Senior Director of Grants & Contracts

Morehouse School of Medicine; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Morehouse School of Medicine is seeking a Senior Director of Grants & Contracts to provide institution-wide financial stewardship of sponsored awards.

Reporting to the EVP & CFO, this role leads post-award grants accounting and contract financial administration while partnering with research administration, principal investigators, departments, Legal, Compliance, Human Resources, Procurement, Information Technology, and other institutional leaders.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, public administration, research administration, or related field.
• Minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in grants and contracts administration or related area.
• Minimum of five years of managerial or supervisory experience.
• Experience with federal and non-federal awards in higher education, academic medicine, or regulated environments.
• Knowledge of federal award administration, cost principles, cash management, financial reporting, and internal controls.
• Ability to interpret laws and regulations and translate requirements into staff guidance.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic oversight of federal, state, local, foundation, industry, and pass-through awards, focused on post-award financial administration.
• Advise executive leadership on portfolio performance, risk, cash position, and burn rates.
• Lead award setup, expenditure monitoring, reconciliation, billing, drawdowns, and closeout.
• Ensure costs are allowable, allocable, and properly documented with required approvals.
• Oversee subrecipient monitoring, vendor classifications, and compliance.
• Monitor regulatory changes and implement applicable controls.
• Build dashboards and reporting on awards, expenditures, and cost share.
• Coach and develop the Grants & Contracts team; manage workload and training.
• Strengthen systems and data governance; improve internal controls.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Regulatory interpretation

Financial stewardship

Internal controls

Employee development

Executive communication

Data analysis

Change leadership

Service orientation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting or related field

Master’s degree in business/accounting/finance (preferred)

CPA/CFRA/CRA or comparable credential (preferred)

Tools

Ellucian Banner

Cayuse

HHS Payment Management System

Research.gov

Grants.gov

eRA Commons

Job description

About MSM

Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) is a place of distinction, serving as the nation’s leading academic medical center for vulnerable populations. It’s also a place for passionate individuals looking to join a dedicated community working today to help prepare tomorrow’s leaders.

We exist to:

• Improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities;
• Increase the diversity of the health professional and scientific workforce;
• Address primary health care through programs in education, research and service;
• With emphasis on people of color and the under-served urban and rural populations in Georgia, the nation and the world.

At Morehouse School of Medicine, we’re leading the creation and advancement of health equity. You will find a fulfilling career at MSM!

Posting Number

Posting Number NONAC3796

Job Title

Senior Director of Grants & Contracts

Position Title

Senior Director of Grants & Contracts

Position Type

Non-Faculty

Number of vacancies

Number of vacancies 1

Salary

Commensurate with experience

Department

Grants & Contracts

Position Summary

Morehouse School of Medicine is seeking a senior grants and contracts leader to provide institution-wide financial and administrative stewardship of sponsored awards. Reporting to the EVP & Chief Financial Officer, this role leads post-award grants accounting and contract financial administration while partnering with research administration, principal investigators, departments, Legal, Compliance, Human Resources, Procurement, Information Technology, and other institutional leaders.

The Senior Director will strengthen internal controls, cash management, sponsor reporting, subrecipient oversight, audit readiness, closeout, regulatory implementation, employee capability, and continuity planning across a complex federal and non-federal portfolio.

This role is onsite at 720 Westview Drive, SW Atlanta, GA 30310

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university in accounting, finance, business administration, public administration, research administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in grants and contracts administration, sponsored-programs finance, grants accounting, research administration, financial analysis, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of five years of managerial or supervisory experience, including employee development, workload management, quality assurance, and performance accountability.
• Experience managing a complex portfolio of federal and non-federal awards in higher education, academic medicine, healthcare, research, or another highly regulated environment.
• Demonstrated knowledge of federal award administration, cost principles, cash management, financial reporting, subrecipient monitoring, audit requirements, and internal controls.
• Ability to interpret laws, regulations, sponsor guidance, award terms, and institutional policy and translate requirements into operating controls and staff guidance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in business, accounting, finance, public administration, research administration, or a related field from a regionally accredited college or university.
• CRA , CFRA , CPA , or comparable professional credential.
• Experience with Ellucian Banner, Cayuse, HHS Payment Management System, Research.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, or comparable systems.
• Experience leading regulatory-change implementation, government-funding disruption planning, enterprise system implementation, audit remediation, or grants-process transformation.
• Membership in NCURA , SRAI , or another relevant professional organization.

Leadership Profile

• Strategic and enterprise thinking
• Regulatory interpretation
• Financial stewardship
• Internal controls and audit readiness
• Employee development
• Executive communication
• Data analysis and forecasting
• Judgment and integrity
• Change leadership
• Service orientation

Closing Date

Open Until Filled Yes

Special Instructions to Applicants

Employment in this role may be contingent upon extramural funding and successful performance and may be terminated or reduced in percentage of appointment if such funding is not secured or ceases to be available.

Morehouse School of Medicine is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all Federal and Georgia State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. Morehouse School of Medicine does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression.

Job Duties

• Provide strategic oversight of federal, state, local, foundation, industry, and pass-through grants and contracts, with primary accountability for post-award financial administration.
• Advise executive leadership on portfolio performance, sponsor and compliance risk, cash position, receivables, indirect cost recovery, staffing capacity, and emerging funding conditions.
• Lead award setup, expenditure monitoring, reconciliation, billing, drawdowns, cash management, financial reporting, audit support, and timely closeout.
• Ensure costs are allowable, allocable, reasonable, consistently treated, adequately documented, within the period of performance, and supported by required approvals.
• Oversee cost transfers, compensation and payroll allocation, cost sharing, program income, equipment, procurement, participant support costs, prior approvals, record retention, and mandatory disclosures.
• Direct risk-based subrecipient monitoring and coordinate appropriate classification and oversight of contractors, consultants, collaborators, and vendors.
• Monitor legal, regulatory, appropriations, agency, sponsor, and award-specific changes; lead documented applicability assessments and controlled implementation.
• Build executive dashboards and reporting on awards, expenditures, receivables, drawdowns, burn rates, cost share, subawards, closeouts, findings, and corrective actions.
• Lead, coach, and develop the Grants & Contracts team through clear expectations, equitable workload allocation, regular feedback, role-based training, cross-training, succession planning, and backup coverage.
• Strengthen systems, data integrity, access governance, segregation of duties, internal controls, standard operating procedures, service levels, and continuous improvement.

Pre-Employment/Employment Requirements

All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of all pre-employment screenings.

Immunization

Immunization Requirements

It is MSM’s Immunization policy that all Prospective Employees are encouraged to provide proof that they are vaccinated against COVID -19 prior to commencement of employment. If employment will commence during Flu Season, MSM requires all individuals to provide proof that they are vaccinated against Seasonal Influenza for the current Flu Season, unless granted an exemption. Failure to provide proof of vaccination for any required vaccines or obtain an exemption from MSM will result in rescission of a candidate’s offer of employment or disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Our vision is to lead the creation and advancement of health equity.

Morehouse School of Medicine
720 Westview Drive
Atlanta, GA 30310
404-752-1500

Partner Site(s):

Morehouse Healthcare