Senior Research Administration & Portfolio Lead

Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences; Cambridge (MA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Retirement plans

Tuition assistance

Job summary

Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences seeks a high-level research administration expert to support research portfolio management and concierge navigation for the FAS research enterprise. You will work with PIs, RPMs, and central offices to align budgets, compliance, and strategic oversight.

In this hybrid role, you will mentor staff, develop process guides, and resolve complex policy questions, balancing regulatory requirements with operational needs across departments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
• Minimum of 5 years’ relevant work experience.
• Advanced knowledge of sponsored research regulations.
• Experience with post-award management.
• Ability to interpret complex policies and provide strategic advice.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Analytical and problem-solving abilities.

Responsibilities

• Manage research portfolios with an emphasis on post-award management.
• Collaborate with PIs to provide strategic financial oversight and ensure sponsor compliance.
• Coordinate audits and ensure documentation meets federal and institutional standards.
• Mentor onboarding and coaching of new research administration personnel.
• Act as a troubleshooter for complex multi-departmental issues.
• Provide decision trees, FAQs and guides to simplify institutional processes.
• Identify workflow bottlenecks and recommend process improvements.

Skills

Post-award management

Policy interpretation

Communication

Analytical problem-solving

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

Excel

Job description

Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences seeks a high-level research administration expert to support research portfolio management and concierge navigation for the FAS research enterprise. You will work with PIs, RPMs, and central offices to align budgets, compliance, and strategic oversight.

In this hybrid role, you will mentor staff, develop process guides, and resolve complex policy questions, balancing regulatory requirements with operational needs across departments.