Director of Post-Awards Management

Overview

Job Summary

The University of Illinois Chicago is a leading institution dedicated to cutting-edge research and innovation across various disciplines. Our Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research (OVCR) plays a pivotal role in supporting faculty members and researchers across our 16 colleges and schools in securing and managing grants and awards. We are committed to fostering a dynamic research environment that enables scholars to thrive and make significant contributions to their fields and community.

The Director of Post-Awards Management is a senior leadership role in the Office of Sponsored Programs within OVCR. The position is responsible for facilitating the success and quality of UIC research by directing post-award administration and strategic initiatives related to funded projects and grants. This individual will play a critical role in ensuring the effective stewardship of sponsored funds, adherence to regulatory requirements and support for faculty and staff engaged in sponsored research activities. This role assures that all expenditures adhere to federal, state, University and sponsor requirements, develops new campuswide policies and training programs and uses data and metrics to track productivity and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic oversight and direction for the post-award administration of sponsored projects, ensuring compliance with institutional and sponsor guidelines.
• Oversee the financial management of sponsored projects, including billing, budget monitoring, expenditure tracking, financial reporting and compliance. Provide mentorship and professional development opportunities for post-award staff to enhance their skills and expertise.
• Lead the post-award management team in managing all aspects of post-award sponsored projects administration. Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Develop and implement sponsored project policies. Identify problem areas through internal and external audits and through external evaluations and requests of constituencies.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for sponsors, faculty, staff and other stakeholders regarding post-award matters. Foster strong relationships with principal investigators, department administrators and other university units involved in sponsored projects.
• Function as a resident expert on federal regulations and compliance matters. Stay abreast of federal, state, sponsor and university regulations, policies and procedures related to sponsored programs.
• Analyze the impact of federal regulatory changes on the University and direct the implementation of new regulatory requirements.
• Maintain compliance with all policies and regulations regarding sponsored program activity, accounting and individual and/or federal restrictions on expenditures. Collaborate with the post-award compliance team on matters related to audits, site-visits, desk-reviews, effort reporting or subrecipient monitoring.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director and Pre-Award team to assess current workflows and to facilitate collaboration between the pre-award and post-award teams.
• Develop and deliver training programs and workshops to educate faculty and staff on post-award administration best practices, compliance requirements and sponsored project management tools and systems.
• Use data and metrics to analyze productivity, compliance and expenditure trends. Provide review and input as needed in the preparation and presentation of comprehensive data on post-award activities to senior leadership. These data may include various expenditure driven metrics and reports, such as periodic expenditure reports, annual Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) survey and cost sharing. Provide acumen in research and fiscal data management.
• Assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the current research administration processes performed by the office and the effective utilization of information technology for management of office functions. Identify necessary changes, additions and/or enhancements. Serve as a subject matter expert in the development, implementation or upgrade of new systems or tools.
• Oversee the cash management and accounts receivable function of the Office of Sponsored Programs–Post-Award, timely and accurate invoicing, receipt and application of funds.
• Serve as a resource during the annual Single Audit and effort reporting processes.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in business administration or a related field required. Master’s degree in business administration or a related field preferred.
• Ten (10) years of demonstrated work experience in sponsored program administration with a focus on post-award management, preferably in a research university setting. Demonstrated experience in financial and research data, management, compliance and supervision of staff.
• Strong understanding of federal regulations and guidelines governing sponsored research (e.g., Uniform Guidance, FAR, NIH Grants Policy Statement).
• Experience in a university’s central office of research environment highly preferred.
• Exceptional leadership and team management skills, with a proven ability to motivate and develop a high-performing team. Dynamic, collegial, consensus-building leadership style.
• Thorough understanding of federal research policies, practices and trends.
• Knowledge of the SCT and Banner products strongly preferred.
• Proven skills in organizing and managing an organization governed by complex regulations, remaining customer service-oriented and able to foster an effective research administration support environment.
• Highly developed communication skills and ability to work in an integrated environment. Strong mentoring skills and commitment to the career and professional development and promotion of staff.
• Strong understanding of federal regulations, policies and guidelines related to sponsored projects (e.g., Uniform Guidance, FAR, etc.).
• Strategic thinker committed to continuous improvement and process reengineering.
• Certification as a Certified Research Administrator (CRA) or Certified Financial Research Administrator (CFRA) preferred.

APPLICATION: To ensure fullest consideration, application materials must be received by July 5, 2024. Start date is as soon as possible after the close of the search. Salary is commensurate with experience and education. All candidates must create a candidate profile through http://jobs.uic.edu and upload a cover letter, resume and contact information for three references by the close date.

Interested candidates must apply at the following link:

https://uic.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home/requisition/10048?c=uic

As an EOE/AA employer, the University of Illinois encourages applications from individuals regardless of an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, and Veteran or disability status.

Offers of employment by the University of Illinois may be subject to approval by the University’s Board of Trustees and are made contingent upon the candidate’s successful completion of any criminal background checks and other pre-employment assessments that may be required for the position being offered. Additional information regarding such pre-employment checks and assessments may be provided as applicable during the hiring process.

The University of Illinois System requires candidates selected for hire to disclose any documented finding of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment and to authorize inquiries to current and former employers regarding findings of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment. For more information, visit: https://www.hr.uillinois.edu/cms/One.aspx?portalId=4292&pageId=1411899