Senior Research Administrator – Pre-Award, Department of Pediatrics

Position Summary:

As a critical member of the Department of Pediatrics Research Office (PRO) and Child Health Research Institute (CHRI) administrative team this position will perform at a high level resolving complex issues largely independently to provide pre-award internal and sponsored funding support to faculty and staff in the Department of Pediatrics and if/as needed to investigators who are CHRI members or are in other VCU departments and work with a pediatric population in the Childrens Hospital of Richmond. This position will oversee and coordinate administrative pre-award outreach timelining and process setting and improvement if needed by working directly with faculty to identify internal and external funding opportunities and to submit competitive sponsored award proposals to primarily federal and foundation sponsors. This position will lead strategic management of daily pre-award operations and will work with other personnel at all levels in the PRO and CHRI to conform pre-award strategy with the larger goals and mission of the Department the CHRI and CHoR. This position will serve as a liaison between other departments and aligned units across the university and health system as needed including the School of Medicine Office of Sponsored Programs as well as with peers at collaborating institutions in order to achieve individual and institutional goals.

Core Responsibilities:
Assists in the creation and documentation of individualized grant plans for Department of Pediatrics researchers. Includes actively and accurately interpreting and applying sponsor and institutional policies upon identifying multiple award mechanisms and recycling the same grant through multiple funding opportunities and cycles.
Performs proactive outreach to faculty and staff regarding notice of opportunities and adherence to preestablished grant plans for each individual.
Oversees and coordinates all administrative aspects of a sponsored award submission including projecting and documenting timelines for submissions and funding terms.
Assists the PRO / CHRI administrative team with department-level financial strategy by anticipating funding fluctuations: Includes anticipation of NCEs bridge periods and anticipated levels of new funding based upon scale of targeted mechanisms.
Anticipates and communicates need for faculty protected research time and the resultant clinical FTE reduction.

Minimum Hiring Standards:
Extensive knowledge and experience with multiple sponsors primarily NIH (SF424) HRSA DoD and other federal () and also foundations (eg. Proposal Central)
5 years minimum experience in an academic medical research institution
5 years minimum experience in pre-award research administration
Bachelors degree or equivalent applicable combination of training education and experience.
Ability to lead multiple submission processes with and for busy investigators
Ability to work under tight deadlines
Highly independent self-starter and critical thinker
Highly organized and has exceptional attention to detail
Proficiency in budget building in Microsoft excel
Ability to work in a diverse environment
Strong written and verbal communication skills

Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect professionalism and civility with a population of faculty staff and students from various backgrounds and experiences or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.

Preferred Qualifications:
Experience with VCU sponsored program systems policies and processes
Experience with financial management of sponsored awards and running financial projections

Additional Information:

Position is located in Richmond VA. Hybrid schedule preferredbut will consider fully remote.

Position will remain open until filled.

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine is a premier academic medical center located in the heart of Richmond. Accounting for almost half of VCUs sponsored research the School of Medicine is internationally recognized for patient care and education. All full-time university staff are eligible for our generous benefits package that includes choices for health vision and dental coverage life-insurance short and long-term disability coverage retirement planning tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs flexible spending accounts tuition benefits significant paid-time off 12 paid holidays and more. Explore our benefits further here: is committed to hiring veterans! VCU will include a veterans period(s) of military service in the calculation of their annual leave accrual rate. This may provide veterans with an increased leave accrual!

Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity employer.

Please note that if you are employed as a university employee working in any of the health systems facilities you will need to follow VCU Health System policies which will include but will not be limited to vaccination requirements.

Jewel Jefferson

Required Experience:

Senior IC