Sponsored Programs Manager

Harvarduniversity; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Harvard University’s Research Administration Office seeks a Sponsored Programs Manager to oversee pre- and post-award activities across a portfolio of externally funded projects, ensuring compliance with sponsor and institutional policies.

You will coordinate with OSP, GSS, OVPR, OGC, RMAS, and campus leaders, provide trainings, manage audits, and represent HKS on university committees while supporting faculty and research centers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience.
• Minimum of 5 years' relevant work experience in research administration with diverse proposal review and submission.
• Advanced knowledge of sponsored research regulations.
• Cover letter and writing sample required as part of the application.

Responsibilities

• Manage the HKS review and approval process for externals-sponsored proposals, ensuring compliance with sponsor requirements and policies.
• Oversee post-award monitoring/reporting activities including budgeting, accounting, and reporting in line with Harvard/HKS procedures.
• Provide compliance monitoring and risk management across human subjects, data use, international activities, export controls, conflicts of interest, and MOUs.
• Coordinate internal/external audit activities and lead audit processes as needed.
• Produce sponsored program activity reports and expenditure projections for senior leadership.

Skills

Sponsored research regulations

Communication skills

Stakeholder management

Independent work

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience

Job description

The Sponsored Programs Manager will play a central role in the delivery of Research Administration Office (RAO) services, which encompass the entire grant management lifecycle from proposal development to award management to final reporting and closeout. With limited supervision, the Sponsored Programs Manager will oversee (1) the strategic review and approval of sponsored grant and contract proposals and (2) a subset of post-award monitoring and reporting activities, to ensure compliance with HKS, Harvard University, and sponsor policies. Responsible for a portfolio of HKS research centers, this position will serve as a central liaison between HKS faculty/staff and Harvard's central offices, including the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), Global Support Services (GSS), Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR), Office of the General Council (OGC), and Risk Management and Audit Services (RMAS). The position will report to an Associate Director.

The Research Administration Office (RAO) is part of the Research and Library Services (RLS) team at HKS, which provides the core services and functions that support research enablement for HKS faculty, students, and fellows. The RAO supports HKS's mission by serving as a central resource for the research community through expertise and leadership in obtaining and managing research funds. The RAO manages school-wide support for all faculty sponsored programs activity, including pre-award proposal review and approval, post-award financial and reporting support, risk assessment and compliance consulting, and distribution of funding opportunities.

Job-Specific Responsibilities:

• Manage the HKS review and approval process for a portfolio of externally-funded sponsored grant and contract proposals. Ensure compliance with sponsor requirements, and Harvard and HKS policies.
• Manage a subset of post-award monitoring and reporting activities. Ensure that financial budgeting, accounting, monitoring, effort certification, reporting, and management of grants and contracts are accurate, timely, and in accordance with Harvard University and HKS accounting principles and procedures.
• Provide ongoing compliance monitoring and risk management, and active problem-solving on a range of activities, including the use of human subjects in research, data use agreements, international activities, export controls, potential conflicts of interest, research collaborator person of interest appointments, use of the Harvard name and shield, and MOUs and other non-sponsored research agreements.
• Oversee internal and external audit coordination and leadership.
• Produce sponsored program activity reports and expenditure projections for HKS senior leadership and others.
• Serve as an expert resource on HKS and Harvard University research policies and procedures.
• Manage complex, sensitive communication between/among faculty, research center senior staff, HKS Academic Deans' Office, Office for Sponsored Programs (OSP), Global Support Services (GSS), Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR), Office of the General Council (OGC), and Risk Management and Audit Services (RMAS).
• Participate in the development of training materials, conduct individual and small group trainings.
• Represent HKS on University-wide administrative committees, and the RAO at school-level meetings.
• Provide temporary coverage for research center vacancies, as needed.
• Participate in the recruitment process for research center grants/finance staff, as needed.
• Other duties as assigned

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience required
• Minimum of 5 years' relevant work experience (broad-based research administration experience emphasizing diverse proposal review and submission (e.g., US federal, non-federal, domestic, and foreign sponsors).
• Advanced knowledge of sponsored research regulations
• A cover letter and writing sample are required as part of the applicant's complete application.

Additional Qualifications and Skills:

• Familiarity with foundation and government agency policies/procedures for submission of proposals and management of awards.
• Knowledge of sponsored research finance and accounting principles, practices, and compliance areas applicable to higher education.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; presentation skills; interpersonal and customer service skills; attention to detail; analytical problem-solver.
• Able to work independently and as a member of a team with shared responsibilities.
• Demonstrated comfort/skill interacting with a wide range of senior leaders, including deans, faculty, and executive staff.
• Comfortable with deadline pressure and able to respond to shifting priorities.
• Comfortable exercising judgement and flexibility in uncertain and ambiguous circumstances.
• Proven ability to handle sensitive and confidential information appropriately, to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, and to achieve results in a timely and accurate manner.
• Demonstrated proficiency wit