Senior Research Administrator

Department: MED-Psych & Behavioral Science
Salary/Grade: EXS/9

Job Summary:

To support our growth, PBS is recruiting a Senior Research Administrator. Reporting to the Manager of Research (MOR), this role provides administrative leadership across a diverse research portfolio. The Senior Research Administrator supports 9 assigned faculty, manages annual amount of $6-8 million in sponsored projects, and partners closely with teams engaged in active clinical trials. Drawing on deep expertise in research administration, this position coordinates the full spectrum of pre - and post - award activities and contributes to department - wide process improvement and staff development.

Key Responsibilities

Pre - & Post - Award Portfolio Management

• Coordinate all aspects of multiple grant and contract lifecycles, from proposal development and submission through award setup, monitoring, and closeout.
• Oversee budgets, projections, and expense reconciliation; resolve reporting or financial issues in partnership with faculty and departmental leadership.
• Interpret sponsor guidelines and contract clauses; review agreement terms and recommend risk - mitigation
• approaches.

Strategic & Operational Leadership

• Attend and represent PBS at internal and external meetings with sponsors, collaborators, and institutional stakeholders.
• Review relevant policies and procedures; recommend and implement improvements that enhance compliance, productivity, and effectiveness.

Training & Team Development

• Lead onboarding and training for new research administration staff.
• Own the training roadmap, including timelines, schedules, and curricula for the grant lifecycle and related departmental responsibilities.
• Serve as a subject - matter resource to promote consistency, quality, and continuous learning across the team.

Qualifications Required

• Significant experience in research administration with demonstrated competency across pre - and post - award activities.
• Proven ability to interpret sponsor policies and contractual terms, manage complex budgets, and resolve reporting or expense issues.
• Strong communication, stakeholder management, and organizational skills, with a proactive,
• solutions - oriented approach.

Preferred

• Post - award and financial management expertise.
• Experience supporting clinical research portfolios and/or multi - site projects.

Work Arrangement

• Hybrid team with two in - person days expected.
• This is an administrative position; it is not a clinical or research role.

How to Apply:

We encourage proactive, detail - oriented professionals committed to enabling impactful research to apply. Please submit your resume and a cover letter (required).

Please note: Supervisor provides overall objectives & in consultation with EE develops deadlines. Work is reviewed for fulfillment of objectives & overall compliance with policy & procedures. EE completes majority of activities without direction; consulting with supervisor only in regard to new or unusual circumstances.

EE uses judgment & an extensive amount of experience to adapt an advanced knowledge of skills, methods, practices, policies & procedures & a moderate degree of innovation, analysis, & reasoning to plan & prioritize work that is primarily project oriented & involves some extremely difficult problems &/or decisions. EE interprets policy.

Specific Responsibilities :

Complexity

• Typically administers multiple research projects such as:
• Complex multi-PI or multi-unit proposals, grants &/or contracts
• Research portfolio for a more complex small to mid-sized unit
• NIH U-approximately $500K+/yr. over multiple yrs.
• NIH P-approximately $500K+/yr. over multiple yrs.
• NIH T-approximately $100-$200K+/yr. over multiple yrs.
• DOD and industry awards
• Center or program grants
• Proposals with cost sharing
• Fixed-price contracts / Clinical Trials
• Non-funded negotiations such as NDAs, user agreements

Pre-Award

• Manages pre-award administration of grants and &/or contracts.
• Coordinates proposal submission.
• Coordinates budget and justification preparation.
• Completes sponsor and university proposal forms.
• Coordinates IRB and IACUC protocols; sub-recipients, facilities, administrative costs, space, and co-investigator agreements.
• Creatively and proactively evaluates and resolves problems and makes decisions.

Post Award

• Coordinates post-award activities.
• Monitors execution of all financial transactions in research portfolio.
• Forecasts & provides information for reports on financial status of projects.
• Manages day-to-day financial functions.
• Completes expenditure reviews.
• Reconciles monthly payroll entries.
• Verifies & processes cost share entries.
• Prepares & submits invoices to sponsors.
• Identifies program income issues.
• Proposes resolutions to overdrafts.
• Prepares interim & final financial reports.
• Facilitates account close out activities.
• Participates in efforts to improve research administration including serving on university committees related to research administration.
• Drafting and submission of clinical trial invoices.
• Tracking and coordinating invoice payments with the sponsor and ASRSP

Financial

• Reviews transactions and resolve issues that requires a more complex level of financial understanding such as cost-sharing &/or effort reporting knowledge.
• Provides information to senior management that is used for department budgeting purposes.

Human Resources

• Provides research administration training.
• Develops staff.
• Mentors other administrative staff in research administration.
• In collaboration with the manager, serves as a resource for research administration guidance.

Compliance

• Ensures compliance with all appropriate NU policies & practices; local, state, federal, agency & sponsor rules, regulations & requirements regarding grant &/or contract administration.
• Recommends changes to improve programs, policy &/or practice.
• Resolves compliance problems & issues working in conjunction with faculty.

Miscellaneous

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.
• 5 years research administration experience.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Organization, time management, detail oriented
• Multi-tasking, communication
• Self-starter, diplomatic, pro-active, manage stress
• Managing people
• Provide leadership by cooperatively anticipating, coordinating, strategizing

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in an academic research enterprise
• Experience with large institution financial systems and accounts payable processes
• Knowledge of Northwestern University systems, policies and procedures
• Knowledge of National Institutes of Health (NIH) granting procedures and process, including grant submissions and accounting compliance
• Excel experience

Target hiring range for this position will be between $78,482 - $110,365 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Benefits


At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful and competitive benefits. The available benefits package for this position will include health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; paid vacation and holidays; paid medical/sick and parental leave; tuition benefits for the employee and dependents; pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care; generous retirement savings options; and wellness programs. For a comprehensive overview of available benefits, including eligibility details, visit us at to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at to learn more .


Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement . Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process .


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