Working at NREL
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation’s primary laboratory for research and development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.
From day one at NREL, you’ll connect with coworkers driven by the same mission to save the planet. By joining an organization that values a supportive, inclusive, and flexible work environment, you’ll have the opportunity to engage through our eight employee resource groups, numerous employee-driven clubs, and learning and professional development classes.
NREL supports inclusive, diverse, and unbiased hiring practices that promote creativity and innovation. By collaborating with organizations that focus on diverse talent pools, reaching out to underrepresented demographics, and providing an inclusive application and interview process, our Talent Acquisition team aims to hear all voices equally. We strive to attract a highly diverse workforce and create a culture where every employee feels welcomed and respected and they can be their authentic selves.
Job Description
Provide leading class financial management support to Lab leadership, researchers, support personnel and peers. This Financial Analyst position will serve as a senior rates and pricing specialist, focused on the development, monitoring, and analyses of Lab overhead rates, standard labor rates, NREL’s Cost Accounting Standards Board Disclosure Statement, and related policies and procedures. Will work within a dynamic, high-performing, and leading class CFO organization closely collaborating with other CFO analysts and managers to solve complex financial planning, programming, budgeting, and execution tasks, as well as improve institutional processes. This position, as a senior member of the lab support team, has opportunities to engage in many areas of the Lab’s business from decision support and compliance, to project and funding administration.
Responsibilities for this role include, but are not limited to:
Budget Formulation and Planning:
- Assist Lab leadership with decisions on changes to the cost accounting structure and/or standard labor rate structure, which may include providing innovative ideas or solutions, problem solving, conducting complex analyses, helping others understand regulations, and developing plans to execute approved changes.
- Provide support to the NREL annual financial planning processes to include providing direction to Business Managers and fellow analysts, developing templates and forms, consolidating inputs to multi-year rate proposals, performing ad hoc analysis, and communicating impacts and results.
- Assist managers with analysis needed for development of reasonable targets each fiscal year.
- Developing, monitoring, and reporting on Lab metrics.
- Consulting on or assisting with the development of DOE (FOA) and Non-DOE (SPP) proposals and cash flow analysis.
- Monitor and evaluate reasonableness and accuracy of ongoing financial plans for programs and projects, as well as assist Business Manager with analysis to support the development of lab forecasts for productivity, affordability, and cost.
Budget Execution:
- Develop and/or maintain monthly financial tracking and monitoring reports for overhead rates, standard labor rates, and Lab-wide budget execution.
- Analyze plan versus actual cost data and discuss any issues with the applicable managers.
- Communicate on a regular basis with Lab Leadership, Program Managers, Project Leaders, Task/Subtask Leaders, Business Managers and Financial Analysts regarding significant financial requirements and data calls.
Finance Policies and Procedures:
- Provide technical financial guidance on matters related to project pricing and rates application.
- Assist with the development and/or maintenance of policies and procedures for Financial Planning & Analysis group
- Support Laboratory policies by assisting leaders in their understanding of fiscal management responsibilities.
Financial Administration:
- Work closely with project leaders to maintain updates to project cost breakdown structures using Oracle Enterprise Business Systems.
- Create, support, monitor, and update various time-phased budget plans, as required.
- Provide ad hoc reporting for personnel when any financial data requests occur.
- Assist with training of new staff to understand financial responsibilities of their roles.
- Assist with supporting external and internal audit requests including detailed support, effective answers, and the occasional audit report response.
Capital Project Support:
- Support large construction project and equipment purchases as the primary financial lead
- Work closely with Project Managers across the lab, both from the facilities group and the research groups, and an integrated project team to ensure effective execution of projects
- Assist with management of the entire capital project portfolio, working closely with other managers to make decisions and manage funding
- Dynamically address issues and changes in portfolio and investment priorities
- Develop and manage project financials using the Earned Value Management (EVM) methodology (when applicable) by working closely with the Project Cost Controller and Project Manager
- Prepare or and complete pre- and post-project audits and certifications within the EVM process and throughout the life of certain projects (when applicable).