Director of Research Administration & Strategy

Harvard University; Cambridge (MA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Parental leave

Medical and retirement benefits

Tuition assistance

Job summary

Harvard University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences seeks a senior leader to head a team of Research Portfolio Managers (RPMs) and Senior RPMs, guiding post‑award management, compliance, and process improvement across school and sponsor guidelines.

You will mentor staff, set performance standards, partner with FAS offices, and help advance research administration strategy in a hybrid work environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required.
• Minimum of 7 years’ relevant work experience.
• Advanced knowledge of sponsored research regulations.
• Supervisory experience.

Responsibilities

• Manage and supervise research administration team.
• Plan workflow and assign portfolio to team members.
• Lead the resolution of complex research administration problems and guide team of RPMs/Sr. RPMs to generate compliant solutions.
• Manage all aspects of individual and team performance by setting standards and expectations around performance, leading annual reviews, and creating pathways to professional growth.
• In partnership with department unit leaders, lead hiring efforts and build a strong and effective team.
• Strategize and establish process/policy for effective research administration.
• In partnership with senior school leadership, set strategies and recommend processes for coordinated interaction with offices such as FAS Finance, OSP, OTD, RCP and OVPR to optimize research administration for faculty clients
• Maintain advanced knowledge and expertise of federal rules, other sponsor regulations and school and university policy to communicate with team and establish standard practice for compliant management of awards
• Compliance and risk management
• Lead audit for area team; provide all documentation and process write-up
• Monitor and track faculty effort commitments and lead effort reporting
• Oversee all sponsored spending to ensure financial integrity and compliance

Skills

Leadership

Analytical thinking

Mentoring

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

MBA or Master's degree in relevant field

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Budgeting

Job description

Harvard University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences seeks a senior leader to head a team of Research Portfolio Managers (RPMs) and Senior RPMs, guiding post‑award management, compliance, and process improvement across school and sponsor guidelines.

You will mentor staff, set performance standards, partner with FAS offices, and help advance research administration strategy in a hybrid work environment.