Research Administration Manager, SOM Research Administrative Services (RAS)

University of Georgia; Athens (GA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Georgia in Athens, GA is seeking a Research Administration Manager within the SOM Research Administrative Services to oversee pre-award and post-award activities for externally funded projects.

The role provides strategic guidance to investigators, ensures sponsor compliance, and collaborates with faculty, research staff, and institutional partners across clinical research and training grants.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent
• 2 years of professional experience
• Experience in research administration, grants management, or sponsored programs preferred

Responsibilities

• Pre-Award Grants Administration: oversees development, review, and submission of complex proposals and budgets to ensure sponsor and institutional compliance.
• Post-Award Administration: oversees award setup, budget monitoring, effort management, and reporting requirements.
• Research Education, Outreach, and Faculty Support: develops resources and consultations to enhance knowledge of research administration processes.
• Strategic Initiatives, Process Improvement, and Compliance Oversight: leads process improvements and ensures alignment with sponsor regulations and institutional policies.

Skills

Research administration

Grants management

Sponsored programs

Clinical research

Academic medicine environments

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Posting Details

Posting Number: S15731P

Working Title: Research Administration Manager, SOM Research Administrative Services (RAS)

Department: SOM-Research

About the University of Georgia: Chartered by the state of Georgia in 1785, the University of Georgia is the birthplace of public higher education in America and is the state's flagship university (https://www.uga.edu/). The proof is in our more than 240 years of academic and professional achievements and our continual commitment to higher education. UGA is currently ranked among the top 20 public universities in U.S. News & World Report. The University's main campus is located in Athens, approximately 65 miles northeast of Atlanta, with extended campuses in Atlanta, Griffin, Gwinnett, and Tifton. UGA employs approximately 3,100 faculty and more than 7,700 full-time staff. The University's enrollment exceeds 41,000 students including over 31,000 undergraduates and over 10,000 graduate and professional students. Academic programs reside in 19 schools and colleges, including our newly established School of Medicine.

About the College/Unit/Department: The University of Georgia School of Medicine was founded in 2024 and received preliminary accreditation in 2026. The establishment of a new public medical school at UGA comes as the state faces a significant shortage of medical professionals. The population of Georgia, the nation's eighth-largest state, has surged to approximately 11 million residents, straining existing medical infrastructure and resulting in longer wait times for appointments and reduced access to care. Georgia currently ranks 39th in the nation for the number of active patient care physicians per capita and 41st for the number of public medical students per capita. As a top-20 public university with a thriving research enterprise and vast public service network, the University of Georgia is well-positioned to produce more highly trained physicians, alleviate physician shortages, and improve the state's ability to provide quality health care for its citizens. The School of Medicine is located on UGA's Health Sciences Campus in Athens. In its inaugural year, the UGA School of Medicine will enroll 60 students per class, but a new $100 million medical school building will enable the UGA School of Medicine to grow to 120 students per class in the future.

College/Unit/Department website: https://medicine.uga.edu/

Posting Type: External

Retirement Plan: TRS or ORP

Employment Type: Employee

Benefits Eligibility: Benefits Eligible

Full/Part time: Full Time

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00AM - 5:00PM. Flexibility may be needed at times, including evenings and/or weekends on occasion.

Advertised Salary: Commensurate with experience

Posting Date: 09/10/2026

Open until filled: Yes

Proposed Starting Date: 11/01/2026

Special Instructions to Applicants: The application packet should include a cover letter detailing how the applicant's credentials and experience meet the needs, responsibilities, and qualifications for the position, a current resume, and contact information for three professional references (who will not be contacted without further correspondence with the applicant).

Location of Vacancy: Athens Area

EEO Policy Statement: The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status or other protected status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR ([e-mail]).

USG Core Values Statement: The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 25 institutions of higher education and learning, as well the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 08.02.18.01.02. Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 06.05 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom.

Position Information

Classification Title: Grants Professional II

FLSA: Exempt

FTE: 1.00

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent and 2 years of professional experience

Preferred Qualifications:

• Three to five years of progressively responsible experience in research administration, grants management, sponsored programs administration, including support for federal sponsored programs, clinical research, or academic medicine environments.
• Professional certification such as Certified Research Administrator (CRA), Certified Pre-Award Research Administrator (CPRA), or Certified Financial Research Administrator (CFRA) preferred.

Position Summary: The Research Administration Manager provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for the School of Medicine's research administration function, supporting faculty, investigators, and research staff throughout the full lifecycle of externally funded research programs. This position is responsible for delivering comprehensive pre-award and post-award support to investigators pursuing clinical research, clinical trials, career development awards (K-series), training grants (HRSA, NIH training mechanisms, and similar programs), and other sponsored research initiatives aligned with the School of Medicine's mission. The Research Administration Manager promotes a collaborative, compliant, and customer-focused research environment while ensuring adherence to sponsor requirements, institutional policies, and regulatory standards. The position serves as a senior resource for complex funding programs, providing guidance on proposal development, budget planning, award management, compliance considerations, and strategic research administration.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies:

• Extensive knowledge of pre-award and post-award research administration principles, practices, and regulations.
• Experience supporting clinical research, clinical trials, NIH career development awards (K awards), HRSA programs, training grants, and other complex sponsored funding mechanisms, including both Federal and Non-Federal based awards.
• Strong understanding of federal sponsor requirements, grant administration practices, effort reporting, budget management, and compliance considerations.
• Knowledge of institutional policies governing externally funded research programs.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills with the ability to establish productive working relationships with faculty, research staff, administrators, sponsors, and institutional partners.
• Commitment to exceptional customer service and collaborative problem-solving.
• Ability to interpret sponsor requirements, funding announcements, regulations, and institutional policies and apply them to complex situations.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to independently manage multiple priorities while meeting deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated ability to assess operational challenges and implement effective solutions.
• Strong change management and process improvement skills.

