Research Administrator

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $65,800 to $68,000

Position Summary

The Research Administrator (grant-funded) is responsible for providing grant administration and executive assistance to ensure the effective execution of financial and administrative tasks required in the management of an active research program. The Research Administrator ensures the efficient and effective execution of pre and post-award management, including assistance in the review and preparation of proposals and budgets, account setup, coordinating expenses and reimbursements, monitoring projects for compliance, analyzing and forecasting trends, assisting with invoices, closeouts, and reconciliations. The Research Administrator provides administrative support for various needs of the faculty PI, including managing his/her correspondence, calendaring, shipments and letters of recommendation, travel and business expenses, purchasing, planning, visitors and meeting arrangements, website updates, track inventory and usage of major laboratory equipment, maintaining records, and other responsibilities and projects as may be needed.

The incumbent is responsible for developing and monitoring a dashboard of grant portfolios for PIs. Initiate all expenditures and reimbursements; monitor project expenses for compliance, identifying and forecasting trends in spending that exceed current funding levels, assists with recommending budget modifications; provide strategies to effectively manage spending patterns and mitigate business risk, assists with reviewing and closing all open commitments; assists with award close-outs. Performs monthly, annual, and other periodic reconciliations of grant accounts for PI's review and approval. Conducts other periodic and ad hoc analyses and reporting.

Assists in data collection, writing, collating, editing, and proofing. Coordinates the proposal budget preparation, review of proposal against requirements, and submission to sponsoring agencies, often within tight time frames. Collaborates closely with the Grants and Contracts Managers in the Dean's Office and with SPA/SPF as required.

Responsibilities

Grant Management (30%):

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  Develops and monitors grant portfolios for PI's.

  
  
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  Initiates expenditures and reimbursements; monitors project expenses for compliance, identifying and forecasting trends in spending that exceed current funding levels, assists with recommending budget modifications; provides strategies to effectively manage spending patterns and mitigate business risk, assists with reviewing and closing all open commitments; assists with award close-outs. Performs monthly, annual, and other periodic reconciliations of grant accounts for Pis review and approval. Conduct other periodic and ad hoc analyses and reporting.

  
  

Operations (20%):

• Main point of contact for operations topics.
• Supports the scheduling and calendaring of faculty members.
• Provides a variety of administrative support functions, including but not limited to, hiring, visitor travel arrangements, meeting arrangements such as reservations, PI's travel, A/V, catering, and preparation of meeting materials.

Travel Planning and Reimbursement Support (20%):

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  Support planning of faculty and student travel; review and process travel and business reimbursements; Process travel and business expenditures. Assist with purchasing orders.

  
  

Budget Preparation and Proposal Development (15%):

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  Supports the proposal development including communication and coordination with external partners, e.g. industry.

  
  
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  Reviews and assists in the preparation of grant applications, contract proposals, and other related documents to ensure adherence to departmental, School, and University policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs), funding agency specifications, and other relevant rules and regulations.

  
  
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  Assists in data collection, writing, collating, editing, and proofing.

  
  

Management of Web and News Items (15%):

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  Maintenance of website with people and staff; coordination and publication of news items.

  
  

Minimum Qualifications

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  Bachelor's Degree and/or its equivalent required. Minimum of 2 years of related experience, preferably in executive assistance, financial accounting and/or grants administration.

  
  
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  Experience in higher education or other large, complex institutions is desirable.

  
  
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  The preferred candidate will have basic understanding of applicable federal, state, and other sponsor regulation related to sponsored projects with strong preference for knowledge of Columbia policies governing sponsored projects and grant research compliance, and internal procedures and systems for pre- and post-award financial management.

  
  
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  Must have the ability to utilize sound fiscal accounting practices and procedures to account for receipt of grant funding and prepare necessary reports.

  
  
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  Must have excellent interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills. Ability to establish priorities, work under pressure, and exercise independent judgment and discretion is necessary.

  
  
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  Ability to react quickly and effectively to other inquiries from a variety of management levels with comprehensive and accurate information in a wide variety of contexts and changing priorities is needed.

  
  
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  Must be detail oriented and possess quantitative skills with proficiency in analyzing spreadsheets using Excel.

  
  
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  Must have functional proficiency with MS Office including Word and Excel.

  
  
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  Must be able to lift items weighing 10-15lbs.

  
  

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.