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RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION MANAGER
Job Title: RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION MANAGER
Job Code: 2628
FLSA: E
Job Level: 82
Revised Date: 05/01/2016
Job Family: JF 28
Occupational Summary
Performs/coordinates pre-award and/or post award activities for a central unit. Pre-award activities include reviewing department proposals prior to submission and ensuring all applications meet University policy and Federal regulations. Post-award activities include facilitating the progress of the sponsored project by safeguarding project funds.
This position will likely provide team leader support and/or supervision to a small group of staff.
Work Performed
- Develop and/or facilitate workshops and training initiatives in proposal preparation, award management, responsible conduct of research, conflict of interest, export controls, etc.
- May assist with the training of Grants & Contracts personnel as well as initial review of their work.
- May supervise or coordinate work of designated employees.
Proposal Review and Approval
- Assist PIs and Grant Managers in the development and submission of accurate proposal budgets and compliant proposal materials by interpreting sponsor guidelines, University policies and Federal regulations.
- Review changes to proposal budgets for accuracy, correct rates, and appropriateness of items proposed. Request any required changes when issues are identified.
- Review the Duke Proposal Approval Form (DPAF) to ensure that non- central approvals, appropriate clearances and required compliance approvals (such as human subjects, laboratory animals, export controls, COI, or biohazardous materials) have been obtained for the project.
- Ensure proposed cost-sharing is required, approved and properly documented.
- Ensure that all required documentation for subcontractors is complete prior to submission of the proposal.
- Communicate with the project's designated administrator on issues discovered in the review.
- Review the proposal to ensure the completed proposal package meets sponsor submission standards.
Award Review and Negotiation
- Review the NOA or other awarding mechanism terms and conditions and note changes, additional terms, etc.
- Negotiate any terms that are unacceptable to the University.
- Communicate with the project's PI or designated administrator on issues related to the award.
- Review award and project for compliance requirements
- Prepare subcontracts and amendments and communicate with the project's PI or designated administrator on subaward issues.
- Establish appropriate fund codes and subcode structure to ensure accurate assignment of F&A and assist in overall ease of award management.
- Ensure that the correct activity attribute is designated so that accurate reporting can be done.
- Ensure that fund codes are established within the proper series in order to assist in maximizing the University's overhead recovery and to support reporting.
- Assign cost object and enter Master Data and Workload Assignment in accordance with the Sponsor's terms and conditions and University's policies and procedures.
Financial and Administrative Management
- Review and approve invoices, letter of credit draws, financial reports, billings, and property reports to granting agencies on a timely basis as required by regulation or contractual agreement in coordination with departments.
- Review and approve payment and management of subrecipient awards.
- Review and approve destination of revenue received from Sponsors and determine appropriate General Ledger Account.
- Ensure timely and appropriate closeout of sponsored projects per university and sponsor requirements.
- Plan departmental budget needs by analyzing workload plans on both a short and long range basis including recommendations to increase efficiency in processes.
- Assist departments in the monitoring for compliance of sponsored projects to include compilation of Master Data and allocation of approved budget; monitor and verify expenditures; ensure compliance with University policies and procedures and Sponsor's terms and conditions. Decisions in this area can typically impact the organization's finances, public relations, and reputation.
- Maintain interface with Departmental Administrator personnel and/or Principal Investigator to coordinate operational activities to ensure adequate adherence by department to approved budget including cost- shared salaries, purchases of capital equipment, variances in budget allocations, and limitations or exclusions imposed by Sponsor.
- Determine Sponsor's fiscal requirements, review approved budget and allocate funds; monitor, review, and reconcile expenditures of budgeted funds; ensure compliance with University policies and procedures and Sponsor's terms and conditions. Decision in this area can typically impact the organizations' cash flow at the institutional level.
- Render invoices, letter of credit draws, financial reports, billings, property, and patent reports to granting agencies on a timely basis as required by regulation or contractual agreement in coordination with departments.
- Communicate with the project's assigned financial administrator on any financial issues related to a project.
- Ensure timely and appropriate closeout of sponsored projects per university and sponsor requirements.
