Pre-Award Budget And Financial Analyst

About the role

Job Title: Pre-Award Budget and Financial Analyst

Job Description

The Pre-Award Budget and Financial Analyst plays a critical role within the Protocol Activation and Lifecycle Management (PALM) team, focusing on Medicare Coverage Analyses (MCAs) and the development, review, and negotiation of clinical trial and research study budgets. This position ensures that all assigned MCAs and budgets are accurate, compliant, and financially sound, while aligning financial terms with study requirements, billing compliance, and institutional policies. The role collaborates closely with investigators, study teams, sponsors, Clinical Research Organizations (CROs), legal teams, and other internal stakeholders to support timely study start-up and effective financial management across the clinical research portfolio.

Responsibilities

+ Complete assigned Medicare Coverage Analyses (MCAs) and research budgets, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and financial viability for clinical trials and research studies.

+ Develop, review, and negotiate comprehensive clinical trial budgets for industry-sponsored, investigator-initiated, and federally funded studies, including per-patient costs, pass-through expenses, start-up fees, and overhead.

+ Conduct thorough evaluations to determine which studies qualify under Medicare guidelines and institutional policies, documenting results in the Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS).

+ Complete Coverage Analyses and review third-party vendor-completed Coverage Analyses to ensure adherence to all applicable national and local coverage determinations, Medicare policies, and other relevant guidance.

+ Apply deep understanding of Medicare benefit categories and other study factors, such as compassionate use, comparative effectiveness, and coverage with evidence development, that may impact qualifying status.

+ Provide professional support and assistance to faculty and administrators seeking external funding for research and other sponsored projects.

+ Collaborate with investigators, study coordinators, department administrators, and central offices to support timely study start-up and alignment of budgets with study protocols, schedules of events, MCAs, and institutional policies.

+ Review sponsor documents, including applications, award notices, research protocols, and terms and conditions, to inform budget development and financial planning.

+ Conduct financial feasibility assessments for new and incoming study opportunities to ensure appropriate resource allocation and cost recovery.

+ Lead budget negotiations with sponsors, CROs, and other external partners to ensure full cost recovery and alignment with institutional standards.

+ Collaborate closely with internal legal and contracts teams to align budget terms with clinical trial agreements, including payment schedules, milestone payments, invoice terms, and reimbursement structures.

+ Negotiate budget amendments and resolve budget-related issues and discrepancies throughout the study lifecycle.

+ Analyze and synthesize financial information, designing and creating accurate and timely reports that add value to the management of operations and meet the compliance needs of internal and external users.

+ Advise on and apply Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) to specialized areas to properly report financial conditions and ensure accurate financial reporting.

+ Extract and consolidate data from multiple sources to support financial analysis, reporting, and decision-making.

+ Contribute to the planning and improvement of financial methods, practices, processes, and systems to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

+ Collaborate with internal and external contacts at all levels to carry out department goals and provide a high level of service that cultivates and maintains strong working relationships.

+ Accurately record enterprise or subsystem transactions and verify that other entries are recorded correctly to ensure the accuracy of balance sheets, income statements, and other financial activities.

+ Perform complex multi-system reconciliations, navigating multiple complex systems and reporting tools to independently investigate and resolve routine and non-routine discrepancies.

+ Apply and adjust entries to the general ledger or subsystems while ensuring adherence to GAAP, regulatory requirements, and financial reporting considerations.

+ Communicate effectively at all levels and exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive financial and contractual information.

+ Translate departmental finance goals into actionable objectives and identify potential financial opportunities, issues, risks, and solutions.

+ Identify and engage appropriate stakeholders for consultations, communications, approvals, and buy-in when designing and implementing process or policy changes.

+ Establish, implement, and maintain strong internal controls in areas of responsibility to ensure effective use of resources, accurate financial information, and adherence to contractual obligations, policies, procedures, and external regulatory requirements.

