Howard University
Associate Director of Research Administration
Howard University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States, 21276
Associate Director of Research Administration
Apply for the
Associate Director of Research Administration
role at
Howard University .
Here Is What We Offer
Health & Wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus mental health support
Work‑Life Balance: PTO, paid holidays, flexible work arrangements
Financial Wellness: Competitive salary, 403(b) with company match
Professional Development: Ongoing training, tuition reimbursement, and career advancement paths
Additional Perks: Wellness programs, commuter benefits, and a vibrant university culture
Basic Function The Associate Director of Research Administration oversees the College Research Administrators (CRAs) and departmental research administrators, ensuring effective pre‑ and post‑award support for faculty. Responsibilities include training, oversight, and performance evaluation of research administrators across all colleges and serving as the primary liaison between the Office of Research (OOR) and Associate Deans to improve administrative efficiency and assure compliance with federal and institutional policies.
Supervisory Authority The role acts as the principal point of contact for CRAs and departmental research administrators, providing strategic oversight, training, guidance, recruitment, and onboarding support while ensuring consistent research administration processes across colleges.
Nature and Scope Reporting directly to the Director of Research Administration/AVP of Research Operations, the Associate Director implements a centralized research administration model, establishes standardized workflows, leads monthly research administration meetings, and works closely with Associate Deans and faculty to troubleshoot issues.
Principal Accountabilities Oversight & Management
Supervise CRAs and departmental research administrators to ensure consistent, effective support.
Collaborate with Deans, Associate Deans, and Principal Investigators to monitor and enhance grant support services.
Develop and implement standardized departmental processes for pre‑ and post‑award administration university‑wide.
Integrate existing departmental research administrators into the new centralized structure.
Training & Professional Development
Develop and implement an onboarding program for newly hired and transitioning research administrators.
Ensure all research administrators complete 12 hours of required annual training covering:
Proposal development and sponsor guidelines
Budgeting and financial management
Workday Grants system workflows
Federal compliance and university policies
Lead monthly 3‑hour research administration meetings to provide updates, training, and address concerns.
Performance Management & Feedback
Work with Associate Deans to evaluate CRA and departmental research administrator performance.
Develop and implement performance metrics to track research administration effectiveness across colleges.
Address faculty concerns and identify opportunities for process improvement.
Collaboration & Troubleshooting
Serve as the primary liaison between CRAs, departmental administrators, Associate Deans, Sponsored Programs Office (SPO), and Research Operations.
Identify and resolve issues related to grant setup, payments, budgeting, and compliance.
Work with HR and Procurement to streamline grant‑related hiring and financial workflows.
Compliance & Policy Implementation
Ensure research administrators stay current with federal, state, and institutional policies affecting sponsored programs.
Provide updates and guidance on changes in grant regulations (e.g., NIH, NSF, DoE, 2 CFR 200).
Monitor research administration practices to ensure adherence to university and federal compliance requirements.
Core Competencies
Strong leadership skills managing teams across multiple colleges.
Expertise in pre‑ and post‑award research administration within a university setting.
Advanced knowledge of federal grant regulations and institutional compliance policies.
Effective problem‑solving and ability to streamline complex administrative workflows.
Excellent communication and training skills to support administrators and faculty.
Collaborative mindset with experience working across multiple stakeholders (faculty, deans, HR, finance, research operations).
Minimum Requirements
Bachelor’s degree in business administration, research administration, public administration, finance, or a related field.
Minimum of 7 years of research administration experience, with pre‑ and post‑award management expertise.
Familiarity with federal funding agency policies (e.g., NIH, NSF, DoE, DOD grants & contracts).
Experience supervising and training research administrators.
Strong knowledge of Workday Grants (or similar ERP), federal grant compliance, and university‑sponsored programs administration.
Demonstrated ability to lead teams and manage process improvements.
Preferred Qualifications
Certified Research Administrator (CRA) or Certified Pre‑Award Research Administrator (CPRA) certification.
Experience working in an R1 university or large research‑intensive institution.
Compliance Salary Range Disclosure Expected Pay Range:
$127,272 – $140,000
Seniority Level
Director
Employment Type
Full‑time
Job Function
Management and Manufacturing
Higher Education
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Associate Director of Research Administration
role at
Howard University .
