Job#10185 - Director of Research Administration

POSITION OBJECTIVE

The Director of Research Administration is responsible for providing strategic leadership to advance research with the College of Arts and Sciences, and its 21 departments across three disciplines: Natural Sciences and Math, Social Sciences, and Arts and Humanities, and for directing the operation of the College of Arts and Sciences Research Office. The director will lead and supervise the staff in the College of Arts and Sciences research office while working closely with the Office of Research and Technology Management, Corporate and Foundation Relations, Utech, and University Marketing and Communications to maintain current initiatives and develop new opportunities that align with the strategic priorities of College of Arts and Sciences and Case Western Reserve University. The director will focus on developing and maintaining college policies and procedures for pre-award and post-award activities; interpreting federal, state, and university policies for faculty and research staff in all grant-related areas; identifying funding opportunities and assuring that the college and its faculty and staff are compliant with federal, state and university rules and regulations. This position will also have the responsibility for training faculty and staff on the grant life cycle (i.e., pre-award and non-financial post-award) activities; and will collaborate with university offices, committees and hold signatory authority for all college research administration activities.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

1. Provide financial and administrative leadership to the Associate Dean for Research and the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences to develop and implement strategic research goals and objectives. Prepare monthly reports and biannual strategic planning documents identifying research key metrics and funding trends for faculty, department, discipline, and the college overall, as well as various funding agencies, using the current office systems: Airtable, InfoReady, and Tableau. In conjunction with the Associate Dean for Research, carry out strategic planning for the College of Arts and Sciences research office to ensure efficient operations and implement continuous quality improvement processes to enhance the quality of the services and enhance the administrative infrastructure. Prepare strategic planning documents identifying research funding trends for various funding agencies, along with other key metrics related to College of Arts and Sciences research funding acquisition. Conduct regular evaluations of the College of Arts and Sciences Research Office to create data-informed projections to forecast research productivity and growth models and provide recommendations on courses of action to garner more efficient and effective operations for the office. Working in coordination with college and university collaborators (Office of Research and Technology Management, Corporate and Foundation Relations, and Utech) implement strategies for maintaining ongoing research grant initiatives as well as developing new opportunities for sponsored projects funding that align with the strategic priorities of the College of Arts and Sciences and the university (35%).
2. Ensure efficient operations of the College of Arts and Sciences research office. Lead and supervise research office staff who provide day-to-day research administration and proposal development services for sponsored research, scholarship, and contracts for all disciplines within the college. This includes review and pre-award grant submission processing for all College of Arts and Sciences grants and contracts submissions; proposal development services, including budget development, for a prescribed departmental portfolio; post-award grant management facilitation; and College of Arts and Sciences post-award sponsored projects non-financial operations in conjunction with the college’s finance administrators and the institutional post-award financial department. Facilitate the development and negotiation of contracts and budgets with non-federal sponsors for the proposed research and scholarship grants. Assure faculty fulfillment of all obligations and responsibilities in sponsored research, including complete compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations. Coordinate with leadership and staff across the college and the university campus to ensure compliance with policies and procedures in the procurement of sponsored projects. Oversee the communication of new research policies and procedures (federal and non-federal), grants management operations, and proposal development requirements to faculty or staff within College of Arts and Sciences. Establish and implement quality control mechanisms and metrics to ensure that College of Arts and Sciences grant proposals meet university and funding agency guidelines, enhance administrative infrastructure, and address quality control issues. As needed, direct the training of department-level staff who prepare budgets and budget justification for grant proposals. (35%)
3. Monitor the research-focused work of administrators within college departments to ensure accuracy, timeliness and provide training and support as needed. Work with department faculty and staff to increase grant and fellowship funding broadly across the College of Arts and Sciences. Meet regularly with the Associate Dean for Research to review current grants as well as plans for additional funding opportunities. Provide leadership regarding relevant funding opportunities and research development-specific education and training regarding grant proposal development, grantsmanship, etc., for College of Arts and Sciences-specific faculty. Develop strategies for enhancing interdisciplinary funding opportunities and communicate with faculty, the Associate Dean for Research, and the Dean on an ongoing basis. Provide ongoing professional development for College of Arts and Sciences staff to ensure regulatory compliance, quality control, and compliance with university, sponsor, and federal regulations. (15%)
4. Administer the Expanding Horizons Initiative. Responsibilities include updating the annual call for the EHI Research/Scholarship and Curricular Innovation competitions, including website updates and regular call announcements. Management of the submission and review process within InfoReady Review. Collect all proposals, recruit and manage the faculty peer reviewers, manage the review panels, participate in the funding recommendation process, disseminate the award letters, coordinate 9-month and 21-month reporting requirements. Create regular reports on EHI. Provide any information needed on EHI to the dean and the development office to increase funding support of EHI by donors. (10%)

NONESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Perform other duties, projects, and reports as assigned. (5%)

CONTACTS

Department: This role will supervise College of Arts and Sciences Research Office staff to maintain daily workflow and resolve issues. Daily to weekly contact with the Associate Dean for Research, College of Arts and Sciences finance administrators, and staff from Alumni Relations and Development. Daily to weekly contact with department administrators from 21 departments to provide guidance and oversight on sponsored projects administration and management topics.

University: Regular contact with the Associate Vice President for Research, the Assistant Vice President for Research, the Office of Sponsored Projects Administration, Case Western Reserve University Office of General Counsel, and peers at other Case Western Reserve University management centers regarding sponsored project administration.

External: Regular contact with the grants management staff at funding agencies, including but not limited to the National Endowment for the Humanities, National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, and other government agencies, foundations, grant administrators at other institutions of higher learning, and various offices of Research Administration at collaborating institutions regarding sponsored projects.

Students: Potential contact with student employees to exchange information.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

Supervise 2 administrative staff. Assure annual reviews are administered within university policies for all research staff supervised by faculty. May supervise additional staff as business needs change.

QUALIFICATIONS

Experience: 10 years of administrative experience in federal and non-federal grants management, preferably in a university setting. Experience with faculty research funding identification and proposal development. Experience with program, budgetary, regulatory, and compliance requirements of major funding agencies (i.e., Federal, State, Private/Foundation); and current knowledge of funding agencies' policies and procedures.

Education/Licensing: Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree preferred.

REQUIRED SKILLS

1. Requires an understanding of federal practices and procedures, federal regulations, and cost principles; prefer familiarity with university policies and procedures related to budgets and grants administration.
2. Strong interpersonal skills: ability to work and communicate with various individuals from a broad spectrum of disciplines.
3. Strong organizational skills: ability to prioritize and meet deadlines; must demonstrate attention to detail and accuracy, time management skills, and proven ability to successfully follow through on assigned projects; ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
4. Effective management skills: ability to lead, train, work with, and elicit cooperation from faculty, team members, and other staff.
5. Professional and effective oral and written communication skills; strong writing and editing skills, must demonstrate the ability to relay information effectively and accurately in a timely fashion.
6. Must demonstrate a customer service orientation with active listening skills focused on problem analysis and problem-solving to assure faculty and leadership satisfaction; must display sound judgment and effective decision making; ability to identify and implement alternative resolutions and strategies; practical conflict management skills.
7. Must demonstrate flexibility, adaptability, and the ability to work under pressure; must be able and willing to work in a fast-paced, changing environment and conform to shifting priorities, demands, and timelines.
8. Ability to work with sensitive information and maintain confidentiality.
9. Ability to work effectively independently and collaboratively within a team; must be highly motivated, responsible, dependable, and a self-starter.
10. Ability to meet consistent attendance.
11. Ability to interact with colleagues, supervisors, and customers face-to-face and via Zoom.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Typical office environment.

Estimated salary range $75,000-$90,000.

Hybrid work arrangement available. 

TO APPLY

Visit https://case.edu/hr/careers. Job id 10185