Associate Director, Research Financial Administration

About the Role
The company seeks to appoint an Associate Director, Research Financial Administration reporting to the Director of Academic Resource Management and Fiscal Affairs. This role leads the post-award financial administration of the company’s research enterprise within the Office of Academic Resource Management and Fiscal Affairs. The Associate Director provides strategic and operational leadership across internal and externally sponsored research funding, including grants, contracts, gifts, faculty research programs, research centers, and research infrastructure. Responsibilities include effective financial stewardship throughout the post-award lifecycle, such as award establishment, budgeting, expenditure monitoring, forecasting, financial compliance, sponsor reporting, receivables, and closeout. This position also manages the Research Institute portfolio, which encompasses a substantial share of the office’s research financial administration workload.

The Associate Director leads the Research Financial Administration team and serves as a key financial partner to Principal Investigators, faculty, Deans, research leadership, and University administrative offices. This role closely collaborates with the Office of Research Administration and Services for seamless transitions from pre-award to post-award administration and works with Finance and the company partners on research financial matters. The pre-award function remains with the Office of Research Administration and Services, while this position ensures the active management of externally funded awards.

Key Responsibilities:
Research Financial Administration

• Lead the post-award financial administration of the company’s research portfolio, including externally sponsored awards, internal research funds, contracts, gifts, faculty research programs, research centers, and research infrastructure.
• Oversee the financial lifecycle of research awards, ensuring compliance with sponsor requirements and University policies during all phases from activation to closeout.
• Manage the Research Institute portfolio, handling multi-year center budgets, commitments, staffing costs, projections, renewals, and wind-downs.
• Provide financial guidance to Principal Investigators, faculty, research centers, and academic leadership regarding research funding management.
• Oversee financial monitoring of sponsored awards, including expenditure review, budget management, cost allocation, financial reporting, and resolution of award-related issues.
• Lead central research financial services from project inception through close-out.
• Administer the faculty research fund award cycle, including submissions to the Research Financial Advisory Committee and issuance of award letters.
• Foster relationships with academic Deans and advise on research financial administration matters, delivering high-quality service to faculty.
• Collaborate with the pre-award team to ensure smooth transitions of grants into active management.
• Coordinate with the Controller’s Office on sponsor invoicing, receivables, cash reconciliation, and research fund balances.
• Maintain the Business Continuity and Risk Management plan for the research administration function.
• Represent the office in internal and external initiatives and forums regarding research financial administration.
• Ensure alignment with the company parallel organizations on research financial matters.
• Utilize the office’s project tracking platform to manage and complete team deliverables.
• Proactively identify issues and provide solutions to ensure uninterrupted operations.

Research Budgeting, Forecasting and Portfolio Oversight

• Lead development and ongoing management of the research portfolio budget in collaboration with the Director and research leadership.
• Supervise financial forecasting and monitor expenditures, commitments, and balances across the research portfolio.
• Provide analysis and projections to the Director, research leadership, Deans, and stakeholders; distribute budget reporting and projections.
• Ensure carry-forward treatment is clear and disclosed at every reporting stage.
• Monitor financial performance and identify risks, funding pressures, and opportunities for resource reallocation.
• Support multi-year financial planning for research centers and initiatives.
• Collaborate with the Budget Office to ensure the research budget aligns with institutional strategy.
• Identify opportunities for cost efficiencies.

Research Compliance and Financial Stewardship

• Ensure post-award administration complies with sponsor terms, University policies, and regulations.
• Provide guidance on the financial application of US Federal Uniform Guidance and relevant sponsor requirements.
• Analyze research expenditures to ensure compliance with award terms and budgets.
• Resolve complex financial and compliance issues with Principal Investigators and University offices.
• Support audits and other assurance activities regarding research funding.
• Escalate significant risks to the Director and recommend corrective actions.

Team Management and Institutional Capability

• Lead and develop the Research Financial Administration team, establishing responsibilities and performance expectations.
• Coach and guide staff responsible for research financial administration.
• Ensure effective workload distribution across the team.
• Standardize post-award financial administration practices.
• Develop team capability in grants management, research finance, and compliance.
• Partner with the Director to enhance research financial administration capabilities.
• Foster a collaborative team culture.

Research Financial Processes and Institutional Partnerships

• Improve post-award financial processes for compliance and efficiency.
• Collaborate with various University functions on research financial matters.
• Define business requirements for research financial systems and reporting.
• Maintain procedures supporting consistent research funding administration.
• Represent Research Financial Administration in institutional initiatives.
• Assist faculty in resolving complex financial issues.

Research Funding and Policy Advisory

• Provide analysis and advice on research funding requests and resource decisions.
• Contribute to developing and reviewing financial administration policies.
• Assess implications of changes in sponsor or regulatory requirements.
• Advise on emerging issues affecting research financial administration.
• Participate in the review of University financial policies impacting research operations.

Qualifications
Required Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Research Administration, or a related field.

Required Experience:

• More than 3 years of progressively responsible experience in post-award grants administration, research finance, or sponsored research financial administration within a university or comparable institution.
• Demonstrated experience managing post-award financial lifecycle for externally sponsored research awards.
• Experience administering complex research portfolios with multiple Principal Investigators.
• Knowledge of US Federal Uniform Guidance and experience applying regulations and policies to post-award administration.
• Experience providing financial guidance to faculty and academic leadership.
• Demonstrated experience with financial reporting, compliance, and resolution of sponsored-research financial issues.
• Strong understanding of research administration within a university.
• Strong analytical, communication, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Exceptional technical, accounting, and communication skills. High-level proficiency with Microsoft Excel is essential.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively with diverse populations.

Preferred Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Finance, Management, or a related field.

Preferred Experience:

• Willingness to work flexible hours to facilitate collaboration between the company and its partners.

Additional Information
The company is a degree-granting research university with a fully integrated liberal arts and science undergraduate program. Together with other campuses, it forms an interconnected network of portal campuses across six continents that promotes seamless international mobility of students and faculty. This global approach represents a transformative shift in higher education, encouraging scholarly activity shaped by an international and multicultural perspective.