Physical Demands: Standard office environment with majority of work at a desk/computer. Work at a computer for long periods.

Is driving a responsibility of this position?: No

Is this a Position of Trust?: Yes

Does this position have operation, access, or control of financial resources?: Yes

Does this position require a P-Card?: No

Is having a P-Card an essential function of this position?: No

Does this position have direct interaction or care of children under the age of 18 or direct patient care?: No

Does this position have Security Access (e.g., public safety, IT security, personnel records, patient records, or access to chemicals and medications): Yes

Credit and P-Card policy: Be advised a credit check will be required for all positions with financial responsibilities. For additional information about the credit check criteria, visit the UGA Credit Background Check website.

Background Investigation Policy: Offers of employment are contingent upon completion of a background investigation including a criminal background check demonstrating your eligibility for employment with the University of Georgia; confirmation of the credentials and employment history reflected in your application materials (including reference checks) as they relate to the job-based requirements of the position applied for; and, if applicable, a satisfactory credit check. You may also be subject to a pre-employment drug test for positions with high-risk responsibilities, if applicable. Please visit the UGA Background Check website.

Duties/Responsibilities

Pre-Award Grants Administration

• Oversees and supports the development, review, and submission of complex research proposals and funding applications for federal, state, foundation, industry-sponsored, and other external funding sources.
• Provides guidance on program announcements, eligibility requirements, application strategies, budget development, and supporting documentation.
• Supports faculty pursuing clinical research studies, clinical trials, NIH career development awards (K-series), HRSA funding opportunities, institutional and individual training grants, also including non-Federal, foundation or industry sponsored grants, and other targeted School of Medicine research initiatives.
• Reviews budgets and administrative components of proposals to ensure compliance with sponsor guidelines, institutional policies, and funding requirements.
• Serves as a subject matter expert for complex pre-award and post-award activities involving clinical research, clinical trials, K awards, training grants, multi-project programs, and other specialized funding mechanisms, both Federal and non-Federal sponsored research.
• Serves as the primary administrative resource for NIH Career Development Award applications (K01, K08, K23, K99/R00, and related mechanisms), assisting faculty with eligibility review, mentor documentation, career development plans, effort commitments, institutional support statements, and budget development.
• Provides strategic guidance to faculty and research staff regarding sponsor requirements, proposal preparation, budgeting, effort planning, cost-sharing, and award management.
• Partners with SOM leadership to identify research administration needs and implement solutions that support growth in externally funded research.
• Develops standardized procedures, workflows, and best practices to improve efficiency, consistency, and customer service across SOM research administration activities.

Percentage of time: 40

Post-Award Administration

• Reviews budgets and administrative components of proposals to ensure compliance with sponsor guidelines, institutional policies, and funding requirements.
• Oversees post-award administrative activities, including award setup coordination, budget monitoring, effort management, reporting requirements, re-budgeting requests, no-cost extensions, and other award modifications.
• Assists investigators and research teams in resolving complex award administration issues and identifying appropriate strategies for maintaining compliance and project continuity.
• Monitors sponsor and institutional requirements throughout the life of the award and provides recommendations to mitigate administrative and compliance risks.

Percentage of time: 40

Research Education, Outreach, and Faculty Support

• Develops and delivers educational programs, workshops, guidance materials, and individual consultations to enhance faculty and staff knowledge of research administration processes.
• Creates resources and tools that support investigators throughout proposal development and award management activities.
• Collaborates with institutional partners, departmental administrators, compliance offices, and research leadership to promote effective research administration practices.
• Fosters a culture of service and partnership that supports faculty success in securing and managing external funding.
• Serves as a trusted advisor to investigators and departmental research staff regarding best practices in research administration and sponsored program management.
• Supports faculty development efforts related to grant competitiveness and long-term research sustainability.

Percentage of time: 10

Strategic Initiatives, Process Improvement, and Compliance Oversight

• Leads continuous process improvement initiatives to enhance research administration services, operational efficiency, and stakeholder satisfaction within the School of Medicine.
• Evaluates existing processes and develops recommendations for improved service delivery, compliance monitoring, and operational effectiveness.
• Communicates changes in sponsor regulations, institutional policies, and funding requirements to SOM faculty and research staff.
• Develops documentation, guidance materials, and standard operating procedures to support consistent implementation of research administration practices.
• Participates in institutional committees, working groups, and special projects related to sponsored funding, research administration, and compliance.
• Provides data, reports, and analyses to leadership to support strategic planning and decision-making related to research growth and infrastructure.
• Other duties as assigned.

Percentage of time: 10