Third Coast CFAR Is Hiring! Join Our Team As the Senior Research Administrator

Northwestern University is recruiting strong candidates for a Senior Research Administrator (SRA) position in the Third Coast Center for AIDS Research (CFAR). Read below to learn more about the role and how to apply.

The Third Coast CFAR is a multidisciplinary, city-wide center that strives to end the HIV epidemic through high-impact, NIH-funded research. It is led by Northwestern University in partnership with the University of Chicago, Rush University, and the University of Illinois at Chicago. The center is comprised of five cores, including a Developmental Core with a robust program of multiple funding mechanisms to support early stage investigators and new collaborations. Third Coast CFAR administration is housed in Northwestern’s Impact Institute and manages activity across multiple units and departments at all four universities. The Third Coast CFAR is one of 20 grantees in the NIH network of Centers for AIDS Research.

The SRA will provide administrative and fiscal leadership to the center’s NIH award and non-sponsored accounts. The position will be a part of the Department of Medical Social Sciences research administration team and will work closely with the Third Coast CFAR Associate Director to execute plans and monitor progress. Preferred qualifications include experience administering multi-component NIH grants and a demonstrated track record of managing complex processes across multiple institutions.

The SRA will assist in strategic plans by providing guidance and counsel regarding grant administration, which includes attending internal and external meetings, interpreting clauses, reviewing contracts, and resolving reporting and/or expense problems. They will review associated policy and procedures and recommend changes to increase productivity and effectiveness. The role is focused on post-award administration, including approvals of procurement and expense reports, award management, budget preparation, compliance, effort reporting, fiscal management, and financial reporting and projections.

Please note: The Third Coast CFAR supervisor provides overall objectives and develops deadlines in consultation with the SRA.  Work is reviewed for fulfillment of objectives and overall compliance with policy and procedures. The SRA will complete the majority of activities without direction, consulting with the supervisor only in regard to new or unusual circumstances. Additionally, the SRA will use their judgment and extensive experience to adapt an advanced knowledge of skills, methods, practices, policies, and procedures, and a moderate degree of innovation, analysis, and reasoning to plan and prioritize work that is primarily project-oriented, which involves some extremely difficult problems and/or decisions. The SRA will also interpret policy.

Specific responsibilities include:

Complexity

• • Typically administers multiple research projects such as:
    • Complex multi-PI or multi-unit proposals, grants and/or contracts
    • Research portfolio for a more complex small to mid-sized unit
    • NIH P-approximately $500K+ per year over multiple years
    • Center or program grants
    • Proposals with cost sharing

Pre-Award

• • Manages pre-award administration of grants and/or contracts
  • Coordinates proposal submission
  • Coordinates budget and justification preparation
  • Completes sponsor and university proposal forms
  • Coordinates IRB and IACUC protocols; sub-recipients, facilities, administrative costs, space, and co-investigator agreements
  • Creatively and proactively evaluates and resolves problems and makes decisions

Post-Award

• • Coordinates post-award activities
  • Monitors execution of all financial transactions in research portfolio
  • Forecasts and provides information for reports on financial status of projects
  • Manages day-to-day financial functions
  • Completes expenditure reviews
  • Reconciles monthly payroll entries
  • Verifies and processes cost share entries
  • Identifies program income issues
  • Proposes resolutions to overdrafts
  • Prepares interim and final financial reports
  • Facilitates account close out activities
  • Participates in efforts to improve research administration including serving on university committees related to research administration

Financial

• • Oversees unit’s entire sponsored project portfolio
  • Reviews transactions and resolve issues that requires a more complex level of financial understanding such as cost-sharing and/or effort reporting knowledge
  • Provides information to senior management that is used for department budgeting purposes

Human Resources

• • Provides research administration training
  • Develops staff
  • Mentors other administrative staff in research administration

Compliance

• • Ensures compliance with all appropriate NU policies and practices; local, state, federal, agency, and sponsor rules; and regulations and requirements regarding grant and/or contract administration
  • Recommends changes to improve programs, policy and/or practice
  • Resolves compliance problems and issues working in conjunction with faculty

Minimum Qualifications

• • Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor’s or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience
  • A minimum of 5 years of experience required with 2 years of research administration and 3 years of research, finance, administrative, or other relevant experience

Minimum Competencies (skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• • Organization, time management, detail oriented
  • Multi-tasking, communication
  • Self-starter, diplomatic, pro-active, manage stress
  • Managing people
  • Provide leadership by cooperatively anticipating, coordinating, strategizing

Preferred Qualifications

• • Knowledge of Northwestern’s enterprise systems including NU Financials, CERES, ERS, and Cognos
  • Knowledge of National Institutes of Health policies and procedures

Preferred Competencies

• • Provide informal leadership by cooperatively anticipating, coordinating, and strategizing with Third Coast CFAR’s leadership
  • Excellent written and oral communication

The target hiring range for this position will be between $88,292 – $98,135.04 per year.  The offered salary will be determined by the applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal compensation assessments and alignment with market data.

Interested applicants should visit Northwestern University’s HR career portal and search the job ID (52702). Consideration of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.