Research Administrator - Post-Award

Duties & Responsibilities

• Send out monthly reporting, which is at minimum: Effort Summaries, Financial projections, Confirmation of review of the MERS.
• Serve as the primary administrative liaison between the PI, department, sponsor, and central offices for financial and administrative management of awards, fostering transparent and efficient communication.
• Distribute monthly reporting including effort summaries, financial projections, and MER review confirmations.
• Serve as the primary liaison between the PI, department, sponsor, and central offices, promoting transparent, efficient communication.
• Establish, monitor, and reconcile budgets, ensuring expenditures are reasonable, allowable, and allocable per sponsor guidelines.
• Manage effort reporting, salary allocations, and ECC compliance; coordinate payroll adjustments and resolve discrepancies.
• Prepare and review financial reports (e.g., forecasts, burn rates), ensuring alignment with budget and funding.
• Carefully review and process grant transactions, including subaward invoices, cost transfers, and procurement charges.
• Coordinate award modifications, such as no-cost extensions, carryovers, budget revisions, and personnel changes.
• Ensure timely submission of sponsor reports (RPPRs, financials, closeouts), proactively tracking deadlines.
• Support audits, maintain accurate grant records, and uphold sponsor/institutional documentation requirements.
• Provide financial guidance to PIs and research teams to support responsible grant stewardship.
• Respond to PI and staff inquiries promptly, delivering customer-focused solutions.
• Conduct regular expenditure reviews to verify compliance; escalate and resolve issues proactively.
• Track cost-sharing, outstanding commitments, and ensure timely resolution of encumbrances and cost transfers.
• Oversee subrecipient monitoring and ensure compliance with risk assessment and documentation standards.

Qualifications

• Minimum Qualifications: Candidates with 2 or more years of direct pre and post award research administration experience may be considered for Research Administrator slotting.
• Must possess ability to interpret and apply complex government regulations and contractual terms.
• Must have excellent customer service skills, written and verbal communication skills, be pro-active in asking questions and seeking guidance when needed.
• Strong problem solving and time management skills are essential, including ability to prioritize and manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• Must be precise, thorough, and reliable and perform daily activities with minimal supervision.
• Must be proficient in the use of computers with an ability to learn new systems and software applications with ease.
• RAs candidates: Must be proficient in the following areas: budget development, analyze financial transactions for trends and variances; expense forecasting; creating reports and tracking tools; financial reconciliation, monitoring for compliance to sponsor and institutional terms/policy.
• Able to work as part of a dynamic team is required.
• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.
• Preferred Qualifications: Prior experience in administrative and financial management in an academic setting (to include a working knowledge of state/university purchasing, travel, personnel administration policies and procedures) will be preferred.
• For RA consideration; in addition to direct experience requirements, Certified Research Administrators (CRA) or those with ability and desire to obtain a CRA w/in 2 years preferred.
• Master’s Degree preferred.
• Additionally, general understanding of IRB and IACUC policies pertaining to regulatory requirements in animal and human research is a plus.