Strategic Research Portfolio Manager (Grants & Compliance)

Harvard Graduate School of Education; Cambridge (MA); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous paid time off

Health insurance

Tuition assistance

Commuter benefits

Job summary

Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) is seeking a Research Portfolio Manager to oversee a portfolio of PIs and centers, handling pre- and post-award administration, contracts, gifts, and internal awards across the full lifecycle of research funding.

The role requires strong knowledge of sponsor rules, Harvard financial systems, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a high-volume environment, based in Cambridge with hybrid on-campus expectations.

Qualifications

• 5 years of related experience (e.g., accounting and financial experience, sponsored research administration, or related field). Bachelor's degree may count toward experience.
• Applicants must submit a cover letter in addition to a resume.
• Knowledge of federal regulations for sponsored research.
• Strong analytical ability and excellent written and oral communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide PIs with timely information and advice in proposal development, proposal submission, and post-award management for both sponsored awards and non-grant research funding.
• Ensure proposals and other funding requests conform to university and school policy and funder requirements.
• Review final proposals and related submissions, including budget and formatting adherence to guidelines.
• Identify and resolve discrepancies in internal and external requirements and expectations in proposal submissions and award terms.
• Review award documents for compliance with university policy and procedures.
• Advise PIs on budgeting options across sponsored and non-sponsored funding.
• Monitor grants and contracts to ensure expenses align with the agreement and regulations.
• Coordinate with HGSE ORA, Central OSP, and Finance for compliance and lifecycle support.
• Coordinate or support compliance reviews and audits as needed across funding mechanisms.
• Manage document control and workflow for the assigned portfolio.

Skills

Budgeting

Excel

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Team-oriented

Confidential information handling

Project management

Tools

Oracle financial systems

Microsoft Excel

Harvard financial applications

Job description

Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) is seeking a Research Portfolio Manager to oversee a portfolio of PIs and centers, handling pre- and post-award administration, contracts, gifts, and internal awards across the full lifecycle of research funding.

The role requires strong knowledge of sponsor rules, Harvard financial systems, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a high-volume environment, based in Cambridge with hybrid on-campus expectations.