Research Administrator – Team Lead

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine is a premier academic medical center located in the heart of Richmond. Accounting for almost half of VCU’s sponsored research, the School of Medicine is internationally recognized for patient care and education. All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU’s generous benefits package that includes: competitive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, Virginia Retirement System (VRS), professional development & certifications, tuition waiver, parental leave, caregiving leave and community service leave. Learn more about VCU’s benefits here: https://hr.vcu.edu/careers-at-vcu/why-work-at-vcu/

Position Summary:

As a member of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) fiscal team, the Research Administrator will assist the Finance Manager in providing oversight, training, and direct support to Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R) and Center for Rehabilitation Science and Engineering (CERSE) in the compliant administration of sponsored projects.

The Research Administrator-Team Lead will be responsible for leading a team of sponsored research administrators to support the research endeavors of the department. They will oversee the administration of sponsored research projects and ensure compliance with all relevant regulations, policies, and procedures.

The selected candidate will independently develop and oversee research proposals, awards, and transactions related to contract and grant management; maintain contract and grant records in compliance with institutional research sponsor policies; work on proposals and awards of different scopes where analysis of data requires thorough understanding of complex regulations; develop complex proposals that may involve multiple investigators and/or multiple subawards; and guide less experienced staff.

This individual will provide analytical and financial support in proposal processing, contract and grant submissions, and budget development, including pre-award proposal initiatives, management of funds post-award, and closeout activities for federal, state, local, and private sponsors.

Minimum Hiring Standards:

· Bachelor’s degree in finance, business, management, or related field.

· 3 yrs. of prior experience in research administration in the areas of proposal development, financial management, effort reporting, and project closeout.

· Working knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and OMB Uniform Guidance for Federal awards.

· Demonstrated analytical skills; ability to analyze financial transactions for trends and variances; ability to create reports, tracking tools, and professional documents

· Experience in budget development, experience forecasting, financial reconciliation, and the ability to interpret and apply complete government regulations and contractual terms.

· Must be proficient in the use of Word, Excel, and Access, with demonstrated experience using spreadsheets or databases to organize data appropriately for financial analysis and reporting.

· Strong problem solving and time management skills, including the ability to adapt to frequent changes in work assignments, prioritize, and manage competing priorities to meet deadlines are required.

· Must be precise, thorough, and reliable and perform daily activities with minimal supervision.

· Excellent customer service skills, written and verbal communication skills, and ability to work as part of a team.

· Experience using electronic research administration platforms eRA Commons, and Grants.gov.

· Working knowledge of state or university purchasing, travel, and personnel administration policies and procedures as well as a general understanding of IRB and regulatory agency requirements pertaining to human subject research.

· Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff and student environment or commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU

Preferred Hiring Standards:

· Master’s degree

· Certified Research Administrator (CRA) certification strongly preferred.

This certification demonstrates a thorough understanding of the core competencies and best practices in sponsored research administration, including project development and management, legal and regulatory compliance, financial management, and communication and leadership skills. While the CRA certification is not required for this position, it is highly desirable and may be considered a differentiating factor among candidates. Candidates with other relevant certifications or training in sponsored research administration may also be considered.

This is a restricted position with no set end date and continued employment is dependent upon the availability of funding.

Position will remain open until filled.

Salary Range: Minimum $56,000; Commensurate with education, skills and experience of selected candidate



Position Details:

Department: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Employment Type: UF - University Employee FT
Restricted Status: Yes
FTE: 100
Exemption Status: Exempt

University Job Title: Research/Sr. Research Administrator (1-3)

ORP Eligibility: No



Contact Information:

Contact Name: Nickie Thomas

Contact Email: raysheena.thomas@vcuhealth.org