Associate Director, Office of Research & Sponsored Programs

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Job Description Summary

The Associate Director supervises and manages the Grants and Contracts Managers (GCMs) on the Reynolda Campus of Wake Forest University including Wake Downtown. This includes hiring training mentoring and distributing workloads/assigning GCMs to university units (Schools Programs and College Departments). The Associate Director will appraise the GCMs performance based on input directly from faculty and staff as well as information from unit administrative leaders such as Associate Deans for Research and Departmental Chairs. Additionally the Associate Director serves as a GCM for faculty in units with lower proposal/grant activity as well as providing backup support and timely problem resolution for all GCMs.

Summary of GCM responsibilities. The GCM works independently and provides administrative and financial support to research active faculty and unit research administrative leaders; coordinates research staff and general administrative functions to include monitoring research program budgets managing research personnel matters and interpreting policies and procedures. Provides both pre and postgrant support for individual faculty and is knowledgeable and responsive to faculty regarding budget and proposal preparation and award administration. Proactively reviews budgets and identifies issues or potential problems. Applies analytical and problemsolving techniques to all work duties including financial and human resource matters related to sponsored research.

Job Description

Essential Functions:

• Supervises and manages the Grants and Contracts Managers (GCMs; currently six). This includes hiring training and mentoring. Provides problem solving assistance and backup support. Ensures that GCMs review research expenses and provide reports for all grants in their assigned portfolios ideally on a monthly basis but at least on a quarterly basis.
• Monitors and evaluates WFUs research funding portfolio in order to allocate/assign GCMs to units across the University in an equitable manner.
• Annually evaluates the GCMs performance with input from department chairs other administrative leaders faculty & staff. Assists the GCMs in goal setting and conducts midyear reviews to monitor progress toward annual goals.
• Designs and prepare training materials such as checklists and instructions for routine research administration processes.
• Serves as GCM for departments with few active awards. Manages faculty grant discretionary and startup funds. Maintains and reconciles budgets; advises and/or determines allowability of expenditures; informs management of irregularities and proceeds with corrective action. Using Workday organizes and/or prepares financial summary reports; analyzes summarizes and interprets information; recommends course of action. Conducts forecasting and budget planning for yearend projections.
• Facilitates proposal writers as they identify grant opportunities. Aids in interpretation of guidelines and regulatory requirements. Prepares proposal budgets and other administrative sections of applications. Initiates or reviews proposal records in Cayuse. Performs general preaward activities in academic units with fewer proposal submissions and/or without an assigned GCM.
• Provides ongoing analysis of existing accounting policies and procedures recommends changes in processes and/or develops new processes to increase the overall effectiveness of departmental research financial operations.
• Assists in compiling reports regarding study operations and progress for internal and external stakeholders including faculty/staff Research & Sponsored Programs IRB and/or study sponsors.
• Coordinates research personnel actions with Human Resources with regards to job postings hiring termination and employee training. Coordinates graduate student appointments with the Graduate School Office. Serves as liaison to the HR department with regards to research personnel issues on behalf of the assigned departments.
• Understands process and implements appropriate action for summer salary payments and course buyouts.
• Reviews effort certification reports.
• Oversees the receipt processing and approval of invoices and expenditure requests through the assigned departments to Financial Services including University PCard purchases when startup funds grants or discretionary funds are used for such purchases.
• Serves as liaison between the assigned departments and the Procurement Department Financial Services Human Resources and Financial Aid (with respect to student employment). Ensures the assigned units follow the policies and procedures set forth by other WFU administrative departments.
• Oversees and advises on the preparation of journal entries for reallocating or correcting expenses and maintains documentation.
• Execute special projects and other duties as assigned to improve efficiency and increase productivity of all GCM staff members.

Required Education Knowledge Skills Abilities:

• Bachelors degree in business administration or related field plus five years progressively more responsible accounting/management experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Supervision experience in a professional setting.
• Knowledge of office and administrative practices and principles.
• Knowledge and skill in accounting and budgeting procedures and techniques.
• Knowledge and skill in financial reporting comparisons and/or projections.
• Proficiency in Word Excel and Google Workspace.
• Knowledge of grant proposal submission and postaward maintenance processes.
• Welldeveloped planning administrative and project management skills; ability to establish goals prioritize tasks and mobilize resources in a timecritical environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills; excellent communication skills both verbal and written including proficiency in business and scientific writing. Ability to develop and nurture relationships with individuals/organizations having diverse professional expertise.
• Ability to proactively respond to grant budgeting issues and needs.
• Ability to independently solve problems and make decisions.
• Ability to analyze and interpret policy and procedural questions.
• Ability to handle multitasking professional relationships under stressful conditions and sensitive information in a confidential manner.

Preferred Education Knowledge Skills Abilities:

• Experience with electronic proposal submission and processing.
• Experience with Workday.
• Deep knowledge of Excel.
• Knowledge of Cayuse software.
• CRA CFRA or CPRA.

Accountabilities:

• Responsible for own work.
• Budgetary responsibilities.
• Supervisory responsibilities.

Physical Requirements:

• Sedentary work primarily involves sitting/standing; communicating with others to exchange information; repeating motions that may include the wrists hands and/or fingers; and assessing the accuracy neatness and thoroughness of the work assigned.

Environmental Conditions:

• No environmental conditions.

Disclaimer:

This position profile identifies the key responsibilities and expectations for performance. It cannot encompass all specific job tasks that an employee may be required to perform. Employees are required to follow any other jobrelated instructions and perform jobrelated duties as may be reasonably assigned by the employees supervisor.

Additional Job Description

Time Type Requirement

Full time

Note to Applicant:

This position profile identifies the key responsibilities and expectations for performance. It cannot encompass all specific job tasks that an employee may be required to perform. Employees are required to follow any other jobrelated instructions and perform jobrelated duties as may be reasonably assigned by his/her supervisor.

In order to provide a safe and productive learning and living community Wake Forest University conducts background investigations and drug screens for all final staff candidates being considered for employment.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all qualified candidates to apply without regard to race color religion national origin sex age sexual orientation gender identity and expression genetic information disability and military or veteran status.

Accommodations for Applicants

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