves as a resource to support the research community at CSAIL by providing guidance and stewardship for the researchers and administrators.

Our mission is to provide excellent financial support to investigators in their pursuit of research and other scholarly activities while ensuring compliance with federal, Institute, industry and private foundation sponsor regulations, terms and conditions.

Roles

Data Analytics and Financial Administrator

As a member of CSAIL Headquarters, Data Analytics and Financial Administrator partners with team members, internal and external customers to design, develop, and deploy high quality business intelligence (BI) solutions that meet the current and future needs of CSAIL. The tasks include:

Implements, monitors and supports Business Intelligence solutions
Performs analysis and develops data solutions to help solve real problems and assist in the implementation of these solutions.

As a member of Fiscal team, they focus on using data to support CSAIL financial reporting (20%) as well as maintaining a financial portfolio (80%).

Financial Assistant (II)

Under minimal supervision, Financial Assistant II provides research administration and financial support, including reconciling monthly accounts for multiple programs, projects or departments. Their tasks include:

Provide financial support for accounts throughout the lab
Provide financial support to multiple PIs and their staff
Anticipate and initiate actions regarding office operations which require knowledge of the Institute and other departments
Initiate contact with and respond to requests from internal and external customers
Research discrepancies, use discretion to solve problems
Interact with multiple MIT central offices, e.g., Travel, Accounts Payable, and Procurement
Ensure compliance with MIT’s policies and procedures
Prepares and submits required forms and financial reports in a timely manner.

Financial Coordinator, RAPID

As a member of CSAIL Headquarters, Financial Coordinator performs comprehensive pre and post-award financial research administration (50%/50%) of the Laboratory’s sponsored activities. S/he coordinates the preparation, review, and submission of government, industrial, foundation and other organizational proposals and ensures compliance with agency program announcement requirements and MIT’s policies and procedures.

The Financial Coordinator advises PIs and project leaders on all aspects of research administration and implements their subsequent decisions. S/he monitors the daily financial performance of grants and contracts to ensure compliance with MIT and sponsor policies and meets regularly with PIs to review resource plans and budgets. Other ongoing tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:

Prepare reports, financial analyses, forecasting, and other relevant information for the PIs
Prepare and submit required forms and financial reports in a timely manner
Monitor and manage internal charge backs, payroll distribution and certification
Analyze and track cost sharing and cost encumbrances
Ensure timely close out of grants.

The Financial Coordinator interacts regularly with MIT’s Office of Research Administration Services and Vice President of Finance Office.

Senior Financial Coordinator (Pre-award)

As a member of CSAIL Headquarters, the Senior Financial Coordinator performs comprehensive Pre-award (>95%) and Post-award (<5%) financial research management of the Laboratory’s sponsored activities. S/he coordinates the preparation, review, and submission of government, industrial, foundation and other organizational proposals and ensures compliance with agency program announcement requirements and MIT’s policies and procedures.

Financial Officer

Performs comprehensive pre (20%) and post-award (80%) financial research management. Advises PIs/project leaders; monitors the financial performance of grants and contracts; ensures compliance with MIT and sponsor policies; prepares reports/analyses/forecasting; and ensures timely close-out of grants.

The Financial Officer advises PIs and project leaders on all aspects of research administration and implements their subsequent decisions. S/he monitors the daily financial performance of grants and contracts to ensure compliance with MIT and sponsor policies and meets regularly with PIs to review resource plans and budgets. Other ongoing tasks include, but are not limited to, the following:

Prepare reports, financial analyses, forecasting, and other relevant information for the PIs
Prepare and submit required forms and financial reports in a timely manner
Monitor and manage internal charge backs, payroll distribution and certification
Analyze and track cost sharing and cost encumbrances and ensures timely close out of grants.

The Financial Officer interacts regularly with MIT’s Office of Research Administration Services and Vice President of Finance Office.

Senior Financial Officer

Responsible for management of the daily financial aspects of CSAIL’s research operation. In conjunction with CSAIL’s other SFOs and Manager of Fiscal Administration, supervise FCs and FOs, who serve as the first point of contact for lab members on financial issues. Responsible for:

Directing all post-award activities
Drafting of and monitoring CSAIL’s sponsored research and operating budget
Oversight of lab’s research activity
Managing diverse portfolios of PIs
Preparing complex expense analyses
Forecasting year-end results
Advising Executive Director on all financial matters and strategic planning and interacts at various levels with senior Institute officers, faculty, staff, and sponsors
Working closely with Executive Director, other SFOs and Manager of Fiscal Administration to develop and implement sound financial practices to facilitate reporting and analysis of financial information
Collaborating with other SFOs and Manager of Fiscal Administration in training and development of fiscal staff.

Manager of Fiscal Administration

Serves as a key member of the management team overseeing sponsored program financial administration, including lab-wide account management and lab-wide project management, for a large, interdisciplinary laboratory with current annual volume totaling more than $90 million.

The Manager for Fiscal Administration is responsible for the daily oversight of the budget, financial planning and fiscal management of CSAIL’s sponsored research activities and Headquarters discretionary funds. The Manager for Fiscal Administration, is charged with oversight accountability for CSAIL’s annual research volume, acts as counsel to the Executive Director, on all high-level fiscal matters and related strategic planning; and interacts at various levels with senior Institute officers, faculty, staff, sponsors, and donors. Responsible for:

Preparing complex revenue/expense budgets and analyses
Producing financial management reports
Developing and implementing new financial overview tools
Forecasting year-end results
Preparing ad-hoc financial analyses as requested.

Collaborates with the Executive Director to implement sound financial practices and develops financial policies, procedures and systems to facilitate reporting and analysis of financial information. As the subject matter expert, the Manager for Fiscal Administration is responsible for managing, mentoring, coaching and training fiscal team members including non-exempt, individual contributor, and managerial staff, on all facets of sponsored program fiscal administration. In addition, the Manager for Fiscal Administration directly supervises a core group of fiscal team members (FAIIs, some FCs and FOs).

Meet the Team