Senior Research Administrator

at  UNC Charlotte

The Office of Sponsored Projects Administration (OSPA) is responsible for coordinating the legal administration of contracts, grants, and financial management of all sponsored funds awarded to UNC Charlotte.

PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE

Advise and assist department staff and other units in administering sponsored projects. Interpret sponsor, university, and government regulations, guidelines, and policies. Maintain up-to-date knowledge and expertise in federal, state, local, and other agency regulations and policies to assure compliance. Remain current on applicable laws and the Uniform Guidance pertaining to sponsored program activities. The position will maintain the integrity of the Office of Sponsored Projects Administration’s accounts for reporting.

COMMUNICATION AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

Assist principal investigators, project directors, staff, department administrators, and other customers with accurate, timely information and reports. Assist with sponsor audits, the Uniform Guidance annual single audit, and compliance audits as needed. Review award documents for special conditions or restrictions, programmatic and other deliverables, cost sharing, reporting, and billing requirements. Notify the Principal Investigator of any special conditions or restrictions. Verify that the investigator obtains the required assurances. Act as a primary point of contact with their assigned projects to solve compliance, operational issues, and problems that may affect UNC Charlotte’s ability to utilize grant funds or complete funded projects properly. Answer and research high-level questions put forth by the colleges and manage conflict between funding agencies and UNC Charlotte. Interact with other offices on high-level sponsored program activities, such as technology transfer, compliance, legal, and academic affairs. Develop and present training sessions for administrative staff. Train other senior-level academic administrators in the correct management of sponsored awards. Assist in assuring that colleges comply with all applicable financial rules and/or regulations concerning managing sponsored awards. Assist the university in creating infrastructure to support the sponsored awards and research mission.

MINIMUM EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

• Masters of Business Administration, Finance, or Accounting and 1-2 years of experience;
• Bachelor of Business Administration or Accounting with 2-4 years of experience

PREFERRED EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• A bachelor’s degree is preferred in business or accounting.
• Experience in Higher Education Research Administration in a Central Office.
• Banner Experience or other electronic financial systems.
• Proficiency in Excel and Word.

PRIMARY PURPOSE OF POSITION

Provide sponsored project management from budget approval to project closeout in post-award service teams, supporting an average of 200 awards in several colleges and their departments. This position advises and assists department staff and other units within the university, ensures compliance with appropriate federal, agency, state, and university regulations, policies, and procedures, and administers sponsored projects for fiscal and programmatic compliance.