Lucy Manyara
Baltimore,MD
Summary
Strategic finance leader with over 20 years of experience in post-award grant operations and sponsored programs financial compliance. Expertise in Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200), multi-funded research financial management, and audit readiness. Grounded in doctoral research on long-term financial viability of post-secondary institutions, adept at enhancing fiscal controls and developing systems that ensure operational resilience and sponsor accountability.
Overview
1
1
Certification
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Budget Officer — Office of Research Administration
Morgan State University
01.2020 - Current
- Lead post-award grant financial operations across the university’s research enterprise, ensuring alignment with federal Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200), sponsor requirements, and institutional policies.
- Oversee financial compliance, reviews for allowability, allocability, reasonableness, and consistency across diverse sponsored programs
- Advise leadership on sponsored projects oversight, resource allocation, risk mitigation, and post-award policy development.
- Strengthened internal controls by collaborating with Restricted Fund Accounting, Finance Administration, and academic departments.
- Guide PIs/PDs and departmental staff on release time, summer compensation, and sponsor-specific requirements.
- Contributed to capacity-building in research administration through staff training, process improvements, and development of compliance structures.
- Serve as a key member of the research administration, advancing operational efficiency and institutional stewardship.
- Utilize institutional database systems to support financial analysis, reporting, and documentation.
Budget Officer — School of Computer, Mathematical & Natural Sciences
Morgan State University
01.2008 - 01.2020
- Implemented budget forecasting systems and financial controls that improved reporting accuracy and reduced expenditures variances.
- Recruited and developed grants management personnel, enhancing compliance capability across school.
- Implemented budget forecasting systems and financial controls, increasing reporting accuracy and minimizing expenditure variances.
- Authored school’s first Principal Investigators Manual, standardizing compliance and stewardship practices across departments.
- Authored the school’s first Principal Investigators Manual, standardizing compliance and stewardship practices across departments.
Accountant — University Bookstore
Morgan State University
01.2002 - 01.2008
- Managed audits, reconciliations, inventory controls, and financial reporting to ensure accuracy and compliance in institutional accounting.
- Managed financial reporting and compliance with regulatory standards.
- Streamlined budgeting processes, enhancing overall operational efficiency.
- Oversaw accounts payable and receivable, ensuring timely processing of transactions.
Education
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) - Business Administration
University of Maryland Global Campus
Adelphi, MDMaster of Business Administration (MBA) - Finance Concentration
Morgan State University
BaltimoreB.S. - Business Administration
University of the District of Columbia
Washington, DCSkills
- Grant closeout management
- Sponsored project accounting
- Financial oversight
- Regulatory compliance
- Financial reporting supervision
- Budget forecasting
- Team leadership
- Audit readiness
- Cross-Department Collaboration
- Grant Compliance Strategy
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Strategic planning
- Communication strategies
- Adaptability
- Data-driven decision-making
- Excel
- Microsoft Office Suite
Accomplishments
- Established the School of CMNS Finance Department at Morgan State University, creating the full administrative and fiscal infrastructure to support Principal Investigators and manage a growing portfolio of sponsored programs, a model adapted by other departments.
- Authored and launched a comprehensive PI Manual that unified grant stewardship, compliance, and financial management practices across SCMNS — a model still in use today.
Certification
Certified Research Administrator (CRA), Certified Financial Research Administrator (CFRA), Certified Pre-Award Research Administrator (CPRA)
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
- “Fiscal Compliance as an Internal Controls Measure,” National Society of Professional Administrators (NSPAA) Annual Conference
- San Antonio, TX
- 2024
- “From Zero to Infrastructure: Comparative Lessons in Building Research Security Capacity,” National Society of Professional Administrators (NSPAA) Annual Conference
- New Orleans, LA
- 2026
- “Preserving Knowledge, Enhancing Compliance: A Succession Blueprint for HBCUs,” Society of Research Administrators International (SRAI) Annual Conference
- Atlanta, GA
- “From Voluntold to Visionary: Succession Pathways in Research Compliance at Minority Serving Institutions,” National Council of University Research Administrators (NCURA) Annual Conference
- 2026 (Forthcoming)
Personal Information
Title: Executive Director Candidate — Post-Award Grant Operations Budget Officer | Post-Award Grant Operations | Sponsored Programs Financial Leadership
Timeline
Budget Officer — Office of Research Administration
Morgan State University
01.2020 - Current
Budget Officer — School of Computer, Mathematical & Natural Sciences
Morgan State University
01.2008 - 01.2020
Accountant — University Bookstore
Morgan State University
01.2002 - 01.2008
B.S. - Business Administration
University of the District of Columbia
Master of Business Administration (MBA) - Finance Concentration
Morgan State University
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) - Business Administration
University of Maryland Global Campus