Inside Higher Ed · 1 week ago
Associate Director of Research Administration
Washington, DC
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff, Director/Executive
$127K/yr - $140K/yr
7+ years expHoward University is committed to the strategic success of its mission through effective talent acquisition. The Associate Director of Research Administration will oversee research administrators to ensure efficient pre- and post-award support for faculty, while implementing a centralized research administration model.
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Responsibilities
Directly supervises CRAs and departmental research administrators, ensuring consistent and effective research administration support
Works closely with Deans, Associate Deans, and PIs to monitor and enhance grant support services
Develop standardized departmental processes for pre- and post-award administration to be implemented university-wide
Oversees the integration of existing departmental research administrators into the new centralized structure
Develops and implements an onboarding program for newly hired and transitioning research administrators
Ensures that all research administrators complete 12 hours of required training annually, covering: Proposal development & sponsor guidelines, Budgeting & financial management, Workday grants system workflows, Federal compliance & university policies
Leads monthly 3-hour research administration meetings, providing updates, training, and addressing concerns raised by administrators and faculty
Works with Associate Deans to evaluate CRA and departmental research administrator performance
Develops and implements performance metrics for tracking research administration effectiveness across colleges
Addresses faculty concerns regarding research administration support and identifies opportunities for process improvement
Serves as the primary liaison between CRAs, departmental administrators, Associate Deans, Sponsored Programs Office (SPO), and Research Operations
Identifies and resolves issues related to grant setup, payments, budgeting, and compliance
Works with HR and Procurement to streamline grant-related hiring and financial workflows
Ensures research administrators stay current with federal, state, and institutional policies affecting sponsored programs
Provides updates and guidance on changes in grant regulations (e.g., NIH, NSF, DoE, 2 CFR 200)
Monitors research administration practices to ensure adherence to university and federal compliance requirements
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in business administration, research administration, public administration, finance, or a related field
Minimum of 7 years of research administration experience, with pre- and post-award management expertise
Familiarity with federal funding agency policies (e.g., NIH, NSF, DoE, DOD grants & contracts)
Experience in supervising and training research administrators
Strong knowledge of Workday Grants(or similar ERP), federal grant compliance, and university-sponsored programs administration
Demonstrated ability to lead teams and manage process improvements
Preferred
Certified Research Administrator (CRA) or Certified Pre-Award Research Administrator (CPRA) certification
Experience working in an R1 university or large research-intensive institution
Benefits
Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus mental health support
PTO, paid holidays, flexible work arrangements
Competitive salary, 403(b) with company match
Ongoing training, tuition reimbursement, and career advancement paths
Wellness programs, commuter benefits, and a vibrant company culture
Company
Inside Higher Ed
Inside Higher Ed is the online source for news, opinion, and jobs related to higher education.
51-200 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageTotal Funding
unknown2022-01-10Acquired
2006-08-31Series Unknown
Leadership Team
Stephanie Shweiki
Director, Foundation Partnerships
Recent News
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