Research Administration Management Consultant - Cancer Research

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center's Center for Cancer Prevention and Survivorship seeks a Research Administration Management Analyst 4 to provide strategic oversight of sponsored research and population science initiatives. The role leads pre-award and post-award activities and ensures compliance with NIH, NCI, CDC, and sponsor requirements.

Working closely with investigators and center leadership, you will develop policies, manage budgets, forecast financial needs, and supervise

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in related field required.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum of 6 years of progressively responsible experience in research administration, grants management, or related field.
• Experience managing complex sponsored project portfolios involving federal funding.
• Experience in an academic medical center, cancer center, or research-intensive university preferred.
• Advanced knowledge of sponsored research administration principles and NIH, NCI, and federal regulations.

Responsibilities

• Direct and oversee all research administration activities supporting CCPS investigators and programs.
• Develop and implement strategic plans, procedures, and administrative infrastructure to support center growth and research excellence.
• Serve as the primary advisor to center leadership on research administration, regulatory compliance, and fiscal stewardship.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, streamline processes, and advance best practices across the center.
• Lead special projects and initiatives related to research expansion, funding diversification, and institutional priorities.
• Direct pre-award and post-award management for a complex portfolio of federal, state, foundation, industry, and institutional funding.
• Provide oversight for proposal development, budget preparation, sponsor guidelines, effort commitments, cost sharing, subawards, and institutional approvals.
• Monitor award management activities, including financial performance, reporting requirements, budget modifications, no-cost extensions, and closeout activities.
• Ensure compliance with NIH, NCI, CDC, PCORI, DOD, NSF, and other sponsor regulations.
• Provide senior-level guidance regarding grant administration, funding strategies, and sponsor requirements.
• Develop, manage, and monitor annual operating budgets and sponsored project expenditures.
• Conduct financial forecasting, portfolio planning, and risk assessment activities.
• Analyze funding trends, grant expenditures, personnel allocations, and resource utilization.
• Ensure accuracy and compliance of financial transactions and reporting.
• Develop executive-level reports and financial metrics to support strategic decision-making by center leadership.
• Recommend corrective actions and financial strategies to optimize resource allocation and research sustainability.
• Ensure adherence to university policies and sponsor requirements related to research administration.
• Monitor compliance with effort certification, allowable costs, subrecipient monitoring, data-sharing requirements, and research-related regulations.
• Support audit preparation and response activities.
• Collaborate with institutional offices to implement changes in regulatory requirements and sponsor expectations.
• Promote a culture of accountability, integrity, and compliance throughout the center.
• Supervise, mentor, and evaluate research administration staff.
• Establish performance expectations and support professional development activities.
• Foster collaboration among faculty, staff, and institutional partners.
• Lead recruitment, onboarding, training, and retention efforts for research administration personnel.
• Build administrative expertise and succession planning within the center.
• Collaborate with faculty investigators to identify funding opportunities and develop competitive proposals.
• Represent CCPS on institutional committees, working groups, and research administration forums.
• Develop strong partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Support strategic initiatives that advance cancer prevention, survivorship, population sciences, and community-engaged research.

Skills

Sponsored research administration

Budgeting & forecasting

Financial analysis

Project management

Leadership

Communication

Microsoft Office / ERAS

Education

Bachelor's degree (related field)

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Position Summary

The Research Administration Management Analyst 4 serves as the senior research administration leader for the Center for Cancer Prevention and Survivorship (CCPS), providing strategic oversight and operational management of a complex portfolio of sponsored research, clinical research, and population science initiatives. This position leads pre-award and post-award research administration activities, develops and implements policies and processes, ensures compliance with federal, state, university, and sponsor regulations, and provides financial stewardship for a diverse portfolio of grants, contracts, and philanthropic funding.

The Analyst 4 partners closely with investigators, center leadership, Shared Resources, the Comprehensive Cancer Center, Office of Sponsored Programs, Sponsored Programs Accounting, and external funding agencies to support the growth, sustainability, and impact of cancer prevention, survivorship, behavioral, implementation, and population health research programs.

This role exercises a high degree of independent judgment, strategic decision-making, and leadership while supervising research administration staff and managing complex institutional initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct and oversee all research administration activities supporting CCPS investigators and research programs.
• Develop and implement strategic plans, operating procedures, and administrative infrastructure to support center growth and research excellence.
• Serve as the primary advisor to center leadership on research administration, sponsored project management, regulatory compliance, and fiscal stewardship.
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, streamline processes, and advance best practices across the center.
• Lead special projects and initiatives related to research expansion, funding diversification, and institutional priorities.
• Direct pre-award and post-award management for a complex portfolio of federal, state, foundation, industry, and institutional funding.
• Provide oversight for proposal development, budget preparation, sponsor guidelines, effort commitments, cost sharing, subawards, and institutional approvals.
• Monitor award management activities, including financial performance, reporting requirements, budget modifications, no-cost extensions, and closeout activities.
• Ensure compliance with NIH, NCI, CDC, PCORI, DOD, NSF, and other sponsor regulations.
• Provide senior-level guidance regarding grant administration, funding strategies, and sponsor requirements.
• Develop, manage, and monitor annual operating budgets and sponsored project expenditures.
• Conduct financial forecasting, portfolio planning, and risk assessment activities.
• Analyze funding trends, grant expenditures, personnel allocations, and resource utilization.
• Ensure accuracy and compliance of financial transactions and reporting.
• Develop executive-level reports and financial metrics to support strategic decision-making by center leadership.
• Recommend corrective actions and financial strategies to optimize resource allocation and research sustainability.
• Ensure adherence to university policies and sponsor requirements related to research administration.
• Monitor compliance with effort certification, allowable costs, subrecipient monitoring, data-sharing requirements, and research-related regulations.
• Support audit preparation and response activities.
• Collaborate with institutional offices to implement changes in regulatory requirements and sponsor expectations.
• Promote a culture of accountability, integrity, and compliance throughout the center.
• Supervise, mentor, and evaluate research administration staff.
• Establish performance expectations and support professional development activities.
• Foster collaboration among faculty, staff, and institutional partners.
• Lead recruitment, onboarding, training, and retention efforts for research administration personnel.
• Build administrative expertise and succession planning within the center.
• Collaborate with faculty investigators to identify funding opportunities and develop competitive proposals.
• Represent CCPS on institutional committees, working groups, and research administration forums.
• Develop strong partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Support strategic initiatives that advance cancer prevention, survivorship, population sciences, and community-engaged research.

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, public administration, finance, healthcare administration, research administration, or a related field required.
• Master's degree preferred.

Experience

• Minimum of 6 years of progressively responsible experience in research administration, grants management, sponsored programs administration, finance, or related field.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex sponsored project portfolios involving federal funding.
• Experience developing and managing budgets, financial reporting, and compliance activities.
• Experience leading projects, teams, or research administration operations.
• Experience working in an academic medical center, cancer center, or research-intensive university preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Advanced knowledge of sponsored research administration principles and practices.
• Extensive knowledge of NIH, NCI, federal Uniform Guidance, and sponsored project regulations.
• Strong financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and reporting skills.
• Ability to interpret complex regulations and apply them to research operations.
• Excellent organizational, problem-solving, and project management skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with ability to interact effectively with faculty, leadership, and external partners.
• Demonstrated leadership, supervisory, and team-building capabilities.
• Proficiency with university financial systems, electronic research administration systems, and Microsoft Office applications.

Thank you for your interest in working at Ohio State.

Final candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check. A drug screen or physical may be required during the post offer process.

The university is an equal opportunity employer, including veterans and disability.