Research Sponsored Programs - Post Award Specialist
Research Sponsored Programs - Post Award Specialist
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Job Description
As the secondlargest Catholic university in New England and one of the fastestgrowing private doctoral institutions in the U.S. Sacred Heart University is a national leader in shaping higher education for the 21st century. SHU offers more than 100 undergraduate graduate and doctoral programs on its Fairfield Conn. campus. Sacred Heart also has a campus in Dingle Ireland and offers online programs. More than 10000 students attend the Universitys eight colleges and schools: College of Arts & Sciences; School of Communication Media & the Arts; School of Social Work; School of Computer Science & Engineering; College of Health Professions; the Isabelle Farrington College of Education & Human Development; the Jack Welch College of Business & Technology and the Dr. Susan L. Davis R.N. & Richard J. Henley College of Nursing. Sacred Heart a Laudato Si campus stands out from other Catholic institutions as it was established and led by laity. The contemporary Catholic university is rooted in the rich Catholic intellectual tradition and the liberal arts and at the same time cultivates students to be forward thinkers who enact changein their own lives professions and in their communities. The Princeton Review includes SHU in itsBest 390 Colleges: 2025 Edition andBest Business Schools: 2024 Edition. Sacred Heart is home to the awardwinning NPRaffiliate station WSHU Public Radio a Division I athletics program and an impressive performing arts program that includes choir band dance and theatre.www.sacredheart
To apply
Only applications submitted through the official Careers at SHU site will be accepted for employment consideration. If you are viewing this job advertisement through a different site please visit Careers at SHU to submit a formal application.
Qualified candidates are invited to submit a complete application and resume via our online application system. A cover letter or statement of interest is also preferred for all staff positions.
Sacred Heart University complies with all federal and state employment laws and regulations. Applicants must be lawfully authorized to work for any employer in the United States. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa for this position.
Position Summary
The Post Award Specialist plays a critical role in supporting the Office of Research & Sponsored Programs by providing technical assistance and administrative oversight to faculty and staff across all disciplines. This position ensures compliance with University policies sponsor requirements and federal and state regulations while facilitating the management of sponsored projects from award setup to closeout.
Principal Duties & Responsibilities
- Provide expert guidance to faculty and administrators on postaward administration ensuring adherence to sponsor guidelines and regulatory requirements.
- Oversee financial and administrative transactions to confirm compliance with University federal and sponsor policies.
- Assist in resolving budgetary contractual and procedural matters including costsharing rebudgeting and project modifications.
- Support faculty and staff in navigating contract provisions and grant requirements with a solutionsoriented mindset.
- Maintain accurate records in accordance with University state federal and sponsor guidelines and assist with audits as needed.
- Manage key postaward activities including budgets payroll calculations invoicing project reporting effort certification and compliance monitoring.
- Serve as a liaison between RSP and various internal offices including legal and finance and external funding agencies.
- Review and negotiate grant contracts and agreements ensuring financial and administrative terms align with University policies.
- Establish and oversee subcontracts as necessary.
- Assist with award notifications by reviewing funding terms with the Principal Investigator (PI) facilitating budget adjustments if needed and coordinating account setup with the Business Office.
- Support award closeout by collaborating with PIs and other University offices to meet sponsor reporting requirements and financial reconciliation deadlines.
- Participate in the development refinement and implementation of policies and procedures to improve postaward efficiency.
- Contribute to training initiatives by developing and delivering guidance on sponsored program administration.
- Process internal transactions related to grant expenditures payroll authorizations and modifications.
- Assist in preparing annual and adhoc reports on RSP activity.
- Perform additional duties as assigned.
Knowledge Skills Abilities & Other Attributes
- Bachelors degree and a minimum of three years of experience in sponsored programs research administration or a related field.
- Indepth knowledge of budget oversight grant management and compliance requirements including federal regulations such as Uniform Guidance.
- Strong oral and written communication skills with the ability to provide technical guidance and translate complex concepts for diverse audiences
- Experience with electronic research administration systems and federal funding platforms (e.g. Cayuse Pivot Grants Research).
- Superior project management skills with a high attention to detail organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities in a deadlinedriven environment.
- Excellent interpersonal skills with a collaborative and solutionoriented approach to problemsolving.
- Proven ability to develop and deliver training materials related to sponsored project administration.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word Excel PowerPoint Teams) Adobe and other relevant software tools.
- Demonstrated ability to quickly adapt to new technologies and improve grant administration processes.
- The ideal candidate is highly motivated detailoriented and committed to supporting faculty research while ensuring institutional and regulatory compliance.
- Passion for research and sponsored programs with a strong commitment to the educational mission of the University.
Unusual Working Conditions
This deadlineoriented position demands a proactive approach to timesensitive tasks which may occasionally require evening and weekend work.
This job posting provides an overview of the roles general nature and expected tasks. It is not meant to be a comprehensive list of all duties performed. The university reserves the right to modify or reassign job responsibilities at any time. This posting description does not constitute an employment contract either explicit or implied.
Other details
- Job FamilyStaff
- Job FunctionAdministrative Support
- Pay TypeSalary
- Required EducationBachelors Degree
Required Experience:
Unclear Seniority
Employment Type
Full-Time
