Coordinator, Research Agreements and Awards Administration

Location: Hattiesburg, 118 College Drive, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39406-0001, United States. Division: VP Research. Position Type: Staff. Employment Status: Full Time. Grant Funded: No. Pay Grade: N08. Posting Close Date: Open Until Filled. Special Instructions: Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without the need for visa sponsorship. The University will not sponsor applicants for work visas (e.g., H-1B).

About the role

The Coordinator, Research Administration Operations provides administrative and operational support for the Office of Research Support and Development’s award, agreement, contract, and subaward functions. This position coordinates workflow processes, maintains electronic records and tracking systems, facilitates document routing and signatures, and supports the timely processing of sponsored project actions. This role serves as a central point of contact for routine inquiries and workflow coordination, helping ensure efficient management of research administration activities and continuity of operations across the office.

Responsibilities

• Manage shared office communications, including monitoring email accounts and communication channels, responding to routine inquiries, and routing requests to appropriate staff.
• Maintain award, agreement, contract, and subaward records within Cayuse and other institutional systems, ensuring information is accurate, complete, and up to date.
• Coordinate workflow processing activities, including task assignment, routing, tracking progress, monitoring pending actions, and following up to ensure timely completion.
• Prepare and process administrative documentation, including electronic signature routing through DocuSign and the organization and maintenance of supporting documentation for awards, agreements, and subawards.
• Support subaward administration, including record creation, document collection, and coordination of materials needed for subrecipient risk assessments, monitoring, and compliance activities.
• Maintain tracking systems, reports, and official records, generate status updates and operational reports, and ensure records are retained in accordance with university policies and applicable regulations.
• Provide administrative and operational support to research administration activities, contribute to process improvement initiatives, and perform other duties as assigned in support of the Office of Research Support and Development and the University's research mission.

Requirements

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in business, communications, education, public administration, science, or a related field. One (1) year of experience in administrative, business, or higher education setting.

Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications: Experience in higher education, sponsored programs administration, research administration, grants management, contracts administration, or a related field is preferred. Familiarity with electronic workflow, document management, and enterprise information systems, including Cayuse, DocuSign, or similar platforms, is desirable. Experience maintaining records, tracking projects and activities, coordinating administrative workflows, and supporting business or operational processes in a complex organizational environment.

Skills

• Knowledge of administrative and office management practices.
• Ability to organize, prioritize, and monitor multiple projects and workflow activities simultaneously.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy in recordkeeping and data entry.
• Ability to interpret and follow policies, procedures, and established workflows.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Excel, Word, and Teams.
• Ability to learn and effectively use research administration systems, including Cayuse and DocuSign.
• Skill in coordinating activities across multiple stakeholders and organizational units.
• Ability to work independently while contributing to a collaborative team environment.

Pay

Salary Range: $19.14 - $22.52 per hour. Pay Grade: N08.