+ Ensure compliance with Federal, State, Local, and institutional policies related to clinical research finance, billing, and coverage analysis.

+ Maintain accurate financial documentation and audit-ready records to support internal and external reviews.

+ Contribute to the development and improvement of MCA and budgeting tools, templates, and standard operating procedures to enhance pre-award financial workflows and efficiency.

+ Stay current with industry trends, sponsor pricing models, and regulatory changes affecting clinical trial finance and coverage analysis.

+ Investigate issues in context, identify relevant policies, procedures, and guidance, and propose recommendations or solutions as appropriate.

+ Collaborate with other business offices, central offices, external institutions, and sponsoring agencies to ensure proper management of sponsor funds.

+ Provide mentorship, leadership, and, when applicable, supervision to staff involved in financial, budgeting, or coverage analysis activities.

+ Deliver responsive and professional customer service to internal and external stakeholders, representing the organizations professional standards in all communications.

+ Perform other related duties as assigned to support the broader goals of the PALM team and the clinical research enterprise.

Essential Skills

+ Experience in clinical research budgeting, coverage analysis, billing, and/or a closely related area.

+ Demonstrated experience developing detailed Medicare Coverage Analyses and clinical research budgets, with strong knowledge of the guiding policies and regulations.

+ Demonstrated experience negotiating clinical trial budgets with sponsors or CROs and/or negotiating clinical trial budgets with research sites on behalf of sponsors or CROs.

+ Effective project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, independently solve problems, and manage workload and time effectively.

+ Excellent communication, negotiation, problem-solving, critical thinking, and stakeholder management skills.

+ Ability to prioritize work and adapt in a fast-paced, fully remote environment.

+ Proficient technology skills, including strong use of Microsoft Office Suite.

+ Experience using Clinical Trial Management Systems (CTMS) and Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems.

+ Ability to leverage, interpret, and present data to support financial and operational decisions.

+ Demonstrated application of financial, accounting, and economic concepts in a professional setting.

+ Ability to apply GAAP to specialized financial areas and ensure accurate reporting.

+ Strong attention to detail and accuracy in financial analysis, budgeting, and reconciliation.

+ Bachelors degree in Accounting, Business, Economics, Finance, or a related field, and four years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

+ Masters degree in a related field.

+ Professional certification such as CCRA, CCRP, or relevant financial certifications.

+ Experience working in academic medical centers, Clinical Research Organizations (CROs), and/or pharmaceutical or biotechnology organizations.

+ Knowledge of clinical trial contracts, billing compliance, and charge review processes.

+ Direct experience with Epic EMR.

+ Direct experience with Salesforce CRM.

+ Experience with OnCore Clinical Trial Management System.

+ Experience with REDCap is a plus.

+ Familiarity with Qualified Clinical Trial Evaluation (QCT) and Medicare Coverage Analysis (MCA) processes.

+ Experience with financial management and reporting in a research or healthcare environment.

+ Strong customer service orientation when working with faculty, administrators, sponsors, and internal teams.

+ Interest in contributing to continuous improvement of tools, templates, and standard operating procedures for MCA and budgeting.

Work Environment

This role operates in a 100% remote work environment, providing flexibility while requiring strong self-management and communication skills. The position involves frequent virtual collaboration with investigators, study teams, central offices, legal and contracts teams, sponsors, CROs, and other external partners. You will work extensively with financial and clinical research technologies, including OnCore, Salesforce, Microsoft Office, Electronic Medical Record systems such as Epic, and, when applicable, REDCap. The work focuses on clinical and translational research, supporting efforts to translate scientific discoveries into improved patient care and public health outcomes. The environment is fast-paced and deadline-driven, with a strong emphasis on accuracy, compliance, and high-quality customer service across multiple teams and stakeholders.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of New Haven, CT.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $40.00 - $45.67/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of New Haven, CT.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 25, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully remote position.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [email protected] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.

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New Haven, CT

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