Research Administrator, Grant Management

Overview

Founded in 1890, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) is the largest division of Harvard University. FAS is dedicated to being at the forefront of teaching and learning and fostering cutting-edge research and discovery. FAS is redefining liberal arts education for the 21st century and is committed to making a Harvard education accessible to students from all backgrounds.

The Research Administration Services (RAS) office at FAS is currently undergoing a significant transformation to become a networked organization capable of keeping up with the rapidly evolving field of research administration. This bold initiative aims to establish a more coherent and agile administrative infrastructure that promotes the diversity of FAS research and our research community through integrity, ethics, outreach, and engagement. The success of this endeavor is paramount in enabling us to continue to advance FAS’ research goals and make exceptional impact on the world. 

Achieving success in research and research administration demands diversity. RAS is fully committed to cultivating a culture that values and celebrates unique qualities stemming from different backgrounds, cultures, experiences, and career paths. Our networked transformation is centered on setting expectations and providing guidelines that foster an inclusive administrative community, recognizing diversity as a crucial strength for success.

About the Research Administrator, Grant Management:

The ideal candidate for the Research Administrator, Grant Management position possesses strong communication skills and strategic thinking abilities. They should be able to comfortably adapt to changes in grant management priorities, including variance in the field of study/research, and be able to navigate a decentralized landscape with ease. The successful candidate has experience performing both pre-and post-award duties and has a seasoned understanding of grant regulations and compliance requirements, financial management, and project management.

This individual should be an effective collaborator, having strong interpersonal skills to work closely with grant-funded researchers, financial administrators, and funding agencies. They should also have experience working both collaboratively and independently in a hybrid and/or fully remote environment. The successful candidate should be agile, appreciate the significance of diversity in research and academia, and be an unwavering advocate for compliance and integrity in research and research practice.

Brief description of responsibilities:

• Fill-in for departments and center administrators during vacancies and related absences
• Be responsible for providing pre-and/or post-award sponsored administration support in collaboration and/or on behalf of various departments/divisions
• Work with departments/divisions/researchers to prioritize duties, sometimes while working concurrently in more than one area
• At times work directly with one, and others more than one Principal Investigator and/or research portfolio
• Provide onboarding and one-on-one coaching to new departmental research administration personnel
• Provide routine post-award reconciliations and monitoring for identified departments with lower sponsored research volume and low to no dedicated research administration personnel.
• Collaborate on the development of new pre, post-award procedures within school/unit that supports University-wide policies and initiatives 
• Provide problem resolution and/or guidance for sponsored research award management, compliance, systems, and reporting
• Lead the audit of individual sponsored accounts to ensure compliance with University and sponsored regulations
• Ensure the department’s accurate and timely financial analysis and reporting
• Act as a resource for the research community

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required
• Minimum of 7 years relevant work experience
• Advanced knowledge of sponsored research regulations

Additional Qualifications:

Success in this role is not limited to a specific career trajectory, but rather, enhanced by the breadth of experiences and perspectives brought to the table.  Candidates are encouraged to consider how their unique attributes and experiences align with one, some, or all of the expanded list of qualifications below in addition to the anticipated responsibilities, and submit your application accordingly:  

• Minimum of 3 years progressive work experience in three or more of the following areas: grant management, proposal development, accounting, budgeting, research compliance, higher education, administrative support, and other research administration-related areas
• Advanced knowledge of:
  • federal research regulations
  • fundamental research
  • research cost principals
• Strong communication skills
• Interpersonal awareness
• Dedicated collaborator
• Working comfort with Microsoft Office including Outlook, Excel, Teams
• Comfortable working in a hybrid environment
• Ability to pivot in an actively changing environment

Additional Information:

• This position will be based in Cambridge, MA and there is an expectation of two workdays per week on campus.  Individual flexible and remote work options for this role will be discussed during the interview process.
• We regret that we will not be able to provide visa sponsorship for this position.