Research Administrator Coordinator

Drexel University; Pennsylvania; Remote; USD 52,000 - 79,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work option

Job summary

Drexel University is seeking a Research Administrator Coordinator to support pre-award and post-award activities within the Central Office of Sponsored Programs. This role serves as a key point of contact for faculty, department admins, sponsors, and stakeholders, coordinating proposals, agreements, and awards.

The position emphasizes centralized communications, records maintenance, workflow support, and timely responses for research administration actions. Remote work option is available.

Qualifications

• Minimum of a Bachelor's Degree or the equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• Minimum of 1-3 years of experience.
• One to three years of administrative, research administration, grants management, or higher education experience.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Excel, Word, and Teams.

Responsibilities

• Shared Mailbox Management: monitor, triage, and distribute incoming communications.
• Coordinate communication between principal investigators, departments, and central offices.
• Provide guidance on institutional processes, deadlines, and required documentation.
• Support data entry, quality assurance, and record management activities.

Skills

Organizational skills

Written and verbal communication

Microsoft Office

Attention to detail

Time management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

SmartSheet

eRA

Ticketing systems

Job description

Job Summary

The Research Administrator Coordinator provides administrative and operational support for pre-award and post-award research administration activities within the Central Office of Sponsored Programs. This position serves as a key point of contact for faculty, departmental administrators, sponsors, and institutional stakeholders, facilitating the efficient processing of research proposals, agreements, and awards. The Coordinator is responsible for managing centralized communications, maintaining records, supporting workflow processes, and ensuring timely responses for research administration actions.

Essential Functions

• Shared Mailbox Management:
  • Monitor and manage the Sponsored Programs shared mailboxes to ensure timely review, triage, and distribution of incoming communications.
  • Monitor, triage, and assign Novelution actions from faculty and departmental administrators to appropriate team members
  • Respond to routine inquiries from faculty, research staff, departmental administrators, and external sponsors.
  • Route requests, agreements, and related communications to appropriate Office of Sponsored Programs team members.
  • Track and prioritize mailbox requests to ensure adherence to internal service standards and proposal deadlines.
  • Maintain records of inquiries and resolutions to support customer service and process improvement efforts.
  • Develop and maintain standardized email templates, FAQs, and communication resources.
• Research Administration Support:
  • Coordinate communication between principal investigators, departments, schools, and central administrative offices.
  • Assist in monitoring proposal and award activity and preparing reports as requested.
• Customer Service and Communication:
  • Serve as a central point of contact for routine sponsored programs inquiries.
  • Provide guidance regarding institutional processes, deadlines, and required documentation.
  • Communicate effectively with faculty, research administrators, sponsors, and institutional partners.
  • Escalate complex issues to appropriate research administration staff and leadership.
• Reporting and Administrative Operations:
  • Support data entry, quality assurance, and record management activities.
  • Assist with special projects and office-wide initiatives as assigned.
  • Participate in training and continuous improvement efforts.
• Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of a Bachelor's Degree or the equivalent combination of education and work experience. (Please review the Equivalency Chart for additional information.)
• Minimum of 1-3 years of experience.
• One to three years of administrative, research administration, grants management, or higher education experience.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Excel, Word, and Teams.
• Understanding of the role and function of research in a university setting

Key Competencies

• Customer service orientation.
• Effective communication.
• Organizational and time management skills.
• Attention to detail.
• Problem-solving and critical thinking.
• Collaboration and teamwork.
• Confidentiality and professionalism.
• Ability to manage high-volume email and workflow operations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in sponsored programs, grants administration, or research administration.
• Experience with SmartSheet.
• Experience with customer-focused ticketing systems.
• Familiarity with electronic research administration systems (eRA).
• Experience managing shared mailboxes and service-oriented workflows.
• Knowledge of federal, state, foundation, and industry-sponsored research processes.

Physical Demands

• Typically sitting at a desk/table
• Lifting demands 25lbs

Location

• Remote

Additional Information

This position is classified as Exempt, grade J. Compensation for this grade ranges from $52,360.00 - $78,530.00 per year. Please note that the offered rate for this position will vary based on the successful candidate's qualifications and experience, department budget, and an internal equity review.

Applicants are encouraged to explore the Professional Staff salary structure and Compensation Guidelines & Policies for more details on Drexel's compensation framework. For information about benefits, please review Drexel's Benefits Brochure.

A review of applicants will begin once a suitable candidate pool is identified.