Post-Award Leader: Grants Compliance & Process Excellence

Jobtailor; Durham (NH); On-site; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor in Durham, NH seeks a senior post-award leader to oversee operations, ensuring financial compliance, reporting, audits, and award closeouts across sponsored programs.

You will supervise a team of post-award administrators, set performance expectations, and drive professional development while coordinating with pre-award and internal stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Master’s or Bachelor's degree in finance or business with several years of related experience
• Advanced knowledge of federal regulations, sponsor guidelines, and 2 C.F.R. Part 200
• Strong organizational and time-management skills with ability to meet deadlines
• Excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal abilities
• Ability to work collaboratively across teams and with external constituents
• Proven leadership with mentoring, coaching, and staff development
• Critical thinking, problem-solving, and decisive judgment under pressure
• Strong computer skills including spreadsheets and databases
• Ability to develop and deliver technical training

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage post-award operations including financial compliance, reporting, audits, and award closeouts
• Supervise and guide a team of post-award administrators
• Monitor workload distribution and reassign tasks as needed
• Provide mentorship and professional development opportunities
• Set performance expectations and conduct evaluations
• Support complex grant scenarios with subject-matter expertise
• Develop and deliver training on post-award processes and compliance
• Review and update policies to reflect evolving regulations
• Identify process improvements and optimize post-award activities
• Monitor grant and contract portfolios and review notices of award
• Explain terms to principal investigators and ensure cost principles compliance
• Oversee labor distributions and effort reporting
• Forecast spending trends and potential shortfalls
• Approve grant-related transactions and respond to audits
• Coordinate pre-award and post-award collaboration
• Support pre-award processes when needed
• Perform related duties as assigned

Skills

Federal regulations

Sponsor guidelines

Communications

Leadership and mentoring

Team collaboration

Time management

Problem solving

Training development

Decision making

Education

Master’s degree in finance or business

Bachelor’s degree in finance or business

CRA credential or equivalent

Job description

• Lead and manage post-award operations by interpreting policies and reviewing business processes related to financial compliance, reporting, audits, and award closeouts
• Supervise and lead a team of post-award administrators
• Monitor workload distribution and redistribute tasks as appropriate
• Provide mentorship, guidance, and professional development opportunities
• Set performance expectations, conduct evaluations, and provide constructive feedback
• Support complex grant scenarios with expertise, guidance, and advocacy
• Implement post-award policies and standard operating procedures with the Director of AFC & Post-Award
• Develop and deliver training on post-award processes, policies, and compliance requirements
• Review and update policies for evolving regulations and best practices
• Identify process improvements and optimize post-award processes
• Monitor assigned grant and contract portfolios
• Review Notices of Award and communicate terms and conditions to principal investigators
• Guide principal investigators on cost principles and effort reporting throughout awards
• Monitor grant accounts, review financial reports, resolve financial problems, and prevent overdrafts
• Project and forecast spending trends and potential shortfalls or overdrafts
• Prepare labor distributions consistent with principal investigator guidance and approved budgets
• Oversee quarterly financial reviews and assist with annual effort certification
• Approve grant-related transactions, including journal entries, reimbursement requests, and requisitions
• Respond to internal and external audits of award-related transactions and reporting
• Coordinate inter-team meetings between pre-award and post-award teams
• Support pre-award processes as needed
• Perform related duties and responsibilities as assigned

Requirements

• Master’s degree in a field related to finance or business and five years of experience in sponsored programs administration, including grant and contract negotiations in an academic environment, OR Bachelor’s degree in a field related to finance or business and seven years of similar related experience
• Advanced knowledge of federal regulations, sponsor guidelines, and Federal Office of Management and Budget Uniform Guidance (2 C.F.R. Part 200)
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills and follow-through
• Ability to work effectively within tight timelines and deadline pressure at a high professional level
• Excellent oral and written communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work collaboratively within and between teams and with constituents external to the centralized research administration office
• Demonstrated leadership and commitment to mentoring, coaching, and developing others
• Critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities
• Excellent computer skills, including spreadsheets and databases
• Ability to develop and deliver technical training
• Designation of Certified Research Administrator (CRA), or similar credential

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in post-award operations, financial compliance, and grant management, with a strong focus on mentoring and developing team members. Proficient in interpreting federal regulations and optimizing processes to ensure effective administration of grants and contracts.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Post-Award Operations Management
• Financial Compliance Expertise
• Grant and Contract Negotiations
• Certified Research Administrator (CRA)
• Team Leadership and Mentoring

ATS Optimization Keywords

Hard Skills

• Financial Reporting
• Budget Preparation
• Cost Principles
• Effort Reporting
• Process Improvement
• Policy Development
• Training Development
• Audit Response
• Grant Monitoring
• Forecasting Spending Trends

Soft Skills

• Excellent Communication Skills
• Organizational Skills
• Critical Thinking
• Problem-Solving
• Interpersonal Skills

Certifications & Qualifications

• Certified Research Administrator (CRA)

Industry Keywords

• Federal Regulations
• Sponsor Guidelines
• Uniform Guidance
• Sponsored Programs Administration
• Grant Management

Tools & Technologies

• Spreadsheets
• Databases