WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR

Baylor University School of Education is seeking a Director of Research Administration. The Director of Research Administration will lead sponsored project support within the School of Education (SOE). The director will oversee external grant operations within the SOE, implementing school-level support structures for proposal preparation related to budgetary items, sponsor reporting, and by partnering to manage awards. This role fosters a culture of collaboration and effective project management and compliance across the research lifecycle. The director will work closely with the SOE’s associate dean of research, principal investigators, business office, and university partners to advance the school’s sponsored research activity.
A Master’s degree and five years of relevant work experience are required. A Master’s degree, eight years of relevant work experience, and professional certification in research administration (e.g., CRA, CPRA, CFRA) are preferred. A combination of education and work experience will be considered in lieu of the required degree and/or years of experience.

Additional required skills include:

• Understanding of higher education and university-based research operations related to extramural funding, including emerging trends and future directions
• Familiarity with common funding sources for the social sciences (federal, state, and private), including relevant policies, regulations, and uniform guidance
• Working knowledge of sponsored program terminology, systems, and compliance requirements
• Demonstrated ability to help faculty navigate the external grant submission process and manage compliance-related aspects of extramurally funded awards, with a focus on increasing their understanding and applied skills
• Experience drafting budgets for external grant submissions and managing post-award budgets in ways that promote high standards of quality, compliance, and accountability
• Strong personal initiative and service orientation, with a willingness to contribute across a range of tasks—from strategic planning to detail-oriented execution
• Leadership capacity to guide individuals and teams through change, including the implementation of new procedures and adaptations to evolving organizational needs
• Effective communication skills, with the ability to engage faculty, business office staff, and university research support staff in ways that are productive while fostering respect, transparency, and collaboration
• Ability to navigate interpersonal disagreements constructively, facilitate dialogue, and promote collaborative problem-solving
• Strong decision-making skills, with the ability to balance short-term operational needs and long-term strategic goals
• Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities in a dynamic environment
• Excellent organizational, time management, project management, and presentation skills, with prior successes in these areas
• Proficiency using common productivity software including Microsoft Office Suite (including advanced proficiency with Excel), and familiarity with budgeting tools and research administration platforms

• Promote the pursuit of external grant funding by working with SOE faculty to prepare proposals in partnership with university research administration
• Partner with the SOE business office on the preparation and execution of sponsored research projects and related activities (including labor distribution and effort certification) to help ensure grants are implemented in accordance with federal regulations, and university and sponsoring agency policies and procedures
• Partner with the SOE business office in labor projections for PIs on multiple grants, including externally funded interdisciplinary projects
• Maintain grant administration dashboards and databases of active and pending grants
• Administer a portfolio of large- and smaller-scale grant awards requiring direct oversight
• Track proposal and award progress, providing updates and escalation as needed
• Monitor faculty effort commitments and alert the associate dean for research and SOE business office of potential over-commitments
• Facilitate timely reports of SOE’s research financial operating conditions in collaboration with the SOE’s associate dean of research, assistant dean of finance/ business officer, and university research administrator
• Implement processes to achieve strategic research goals set by SOE leadership
• Lead or support special projects as requested by the Associate Dean of Research and/or Dean
• Perform all other duties as assigned to support Baylor’s mission
• Ability to comply with University policies
• Maintain regular and punctual attendance