Director - Finance, KRI LLC

About the Opportunity

Job Summary:

The Kostas Research Institute (Kostas), the applied research arm of Northeastern University focused on DoD-related S&T R&D, seeks a dynamic and experienced Director of Finance to support its mission across multiple sites including Burlington MA, Arlington VA, and Brunswick ME. Kostas is affiliated with the independent 501(c)3 KRI at Northeastern University, LLC (KRI), a wholly owned special-purpose subsidiary of the University, with ambitious plans to grow top-line revenue to and beyond $500 million annually.

This role requires an extremely experienced finance professional who combines a record of professional success in financial management, grant administration, budget oversight, and Department of Defense (DoD) and other federal contract compliance. The Director of Finance will provide strategic financial leadership and operational oversight for all financial matters across the Institute and its affiliated entity, ensuring efficient management of research and operational budgets in compliance with federal sponsor requirements, University policies, and industry best practices.

The Director of Finance will report to the Director of the Kostas Research Institute and CEO of the KRI, LLC. Working closely with the Institute's Executive Leadership and the Program Management Office, the Director of Finance will support Kostas' mission to discover and translate new knowledge through S&T R&D programs for US government mission-driven agencies, allied governments, and corporate customers. The position requires implementing an orderly and trackable business environment with best-in-class practices; providing oversight for effective financial and sponsored award management; executing all aspects of budgeting, financial transactions, analysis, and control; and collaborating with colleagues across Northeastern University Research Enterprise Services (NU-RES), the Office of the Provost, and external partner organizations.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education:

• Bachelor's degree required
• Master's degree or relevant professional certification (e.g., CPA, CPM, CMA) strongly preferred in finance, accounting, business administration, or related field

Experience:

• Minimum of 8-10 years of professional experience in financial planning and administration, project management, or grant management in complex organizations
• Experience working in a research university or research institution strongly preferred
• Experience managing federal (particularly DoD) and/or institutional research budgets 
• Demonstrated experience with DoD organizations, funding mechanisms, and contract compliance preferred
• Proven experience supervising financial analysts or similar positions

Knowledge & Skills:

• Advanced working knowledge of Microsoft Excel required
• Knowledge of university financial systems (Banner, Cognos, Workday, Concur, SharePoint, Argos, Archibus, Tableau, IntelliBUY, etc.) a plus
• Strong understanding of federal research compliance requirements, particularly DoD regulations
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute financial planning and budgeting processes
• Proven ability to lead finance and administrative staff, collaborate across departments, and make effective decisions
• Experience with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and general ledger management
• Effective communication and analytical skills with ability to focus on strategic objectives while executing day-to-day operational activities
• Strong analytical and project management skills with ability to sort out complex financial information
• Excellent strategic leadership and team building skills
• Demonstrated strong commitment to exceeding client/customer expectations
• Ability to multi-task and work independently as well as in teams, with a strong "bias for action"
• Ability to adapt quickly to address new priorities in a fast-paced and unstructured environment with an entrepreneurial, solutions-oriented mindset

Security:

• Willingness and ability to obtain a DoD security clearance preferred
• Active DoD secret clearance or above strongly preferred

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities:

• Develop multi-year operational and research budgets supporting the Institute's growth trajectory 
• Create and maintain budgetary policies and procedures ensuring compliance with University policies, federal funding requirements, and DoD and other federal regulations
• Conduct regular "budget vs. actual" analyses to inform Institute leadership and support strategic decision-making
• Recommend, devel