Financial Manager - FPS

Job Description

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Financial Manager to join our dynamic Finance team. In this role, you will lead a team of two financial analysts responsible for the Laboratory's new program starts, Period of Performance (PoP) and Total Estimated Cost (TEC) increases, funding de-obligations, grants and non-federal contracts, sponsor reporting, point-of-contact maintenance, program closeouts, and other critical financial operations. You will also play a key role in driving process improvements, automation initiatives, and operational efficiencies that support Business Managers and the broader Laboratory community.

This position is ideal for a highly skilled financial professional with extensive technical expertise who is ready to take the next step into a supervisory role by coaching, mentoring, and developing staff while continuing to lead complex financial operations.

This position is not intended for candidates seeking a structured training environment. The successful candidate will be expected to quickly establish credibility, operate with a high degree of independence, exercise sound judgment, and lead complex initiatives with minimal oversight. The ideal candidate is self-motivated, takes ownership of their work, proactively identifies opportunities for improvement, and consistently delivers high-quality results without requiring close supervision.

There are five pillars that define success in this Financial Manager position:

Initiative and Ownership

• Demonstrates exceptional initiative, accountability, and sound judgment.
• Operates independently with minimal supervision.
• Anticipates issues and develops practical solutions before they become problems.
• Continuously seeks opportunities to improve processes, automate manual work, and increase operational efficiency.
• Takes ownership of assigned responsibilities and follows through to completion.

Business Operations

• Provides administrative leadership and supervision of the Program Team.
• Oversees resource management, financial operations, policy compliance, and business processes.
• Removes barriers and enables efficient execution of critical Laboratory financial activities.

Communication and Collaboration

• Demonstrates exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Builds strong partnerships across technical divisions, Finance, Accounting, FP&A, Digital Solutions, Contracting, and external sponsors.
• Effectively presents financial information and recommendations to leadership and stakeholders.

Project Management

• Leads special projects from concept through implementation.
• Successfully manages multiple priorities while maintaining attention to detail.
• Drives improvements that increase efficiency, automation, and customer service.

Staff Development

• Coaches, mentors, and develops financial analysts while fostering a collaborative, customer-focused team environment.
• Promotes accountability, continuous learning, and professional growth.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead and supervise the Program Team responsible for processing new R&D program start packages, Period of Performance (PoP) extensions, Total Estimated Cost (TEC) increases, funding de-obligation requests, grants, non-federal contracts, sponsor reporting, and program closeouts.
• Track programs with funding deficits and coordinate corrective actions while ensuring reporting data is accurate, timely, and actionable.
• Utilize the Laboratory's SAP S/4HANA financial system and the Air Force's FinCon system to execute financial transactions and analyze program funding.
• Prepare the weekly funding and new start briefing materials for review by the laboratory’s senior leadership
• Partner closely with Contracting and Accounting to ensure timely processing of grants, non-federal contracts, proposal approvals, and budget actions.
• Ensure Contract Data Requirements List (CDRL) deliverables are completed and submitted in accordance with contract requirements, including distribution of sponsor reports and maintenance of sponsor and Laboratory points of contact.
• Ensure program closeouts are completed accurately, timely, and in accordance with Laboratory and sponsor requirements.
• Develop, maintain, and improve management reports that support Laboratory decision-making, including the Mod Request Tracker, Exhaust Report, and other operational reporting tools.
• Partner with the Finance Planning & Analysis (FP&A) team to maintain and enhance SAP Analytics Cloud Financial Performance Dashboards.
• Collaborate with Digital Solutions and FP&A to transition manual reporting into automated Power BI dashboards and other enterprise reporting solutions.
• Maintain shared documentation, procedures, and knowledge repositories in accordance with established business processes.
• Utilize Analysis for Office, Business Warehouse, SAP S/4HANA, and other reporting tools to analyze financial data and support Business Managers, technical divisions, and government sponsors.
• Continuously evaluate and improve business processes to increase efficiency, strengthen internal controls, and enhance customer experience.
• Develop and maintain analytical models that project future business outcomes, identify financial risks, and support proactive decision-making.
• Ensure the accuracy, integrity, and timeliness of financial data and management reporting.
• Ensure compliance with Laboratory policies, sponsor requirements, and applicable financial regulations.
• Lead or participate in special projects and other duties as assigned.

Qualifications - Required

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, accounting, or a related field.
• Master’s degree in business or a related field preferred (MBA preferred).
• 8–12 years of progressively responsible experience in financial management, business operations, government acquisition, or related fields beyond degree requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, establish priorities, and successfully manage multiple competing responsibilities with minimal supervision.
• Demonstrated technical expertise in financial management, business operations, and process improvement.
• Demonstrated ability to coach, mentor, and develop less experienced staff while fostering a collaborative and customer-focused work environment.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, Word, Project, and Power Query.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret, develop, and present complex financial information and recommendations.
• Proven ability to streamline and improve business processes through automation, AI, or other technology solutions.
• Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, organizational, and presentation skills.
• Ability to obtain and maintain government security clearance.

Qualifications - Preferred

• Experience working in defense, technology, science, academia, government, or a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC).
• Experience supporting Department of Defense or other federal government agencies
• SAP S/4HANA.
• Analysis for Office (Excel and PowerPoint).
• SAP Business Warehouse.
• SAP Analytics Cloud.
• Microsoft Power BI.
• SharePoint.
• SuccessFactors.
• Fieldglass.
• Concur.