Assoc. Director, Research Administration (Pre-Award)

Core Job Summary

The Office of Research Administration (ORA) is the University's institutional office responsible for reviewing, endorsing and submitting proposals to extramural sponsors for research, clinical trials, training, instructional and other sponsored activities. As a leader in the Office of Research Administration (ORA), the Assoc. Director, Pre-Award Services, is integrally involved in the review and analysis of complex sponsored projects and provides research administration services to a portfolio of academic departments and research units, including acting as one of the institutional liaisons with external sponsors.

Core Job Functions

• Timely, accurate and compliant proposal submissions
• Conducts comprehensive analysis and negotiates all research agreements, evaluating terms and conditions of research grants and contracts involving awards from various sources, including: government, foundation, corporate and, engaging in negotiations to establish the financial, legal, and other contractual terms.
• May be required to oversee staff responsible for creating compliant billing grids for clinical research projects to maintain billing compliance.
• Conducts comprehensive analysis and negotiates all applicable research contract and grant budgets, focusing on clinical care pricing, fair market value, from various sources, including: government, foundation, corporate and industry.
• Interacts with other ORA personnel, Principal Investigators and study teams, Compliance, IRB (Human Subject Research Office), Technology Transfer, Risk Management, and other relevant offices to ensure that research initiation is managed in an efficient and effective manner consistent with UM policies and procedures, and that applications are compliant and fiscally sound.
• Leverages real-time dashboards to monitor team performance, ensuring the team consistently meets or exceeds Service Level Agreement Key Performance Indicators.
• Drives a culture of accountability by basing team performance assessments on measurable data. Identifies process inefficiencies through data analysis and suggest/implement improvements.
• Provides updates and status reports to senior management on a regular basis by track relevant data using University systems and other tools and provides leadership with metrics, including through output and turnaround time.
• Oversees, trains, and mentors staff in assigned team.
• PARTNERS WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS TO FACILITATE TRANSPARENT AND ACCOUNTABLE RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION AND COORDINATE DOCUMENTATION AND APPROVAL PROCESSES.
• Maintains effective relationships with sponsor representatives to facilitate communication.
• Establishes and continuously assesses the effectiveness of the internal controls within the unit and compliance with University policies and procedures.
• Ensures employees are trained on controls within the function and on University policy and procedures.

Core Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in relevant field. Master’s degree in relevant field preferred.
• Experience: Minimum 10 years of relevant experience, ideally in an academic setting. Appropriate combination of relevant education and/or experience may be considered.
• Certification and Licensing: CRA or CFRA or CHRC certification preferred
• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Knowledge of business and management principles. Extensive knowledge of research administration, preferably in academic institution clinical research. Extensive knowledge of financial principles, Medicare regulations, healthcare reimbursement principles, laws and regulations guiding clinical research. Ability to efficiently research complex information and use it for establishment and improvement of work processes, reporting and data analysis. Ability to direct, manage, implement, and evaluate department operations. Ability to effectively plan, delegate and/or supervise the work of others. Ability to lead, motivate, develop, and train others.