- Assist with timely final technical and patent reporting of sponsored projects per university and sponsor requirements.
Monitoring and Compliance Oversight - Monitor awarded/funded projects for compliance within the regulatory framework established for the University and its components
- Monitor awards made to subcontractors, payment & management of sub- recipient awards, effort reporting, etc.
- Provide oversight regarding all financial compliance.
- Monitor financial transactions for certain categories of expenditures to ensure compliance with applicable regulations.
- Keep abreast of changes involving internally and externally imposed policies and procedures and ensures that sponsored projects are administered in accordance with such policies.
- Interpret policies regarding allowable costs.
- Work to resolve instances of discovered financial non-compliance.
- Investigate non-fraudulent financial compliance questions/issues using available resources
Supervisory Responsibilities: Will likely supervise other grants and contracts positions and support personnel.
Required Qualifications at this Level
Education/Training
Education: Work requires communications, analytical and organizational skills generally acquired through completion of a bachelor's degree program. Research or grants education is preferred.
Training: Successful completion of required department training such as GC101& 201 Introduction to Research, Financial Services Introduction to R3, Introduction to Duke GL, Introduction to Accounting, Sponsored Research Reporting, Research Administration at Duke (on-line), Basic Compliance (on-line) within first six months of hire is required.
Successful completion of the Research Administration Academy (RAA) and Advanced Grants Management and eCrt is required. Employees hired into this classification without the expected credentials will work closely with their manager to schedule and successfully complete all training (12 months for RAA and an additional 6 months for AGM). Successful completion of all expected training will be an annual performance goal until complete.
Upon completion of expected training, the employee must maintain Research Administration Academy (RAA) certification and Advanced Grants Management (AGM) certification by completing continuing education requirements.
Certified Research Administrator preferred
Experience
Work generally requires three years of relevant grants and contracts experience.
Skills
- Ability and desire to complete Advanced Grants Management training (in most circumstances an employee will be expected to hold a RAA certification before moving into this classification)
- Demonstrated skills in analyzing data and formulating conclusions
- Ability to learn changing technologies related to grants and contracts management
- Full command of grants and contracts systems; requires solid working knowledge of MS Office Suite (Word, Access, Excel, Power Point)
- Ability to communicate both verbally and in writing with all levels of the organization
- Ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects/tasks simultaneously
- Ability to create verbal and written reports
- Understand and apply knowledge of national compliance issues to circumstances at Duke University
- Understanding of asset management for funded projects as applied to Duke University policies and practices. Able to direct others n asset management and to review, troubleshoot and approve asset management
- Understand and apply basic concepts of Export controls as these relate to proposal submission and award management
- Understand and be able to apply federal rules to contract negotiations and management
- Understand and be able to apply budget management to contracts
- Understand and be able to assist others in understanding contract terminology
- Understand and be able to comply with Duke University requirements for managing Federal contracts
- Understand and be able to assist others in understanding the basic Federal and Duke University rules, regulations and requirements of IRB, IACUC, COI, IBC and Misconduct Science
- Able to clearly communicate when interacting with faculty to inform of obligations in meeting these requirements and when faculty is not complying with policies
- Able to escalate issues to higher levels when unable to get cooperation from others
- Able to establish and maintain systems to ensure timely compliance with RCR requirements
- Understand and be able to operationalize the development and maintenance of internal controls within a Duke University unit
- Able to understand and apply basic internal control concepts to daily management of Federal awards
- Understand and be able to translate concepts to actual practice at Duke University
- Understand and apply the basic concepts of clinical research in the Duke University compliance environment
- Understand and be able to apply federal and university rules to management of effort allocation for individuals compensated whole or in part from federal awards
- Understand and be able to manage complex effort scenarios resulting from multiple appointment types (PDC, VA, University)
- Understand the management requirements of broadly represented aspects of Federal financial research compliance and to develop strategies for meeting compliance expectations within a dedicated unit and/or assigned portfolio
The intent of this job description is to provide a representative and level of the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.
Duke University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.
Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas-an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.
Essential Physical Job Functions
Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.
