Assistant Director, Grants Finance — Sponsored Projects

University of Kentucky; Lexington (VA); Hybrid; USD 64,000 - 106,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Kentucky seeks an experienced Assistant Director, Sponsored Projects Financial Administration, to lead grants accounting and related post-award activities. You will drive financial reporting, billing, new account setup, and cross-functional coordination to support research goals.

The role emphasizes leadership, process improvement, and collaboration with stakeholders across Research Financial Services to ensure compliant, efficient operations.

Qualifications

• BA degree required.
• Minimum 6 years of related experience in financial administration, grants management, or similar environment.
• Experience in higher education or highly regulated settings preferred.
• Strong leadership, analytical and problem-solving abilities.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for sponsored projects financial administration (billing, reporting, new account creation).
• Coordinate cross-functional operations with partners and leadership.
• Oversee a large, complex operational area, set performance expectations, and staff development.
• Identify process gaps, implement corrective actions, and ensure effective execution.

Skills

Staff Leadership

Project Management

Financial Administration

Accounting

Financial Analysis

Advanced Excel

SAP

Tableau

Organizational Planning

Process Improvement

Problem Solving

Communication

Stakeholder Engagement

Education

BA

Tools

Microsoft Excel

SAP

Tableau

Job description

University of Kentucky seeks an experienced Assistant Director, Sponsored Projects Financial Administration, to lead grants accounting and related post-award activities. You will drive financial reporting, billing, new account setup, and cross-functional coordination to support research goals.

The role emphasizes leadership, process improvement, and collaboration with stakeholders across Research Financial Services to ensure compliant, efficient operations.