Cost Analyst

Summary

Harvard University is a higher education institution whose Financial Administration supports the University's teaching and research mission through financial stewardship, compliance, and operational excellence. The Cost Analyst supports Faculty of Arts and Sciences cost accounting activities by validating data, developing financial and operational reports, analyzing cost allocation and service center rates, and monitoring compliance related to sponsored research.

Responsibilities

• Perform data validation and scrubbing of research base data, including sponsored and non-sponsored activity, to ensure accuracy and completeness for F&A cost proposal development and related analyses
• Support space survey processes by coordinating data collection with departments, validating submissions, and producing reports for analysis of space utilization and research density
• Develop and maintain recurring and ad hoc reports related to space utilization, research activity, cost allocation, and financial performance
• Create, update, and maintain financial and operational reports used to monitor sponsored activity, including budget-to-actual comparisons, spending trends and forecasts, proposal and award trends, and identification of underspent, overspent, or unreconciled accounts
• Monitor key compliance areas through ongoing reporting and review, including cost sharing, effort commitments, equipment purchases, and invalid code combinations to ensure accurate, complete, and compliant accounting
• Support service center rate analysis by preparing supporting data, performing variance analysis, generating internal billing reports, and assisting with midyear reviews and external usage analysis to ensure alignment with rate assumptions
• Serve as a point of contact for sponsored capital equipment, coordinating with FAS equipment managers to support tracking, reporting, and compliance
• Prepare documentation and supporting schedules for internal and external reporting requirements, including audit and compliance reviews
• Communicate reporting results, compliance observations, and data insights to departments, centers, and FAS leadership, including faculty and administrative staff

Skills

• * Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience required
• * Minimum of 3 years' relevant work experience
• * Foundational knowledge of accounting, finance, or data analysis
• * Basic understanding of financial reporting and cost allocation concepts
• * Ability to work with large datasets and ensure data accuracy
• * Strong data analysis and reporting skills (advanced Excel or similar tools)
• * Ability to organize and validate large datasets
• * Attention to detail and data accuracy
• * Analytical thinking and problem-solving
• * Ability to translate data into clear reports and insights
• * Time management and ability to meet deadlines
• * Basic understanding of financial systems and reporting tools

Qualifications

Must Haves

• * Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience required
• * Minimum of 3 years' relevant work experience
• * Foundational knowledge of accounting, finance, or data analysis
• * Basic understanding of financial reporting and cost allocation concepts
• * Ability to work with large datasets and ensure data accuracy

Nice to Haves

• * Strong data analysis and reporting skills (advanced Excel or similar tools)
• * Ability to organize and validate large datasets
• * Attention to detail and data accuracy
• * Analytical thinking and problem-solving
• * Ability to translate data into clear reports and insights
• * Time management and ability to meet deadlines
• * Basic understanding of financial systems and reporting tools

Benefits

• Generous paid time off including parental leave
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one
• Retirement plans with university contributions
• Wellbeing and mental health resources
• Support for families and caregivers
• Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement
• Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks
• Primarily remote role with flexibility to work on-site and optional in-person meetings bi-monthly