Job Description

Brandeis University is delighted to announce a career opportunity for an Associate Director, DISC Office Post Award in the Office of Research Administration. If you are looking for an opportunity to work at a beautiful university campus with lots of perks including free parking and access to a top-of-the-line athletic facility, look no further! At Brandeis we offer competitive benefits and a compensation package which includes medical, dental and life insurances.  If you hope to advance your career through educational opportunities, Brandeis offers tuition benefits for employees, dependents and spouses.  Our 403b retirement savings plan includes a generous match.

Reporting to the Associate Provost for Research Administration, the Associate Director, DISC Post-Award will be the founding leader of the Department, Institute, School & Centers (DISC) Office Post-Award team within the Office of Research Administration.  This position is responsible for institutional oversight of Post-Award sponsored activities for the Universityâ™s Schools, the Divisions of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Creative Arts, and the Centers, Institutes, and Provost Units. The Associate Director will lead, coach, and oversee a small, dynamic team of post-award grant and contract administrators and will advise a constellation of indirect reports throughout the university who support sponsored programs.  The Associate Director will work to build and enhance departmental and institutional efforts in managing financial support of research, training, and creative sponsored activities through the function of the DISC Post-Award Office, and they will develop budget forecasting models, policies, procedures, and best practices to yield operational efficiency and excellence within DISC as well as contribute to building the research administration infrastructure throughout the university.   The Associate Director will work collaboratively with the Pre-Award Services team, Sponsored Programs Accounting, the Deans of the academic units, Department Chairs, Directors of Centers and Institutes, the Division of Science Pre- and Post- Award teams, and other departmental liaisons with involvement in managing sponsored research at Brandeis to support Brandeisâ™ core mission as a research institution. 

Responsibilities:

Policy & Strategic Program Development (30%)

• Maintains in-depth and expansive knowledge of external sponsor regulations and requirements and stays fully abreast of all proposed changes in federal and state regulations and laws affecting sponsored programs, including Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, Federal Acquisition Regulations, and state and institutional policies and reporting requirements to ensure continued compliance. 

• Leads the development of institutional policies and operational/administrative procedures in relevant areas in coordination with the Associate Provost for Research Administration and other university offices, develops communications and training materials to provide guidance regarding the interpretation of regulations, laws, and policies to the research community.  Leads and advises in the continuous development of office tools, including data management (FileMaker Pro), accounting software implementation/optimization (Priority Software/WorkDay), creation and refinement of internal forms, including budget planning and forecasting tools, and templates for DISC, and website materials.

• Liaises with deans, academic staff, finance staff, institutional advancement staff, and other senior leaders and central administrators to cultivate open communication channels to proactively address issues affecting research administration within the institution. Fosters internal collaborations and builds effective relationships and partnerships with key Brandeis stakeholders with tact and diplomacy to advance strategic initiatives and build alignment around key post-award issues affecting the research mission of the institution.

• Serves as a primary or alternate institutional representative to various internal committees.

Post-Award Function & Oversight (70%)

• Manages, mentors, and develops the post-award DISC staff, including the assignment and allocation of portfolios, workload balance, quality control, professional development, position description development/performance management, hiring/promotions, and goal setting.

• Develops best practices and oversees operational effectiveness of the DISC post-award team in all post award management functions, ensuring service excellence and full compliance throughout the entire post-award process to ensure success from the notice of award to project closeout.  Works with the Division of Science to implement/improve post-award software.

• Facilitates a close collaboration between DISC/ORA Pre-Award Services, Human Resources, Payroll, Procurement, Sponsored Programs Accounting and other administrative support teams to work through issues of post award administration; models open and proactive communication with PIs.

• Maintains a portfolio of PIs and researchers post-award management including budget planning and forecasting, reconciliation, tracking cost share expenses, effort management, current and pending reports, just-in-time reports, RPPRs, continuing applications, etc., as well as proactive outreach to researchers. 

• All other duties, as assigned.

Education & Work Experience:

• Bachelorâ™s Degree required, advanced degree preferred (MA/MS/JD/MBA/PhD

• 5+ years work-related experience, including 3-5 years of supervisory experience; 8+ years of experience preferred.

Additional Requirements:

• Developed management skills and experience in personnel management including the ability to recruit, train, empower and retain a highly effective workforce.

• A proven track record in managing with the ultimate goal of achieving organizational efficiencies, removing administrative obstacles and delivering improved customer service in order to best serve the research community.

• Significant experience and demonstrated expertise in university research administration and compliance, including management of sponsored projects administration and policy or a related field involving regulatory work and application preparation (i.e. banking, etc.).

• Understanding of Federal funding agencies and regulatory bodies, and experience in developing approaches to emerging administrative and compliance requirements.

• Demonstrated ability to manage ambiguity and be able to juggle and prioritize multiple time-sensitive demands in a rapidly changing organization and environment.

• Demonstrated leadership and strategic thinking, along with well-honed project management and change management skills.

• A collaborative and inclusive professional style, ability to build strategic relationships with staff at all levels, excellent organizational and communication skills (written, verbal, listening), ability to make strategic connections, and utmost respect for discretion, confidentiality and professionalism.

• Broad and deep knowledge and perspective of the University including academic and central administrative functions.

• Ability and inclination to anticipate future opportunities and consequences.

• Resonance with the mission and goals of the Officeâ™s priorities.

• Certification in Research Administration field is helpful, or an ability to obtain within 1 year of start date, or Advanced Degree.

• Legal, regulatory, scientific, or social science background helpful.

• Some exposure to university senior management, often providing recommendations and analysis to senior leaders; provide support to faculty, students, and staff of all levels.

• Expected to lead diverse teams consisting of non-direct reports, requiring a high degree of collaboration and inspiring confidence with team members.

About Brandeis University

As a medium-sized private research university with global reach, we are dedicated to first-rate undergraduate education while making groundbreaking discoveries. Four major academic units with 3,600 undergraduates and 2,050 graduate students comprise the University: the College of Arts and Sciences, the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, the International Business School, and the Rabb School of Continuing Studies. In 1985, Brandeis was elected to membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU), which represents the 62 leading research universities in the United States and Canada. Brandeis has been ranked among the top 35 national universities by U.S. News & World Report every year since the rankings’ inception. Our 235-acre campus is located in the suburbs of Boston, a global hub for higher education and innovation. Our faculty are leaders in their fields, as passionate about teaching and mentorship as they are about pushing the boundaries of knowledge. Our students are motivated, compassionate, curious and open to exploring new and challenging experiences. Brandeis was founded in 1948 as a nonsectarian university under the sponsorship of th ... e American Jewish community to embody its highest ethical and cultural values and to express its gratitude to the United States through the traditional Jewish commitment to education. By being a nonsectarian university that welcomes students, teachers and staff of every nationality, religion and orientation, Brandeis renews the American heritage of cultural diversity, equal access to opportunity and freedom of expression.

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