Sponsored Programs Administrator - Team Lead-Remote - University of Massachusetts Medical School

POSITION SUMMARY:

Under the general direction of the Associate Director or designee, the Sponsored Programs Administrator - Team Lead provides program support to principal investigators, administrators and staff regarding the timely completion of required documents for institutional approval of sponsored programs applications. The Sponsored Programs Administrator - Team Lead will also provide direction and assistance to internal, external staff and sponsors, in all sponsored programs processes while adhering to sponsor, institutional, state, and federal guidelines. Additionally, the Sponsored Programs Administrator - Team Lead will be responsible for overseeing the work of a group of Sponsored Program Administrators, managing their workloads, providing training and capacity building on best practices, and troubleshooting issues the Team Members may face.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Leadership:

• Responsible for leading a team of up to four SPAs and managing their workloads.
• Responsible for identifying, balancing, and tracking assignments and overall workload for the team; adjusting assignments as appropriate.
• Monitor performance of team members and provide feedback to Associate Director for staff performance reviews. Identify weaknesses and strengths of team members and propose recommendations to Associate Director.
• Support the professional development of team members through mentorship.
• Participate in the development and implementation of initiatives to improve internal processes and maximize team performance.
• Serve as a facilitator in the University’s Research Administration Program, develop educational materials and coordinate workshops and seminars on sponsored research topics for faculty members, department administrators and the research community at large, in conjunction with the Training Coordinator.
• Assist (and lead) in the development, implementation, and integration of standard operating procedures and best practices.

Portfolio Management

• Responsible for a project portfolio of significant complexity for high profile departments with multiple component budgets and atypical projects involving the life cycle of a grant from proposal to closeout
• Serve as institutional representative with federal grants management and sponsoring agencies and officials
• Negotiate, analyze and interpret award documentation and legally binding terms and conditions of grant and contract agreements, seeking additional legal or technical guidance when necessary.
• Develop and present training materials for both internal and external constituents in research administration and research systems
• Evaluate pre-award research administration procedures, recommend improvements, and participate in implementation of new policies, procedures and practices
• Provide guidance and assistance to principal investigators, faculty and staff related to proposal development, budgeting, grant compliance and technical requirements
• Assess, negotiate and interpret award documentation and legally binding terms and conditions of grant and contract agreements, seeking additional legal or technical guidance when necessary.   
• Prepare for, gather data and participate in sponsoring agency and federal audits, desk reviews and site visits
• Contribute to the development and implementation of interdepartmental policies and procedures and systems for grants and contract administration
• Provide leadership in the expansion of pre-award electronic systems, including evaluating upgrade and interface opportunities, testing and development of reporting
• Mentor and provide direction to less seasoned personnel involved in the development of grant proposals, award modifications, technical systems and reporting
• Responsible for final secondary review of proposals ensuring accuracy with sponsor guidelines and requirements
• Review, verify and certify all aspects of sponsor and institutional data related to applications/proposals and amendments
• Negotiate incoming and execute outgoing sub-awards. Audit sub-recipient status and debarment review
• Accountable for accurate research compliance, budget and administrative and demographic data within electronic records
• Collaborate with post-award staff in account set-up of proposals, new awards and modifications to track and report awards and sub-award activity
• Provide support to the innovation, development, and implementation of special projects
• Interpret and disseminate changes in federal, state, and institutional policies, rules, and regulations. Recommend methods to ensure organizational participation in compliance
• Perform other duties as required.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Research Administration, or a related field or equivalent experience
• 10 years of research administration or similar business-related experience
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written skills needed to present and communicate effectively with a diverse population of stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate a team workload and operationalize a high-risk sponsored research portfolio.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Professional Certification in Research Administration (Certified Research Administrator; CRA/CPRA) or master’s degree in Research Administration.
• Knowledge of OMB Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards.
• Extensive knowledge of NIH Grants Policy Statement.
• Knowledge of Huron Pre-Award System