Senior Research Administrator

Overview

Department: MED-Neurology
Salary/Grade: EXS/8

Job Summary:

Provides administrative leadership by incorporating a significant amount of experience in support of unit's research programs and mission.  May provide sole support to a small to mid-sized unit, or support a portion of activities in a larger unit.  Using extensive research administration experience within the same unit, coordinates all aspects of multiple grant &/or contract pre- & post-award activities.  Assists in developing new funding opportunities & strategic plans regarding grants &/or contracts by providing guidance & counsel in regard to grant &/or contract administration which includes attending internal & external meetings, interpreting clauses, reviewing contracts, & resolving reporting &/or expense problems.  Reviews associated policy & procedures & recommends changes to increase productivity & effectiveness.  

Specific Responsibilities: 

Complexity

• Typically administers multiple research projects such as:
  • Complex multi-PI or multi-unit proposals, grants &/or contracts 
  • Research portfolio for a more complex small to mid-sized unit
  • NIH U-approximately $500K+/yr. over multiple yrs.
  • NIH P-approximately $500K+/yr. over multiple yrs.
  • NIH T-approximately $100-$200K+/yr. over multiple yrs.
  • DOD and industry awards
  • Center or program grants 
  • Proposals with cost sharing

Pre-Award

• Manages pre-award administration of grants and &/or contracts which may include proposal submission and coordination 
• Proposal budget and justification preparation 
• Sponsor and university proposal form completion 
• Coordinates IRB and IACUC protocols 
• Sub-recipient coordination; coordination of facilities and administrative costs, space, and co-investigator agreements  
• Creatively and proactively evaluates and resolves problems and makes decisions

Post-Award

• Coordinates post-award activities 
• Monitors execution of all financial transactions in research portfolio; 
• Forecasts & provides information for reports on financial status of projects
• Manages day-to-day financial functions
• Verifies that protocols are linked to CUFS chart strings 
• Labor distribution assignments
• Completes expenditure reviews 
• Reconciles monthly payroll entries 
• Verifies & processes cost share entries 
• Prepares & submits invoices to sponsors 
• Identifies program income issues 
• Proposes resolutions to overdrafts 
• Prepares interim & final financial reports 
• Facilitates account close out activities  
• Participates in efforts to improve research administration including serving on university committees related to research administration

Financial

• Oversees unit's entire sponsored project portfolio  
• Reviews transactions and resolves issues that requires a more complex level of financial understanding such as cost-sharing &/or effort reporting knowledge
• Provides information to senior management that is used for department budgeting purposes

Human Resources

• Manages & integrates all departmental staff efforts for grant &/or contract administration
• Provides research administration training
• Develops staff & may assign & review staff work &/or provide direct supervision to research support staff
• Provides research administration training
• Develops staff & may assign & review staff work &/or provide direct supervision to support staff
• Serves as the primary resource for research administration guidance

Compliance

• Ensures compliance with all appropriate NU policies & practices; local, state, federal, agency & sponsor rules, regulations & requirements regarding grant &/or contract administration 
• Recommends changes to improve programs, policy &/or practice
• Resolves compliance problems & issues working in conjunction with faculty

Supervision

• May supervise administrative or financial positions and/or mentor other administrative staff in research administration.

Miscellaneous

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience. 
• 5 years of research administration experience.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Organization, time management, detail oriented
• Multi-tasking, communication
• Self-starter, diplomatic, pro-active, manage stress
• Managing people
• Provide leadership by cooperatively anticipating, coordinating, strategizing

Preferred Qualifications:

• A bachelor's degree or 7 years financial or administrative support experience in research administration; or the equivalent combination of education, training and experience from which comparable skills can be acquired; 
• At least 5 years of experience in a higher education environment with exposure to finance and sponsored research.

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