Director of Pre-Award Services

The University of Memphis, United States

Updated: 8 days ago
Location: Memphis, TENNESSEE
Deadline: 22 Apr 2024

Posting Information


Posting Number SAECC3788
Advertised Title Director of Pre-Award Services
Campus Location Main Campus (Memphis, TN)
Position Number 002712
Category Staff (Hourly/Monthly)
Department VP Research
Minimum Position Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree and seven (7) years of research management experience in a university or similar setting. Master’s degree preferred.
Special Conditions
Work Schedule
Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
May need to work/travel beyond normal work schedule.
Posting Date 04/08/2024
Closing Date 04/22/2024
Open Until Screening Begins No
Hiring Range $95,000 - $105,000 per year
Full-Time/Part-Time Full-Time: Benefits Eligible
Working Conditions
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, use hands to handle or feel, and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to walk. The employee is occasionally required to stand, reach with hands and arms, and stoop, kneel, or crouch. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.
Additional Working Conditions
Special Instructions to Applicants
Is this posting for UofM employees only? No
Positions Supervised
Office of Pre-Award Services staff
Graduate Assistants
Students (as hired)
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Excellent communication skills to convey policies and pre-award and post-award procedures to all levels of employees and researchers.
Knowledge of grant funding best practices and procedures.
Service orientation, strong management skills, leadership, sound judgment and decision making, critical thinking and creative problem solving.
Additional Position Information
As a part of the Division of Research and Innovation, the Director of Pre-Award Services assists the AVP for Research Administration and Compliance with organizational management matters relating to the University’s research enterprise and its Carnegie R1 mission. Helps to foster a culture of data-driven decision-making within the research enterprise and University. Participates in the development of short and long-term research plans to support the strategic objectives and goals of the University’s research enterprise. In partnership with the EVP, develops, supports, and tracks a strategic plan and annual goals (including appropriate metrics) that contribute to the University’s research plans/goals.
Benefits of Employment (Applies to full-time, non-police employees only)





Job Duties


Duties & Responsibilities
Leadership
Develop, implement, and maintain SOPs and policies for all aspects of the research administration. Effectively review procedures for ongoing continuous improvement to efficiently facilitate research collaborations and activities. Assist with establishing/deploying campus training for central research staff, unit pre-award coordinators, business officers, and researchers.
Prepare and analyze proposals, awards, and other data reports for the University of Memphis Research Council, College Deans, and Department Chairs; work closely with the Division of Business and Finance in the preparation and submission of extramural research reports to the State of Tennessee Comptroller’s Office, and the House and Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee.
Facilitate and engage faculty multidisciplinary collaboration maximation to align with the divisional and University’s research goals; coordinate new faculty and sponsor partnerships and help strengthen the research enterprise. Provide administrative support to and/or serves on various University committees related to the research enterprise vision, and its Carnegie R1 mission.
Duties & Responsibilities
Pre-award Administration
The Director is the University’s AOR for review, authorization, and submission of research and other sponsored proposals in compliance with sponsor guidelines and specific requirements of targeted program announcements. Oversee pre-award staff in proposals submissions, contract/subcontract negotiation/executions and project award acceptance/setup and oversee electronic research administrative activities.
Provide day-to-day administrative management and oversight of personnel and workflow and processes, systems, and budgets. Analyze and interpret funding agency rules, regulations, and guidelines, and monitor ongoing changes in federal regulations.
Provide policy interpretation and guidance, and assist and advise faculty on sponsored research compliance and respond to high-risk/escalated issues and inquiries for effective resolution in an efficient and compliant manner. Manage large multidisciplinary grant proposal submissions, such as Institutional Center Grants and Institutional Training Grants.
Serve as a liaison between funding agencies and faculty and staff, and manage post-submission and Just-in-Time process requests from sponsors. The Director must have extensive working knowledge across various funding agencies, including NIH, NSF, HRSA, SAMHSA, CDC, DOE, DoEd, DOJ, DOD, and NASA. Must have a strong working knowledge of research administration databases and portals, such as Cayuse, Banner, InfoEd, eRA Commons, Research.gov/FastLane, Grant Solutions NSPIRES, Grants.gov, and G5. Serve as a resource to faculty and staff for identifying funding opportunities; submitting proposals, reports, and/or requests to external sponsors; and interpreting regulations, terms and conditions, policies, and other specific and general guidelines in research and other extramurally funded sponsored program administration.
Duties & Responsibilities
Post-award Administration
Oversees the initial award project setup process to ensure on-time projects are set up in compliance with institutional, federal, and sponsor regulations.
Direct the outgoing sub-recipient process, oversee sub-recipient monitoring and risk assessment protocols, ensure accurate FFATA/FSRS reporting; and ensure timely and efficient processing of outgoing subgrants/subcontracts in accordance with OMB Uniformed Guidance 2 CFR 200, and FAR/DFARS regulations.
Review, develop, and implement SOPs and policies; collaborate with faculty and academic leadership; and develops and maintain research partnerships with local, state, and national research partners.
Coordinate activities and processes with the offices of research compliance research accounting to ensure seamless, customer-focused operations to promote efforts to improve and simplify research administration burden and processes; and communicate with sponsors and researchers to ensure timely submissions of progress reports and project closeouts relinquishment/transfers.
Duties & Responsibilities
Compliance
Protects the University by assuring that proposals, contracts, and awards are in compliance with federal, state, agency, and institution policies for all research-related and other extramurally sponsored grants and contracts, and other non-sponsored research collaboration agreements such as nondisclosure agreements, material transfer agreements, and data use agreements.
Ensures that all research conducted at the University adheres to the applicable federal and state regulations, as well as Institutional policies and procedures. Ensures compliance with all certifications and assurances. Ensure the integrity of data and reporting of data from sources within the University of Memphis as they relate to research administration.
Requires advanced knowledge of OMB Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200, Federal Acquisition Regulations, and principles of cost accounting standards, including allowability, allocability, and reasonableness, state, local, sponsor, and institutional regulations, policies, and guidelines. Must have knowledge of intellectual property policy and publication rights, conflict of interest requirements, application of indirect cost rates, and other complex concepts in sponsored research.
Provide consultation and technical assistance services to faculty and staff regarding submitting, obtaining, and managing externally funded sponsored projects.
Manage time approval, vacation requests, and other management tasks; works closely with division leadership in implementing research programs.
Duties & Responsibilities
Other duties as assigned.

Similar Positions