Associate Director of Research Administration Accounting and Post Award Compliance

Associate Director, Office Of Research Administration

Colorado School of Mines is a public R1 STEM-focused research university focused on applied science and engineering, located in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Mines' talented graduates and faculty bring knowledge and solutions to serve industry and benefit society. Mines is seeking a strategic leader for its Office of Research Administration to guide inside the research enterprise, partnering with faculty to secure and optimize world-leading research. The Office of Finance, Administration and Operations (FA&O) provides critical support to our mission and strategic initiatives while managing $325 million in operating activity, stewarding $1 billion in assets, and supporting 1650 faculty and staff. Within FA&O, the Office Research Administration (ORA) provides oversight and stewardship for approximately $100 million of annual sponsored research funding. This position reports to the Senior Director of Business Services and is responsible for the overall financial management, including expense and deficit monitoring, financial reporting, cash management, revenue reconciliation, balance sheet activity, and closeout of sponsored projects for ORA. The Associate Director is charged with building a team that is both strong technically and has a focus on providing high quality service to faculty and other campus partners. The leader is responsible for onboarding and training staff, complying with grant provisions, and ensuring transparent communications within the team, across FA&O and with the broader Research Enterprise. This position is responsible for ensuring that business processes and practices are efficient and effective, optimizing available technology and proactively considering campus needs. The Associate Director will collaborate and interact with many internal and external constituencies including campus administration and academic departments, other higher education institutions, governmental agencies, and the public. With an understanding of technology and future efficiencies with appropriate AI use, they will partner with technical experts to enhance financial and administrative systems, along with maintaining data integrity of the University financial system. This position may be eligible for hybrid work in Colorado and requires a minimum of 3 day per week on campus in Golden, Colorado. Onboarding for this position includes introduction and integration with Research, Faculty, and campus partners. It will involve training on policies and procedures, and technical training opportunities for systems and technology required for this role.

Primary Responsibilities

Post-Award Department Leadership

• Determine work prioritization by evaluating deadlines, complexity of the work load, and available resources; build standard and ad hoc reports to provide performance metric data.
• Resolve complex administrative or accounting questions or issues that arise and coordinates with and escalates to ORA Director on resolution, as needed and as appropriate.
• Develop and maintain a highly skilled and engaged team through managing the organizational structure, roles, and responsibilities of the ORA Post Award team, fostering a service-oriented team environment.
• Develop performance-based metrics and ensure robust feedback loops between supervisors and employees are regularly utilized and documented.
• Foster a culture of professional development and continuous improvement within the staff. Create a team known for creative problem-solving and solutioning by streamlining support and user-facing resources.
• Ensure the development and maintenance of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for all PPS functions.
• Provide expertise and consultation related to regulatory and policy issues and fiscal management of research projects to ORA staff, departmental administrators and faculty.
• Remain knowledgeable about current federal regulations, pending changes, OMB Circulars, Federal Acquisition Regulations and Cost Accounting Standards.
• Develop policy and processes that comply with general accounting standards, Mines' policy and sponsor regulations. Processes should include strong internal controls to mitigate risk to the University and employ industry best practices that maintain efficiency and optimal resource utilization
• Assist in the maintenance of ORA's Research Management software and the University's financial system; specifically, with regards to Post Award functions and processes. Ensure there are adequate training materials and coordinate with other campus offices and faculty on process changes. Ensure quality control over financial data entered in the Mines' financial system.
• Develops Post Award training material for ORA staff and campus. Training will be targeted to the audience and include one-on-one trainings, larger training sessions and web -available communications material.

Financial Stewardship and Reporting

• Oversee the reconciliation of sponsored research accounts revenue, expenses and balance sheet activity, track outstanding invoices, monitor collection activity, subrecipient financial monitoring, time and effort compliance certifications and provide general accounting support to ORA staff.
• Manage cash flow and proper financial reporting of research project expenditures and revenue, refer accounts receivables for write offs or collections and authorize refunds to sponsoring agencies as needed.
• Ensure compliance with all financial and reporting requirements from sponsoring agencies.
• Serve as the authorized organization official for the submission of required financial report to sponsoring agencies.
• Analyze indirect cost revenue trends and ratios to provide data for forecasting Mines' indirect cost revenue.
• Work with the Director and the Controller to strategically align Mines expenses for maximum reimbursement of the F&A rate. Oversee the preparation of the data gathering process for the University indirect cost rate proposal.
• Coordinate and prepare response to all audit requests; follow-up and implement, if necessary, any audit recommendations.
• Build standard and ad hoc reports using Mines' business intelligence reporting tools to provide information to ORA staff and Mines' Senior Leadership for financial monitoring purposes. Analyzes data to identify compliance issues, accounting irregularities, etc.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, business, or related field
• 10 years progressive experience as a professional in either accounting or financial management with an in-depth understanding of generally accepted accounting principles, financial policies and procedures in the public sector
• Five or more years of experience supervising professional staff (including hiring, onboarding, training, and evaluation)
• Five or more years of progressive experience in sponsored project financial administration
• Working knowledge of OMB Circulars and other pertinent external regulations
• Excellent communication skills (oral and written)
• Problem solving and analyzation skills including the ability to critically analyze information in order to make independent decisions
• Demonstrated customer service skills, the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies and ability to meet multiple deadlines
• Experience with enterprise financial systems

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Public Accountant or other professional licensure
• Working knowledge of public higher education systems
• Experience with Workday, Banner (Ellucian), or other similar enterprise financial system

Salary and Benefits

$110,000 - $140,000 annual salary

Mines takes into consideration a combination of candidate's education, training and experience as well as the position's scope and complexity, the discretion and latitude required in the role, work location, and external market and internal value when determining a salary level for potential new employees.

Colorado School of Mines offers a robust portfolio of benefits for all employees. For this role, that includes:

• Flexible health and dental care options
• Generous sick/vacation time: 13 paid holidays per year including a week-long winter break for entire campus.
• Fully vested retirement plan on first day of employment, with generous employer contribution
• Tuition benefits (6 credits per year for employees, 50 percent discount for dependents)
• Free RTD Ecopass

All Mines employees also have access to discount programs through the State of Colorado and free tickets for Mines Athletics home games, as well as access to the state of the art Recreation Center (fitness classes and training, swimming pool and more) and equipment rentals through the Outdoor Rec Center. We are proud to have recently opened an on campus daycare center. For more details about benefits at Mines, visit mines.edu/human-resources/benefits.

How to Apply

Complete an online application (personal information, demographic information, veteran status)

• Upload a resume or CV
• Upload a cover letter

Candidates must be currently authorized to work in the United States. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

This posting may be used to fill more than one vacancy based on business needs.

References will not be contacted until later in the selection process and you will be informed before that contact is made.

Application review will begin immediately. This posting will remain open until filled and may close without notice after June 14, 2026. For best consideration, apply by June 14, 2