Senior Finance Manager, Planning and Analysis -Research

The Financial Services Department (F$D) is seeking a highly experienced and strategic financial professional to serve as Senior Manager, Planning and Analysis - Research. This individual will lead a growing Planning and Analysis team responsible for designing, implementing, and overseeing financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting processes for sponsored research projects across MIT Lincoln Laboratory.

The Senior Manager will serve as the primary leader ensuring the success of BPF Phase 2+, driving the enterprise-wide modernization of financial Budgeting, Planning & Forecasting (BPF) processes and consolidation of these processes into the MIT LL enterprise planning ecosystem (currently OneStream). They will also provide direct supervision, mentorship, and career development support to the Research Planning and Analysis team, which includes managers and analysts.

This role is highly collaborative, working closely with Laboratory leadership, the Business Transformation Office (BTO), the Program Management Office (PMO), the Information Services Department (ISD), and key research stakeholders to deliver best-in-class planning and analysis capabilities that support both the research and operational missions of the Laboratory.

• Provide leadership, direction, and oversight to the Planning and Analysis - Research team, supervising Finance Managers and Analysts.
• Lead the design, development, and institutionalization of Laboratory-wide budgeting, planning, and forecasting (BPF) processes for sponsored research projects.
• Serve as the executive sponsor and functional lead for Phase 2+ of the OneStream implementation, ensuring successful configuration, adoption, and sustainability of BPF processes.
• Build and maintain a center of excellence in financial planning and analysis, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and efficiency in reporting across all research Divisions and Groups.
• Define and standardize metrics, dashboards, and key performance indicators (KPIs) for tracking financial performance of sponsored projects.
• Partner with key research and business stakeholders to drive alignment on financial planning requirements and deliver actionable insights.
• Coordinate closely with BTO, PMO, and ISD to integrate financial processes with broader Laboratory transformation initiatives.
• Support long-term strategic financial planning, including PTS Ceiling funding requirements, multi-year forecasting, and research portfolio analysis.
• Present financial results, recommendations, and forecasts to Laboratory leadership.
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement, leveraging systems, tools, and best practices to optimize financial planning and reporting.

• 15+ years of progressive experience in financial management, planning, and analysis of sponsored research projects, preferably in a university, non-profit, or government research environment.
• Demonstrated leadership experience managing financial planning teams, with proven success in supervising and developing staff.
• Extensive knowledge of budgeting, planning, and forecasting processes and experience implementing enterprise-level financial systems.
• Hands-on experience with enterprise performance management (EPM) systems, preferably OneStream; experience with SAP is a plus.
• Strong track record of developing financial dashboards, reports, and metrics that drive decision-making.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to think strategically and execute tactically.
• Exceptional communication skills, including the ability to clearly present complex financial concepts to technical and non-financial stakeholders.
• Advanced proficiency in MS Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word).
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and build consensus among diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a government security clearance.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, or a related field is required; MBA or relevant advanced degree preferred.