Here Is What We Offer
Health & Wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus mental health support
Work‑Life Balance: PTO, paid holidays, flexible work arrangements
Financial Wellness: Competitive salary, 403(b) with company match
Professional Development: Ongoing training, tuition reimbursement, and career advancement paths
Additional Perks: Wellness programs, commuter benefits, and a vibrant university culture
Basic Function The Associate Director of Research Administration oversees the College Research Administrators (CRAs) and departmental research administrators, ensuring effective pre‑ and post‑award support for faculty. Responsibilities include training, oversight, and performance evaluation of research administrators across all colleges and serving as the primary liaison between the Office of Research (OOR) and Associate Deans to improve administrative efficiency and assure compliance with federal and institutional policies.
Supervisory Authority The role acts as the principal point of contact for CRAs and departmental research administrators, providing strategic oversight, training, guidance, recruitment, and onboarding support while ensuring consistent research administration processes across colleges.
Nature and Scope Reporting directly to the Director of Research Administration/AVP of Research Operations, the Associate Director implements a centralized research administration model, establishes standardized workflows, leads monthly research administration meetings, and works closely with Associate Deans and faculty to troubleshoot issues.
Principal Accountabilities Oversight & Management
Supervise CRAs and departmental research administrators to ensure consistent, effective support.
Collaborate with Deans, Associate Deans, and Principal Investigators to monitor and enhance grant support services.
Develop and implement standardized departmental processes for pre‑ and post‑award administration university‑wide.
Integrate existing departmental research administrators into the new centralized structure.
Training & Professional Development
Develop and implement an onboarding program for newly hired and transitioning research administrators.
Ensure all research administrators complete 12 hours of required annual training covering:
Proposal development and sponsor guidelines
Budgeting and financial management
Workday Grants system workflows
Federal compliance and university policies
Lead monthly 3‑hour research administration meetings to provide updates, training, and address concerns.
Performance Management & Feedback
Work with Associate Deans to evaluate CRA and departmental research administrator performance.
Develop and implement performance metrics to track research administration effectiveness across colleges.
Address faculty concerns and identify opportunities for process improvement.
Collaboration & Troubleshooting
Serve as the primary liaison between CRAs, departmental administrators, Associate Deans, Sponsored Programs Office (SPO), and Research Operations.
Identify and resolve issues related to grant setup, payments, budgeting, and compliance.
Work with HR and Procurement to streamline grant‑related hiring and financial workflows.
Compliance & Policy Implementation
Ensure research administrators stay current with federal, state, and institutional policies affecting sponsored programs.
Provide updates and guidance on changes in grant regulations (e.g., NIH, NSF, DoE, 2 CFR 200).
Monitor research administration practices to ensure adherence to university and federal compliance requirements.
Core Competencies
Strong leadership skills managing teams across multiple colleges.
Expertise in pre‑ and post‑award research administration within a university setting.
Advanced knowledge of federal grant regulations and institutional compliance policies.
Effective problem‑solving and ability to streamline complex administrative workflows.
Excellent communication and training skills to support administrators and faculty.
Collaborative mindset with experience working across multiple stakeholders (faculty, deans, HR, finance, research operations).
Minimum Requirements
Bachelor’s degree in business administration, research administration, public administration, finance, or a related field.
Minimum of 7 years of research administration experience, with pre‑ and post‑award management expertise.
Familiarity with federal funding agency policies (e.g., NIH, NSF, DoE, DOD grants & contracts).
Experience supervising and training research administrators.
Strong knowledge of Workday Grants (or similar ERP), federal grant compliance, and university‑sponsored programs administration.
Demonstrated ability to lead teams and manage process improvements.
Preferred Qualifications
Certified Research Administrator (CRA) or Certified Pre‑Award Research Administrator (CPRA) certification.
Experience working in an R1 university or large research‑intensive institution.
Compliance Salary Range Disclosure Expected Pay Range:
$127,272 – $140,000
Seniority Level
Director
Employment Type
Full‑time
Job Function
Management and Manufacturing
Higher Education
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