Posted on February 8, 2013

print

Director, Office of Sponsored Projects

With dual reporting to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Research and to the Senior Assistant Dean for Administration, Finance and Planning, the incumbent will oversee the grants management activity for all research projects at the Columbia University School of Social Work. The Director will work closely with PIs to ensure compliance with sponsor and institutional regulations and policies. This individual will serve as strategic partner to PIs, faculty, senior school leadership, and University departments for grants related activity such as proposal development, forecasting, financial management and personnel issues.

Characteristic Duties and Responsibilities:

The Director is responsible for the oversight of a broad range of pre- and post-award activies that relate to research funding as follows:

• Facilitate and oversee pre-award & post-award planning and administration of research funding. Keep abreast of trends & developments regarding policies & procedures from sponsors & institution, including those related to international activity. Acquire, interpret & maintain knowledge of sponsoring agency and University policies regarding the receipt & administration of sponsored projects. Serve as point of contact for SPA and SPF.
  
• Approve expenses submitted for payment & ensure fund authorizations are consistent with proposal applications & with sponsor & University policies & regulations. Review & approve all salary charges under the advisement of PIs to ensure they are consistent with available funding, effort reporting, & proposal requirements.
  
• Meet quarterly (or more frequently as needed) with each research project to review grant status & future projections. Advise PIs regarding budgetary issues & trends affecting project accounts. Highlight trends & variances based on financial forecast. Work with PIs to forecast future spending & proposal plans. Review all new awards. Develop process to document & communicate with PIs & faculty about non-standard terms & conditions. Assure that the information & financial proposals are revised accordingly based on award.
  
• Direct & implement ongoing budget planning & development processes & the development of long-term budget plans, modeling & analysis. Provide ongoing budget monitoring & alert school senior leadership regarding potential grants management issues, including budget shortfalls. Participate & contribute to strategic discussions about the school's research agenda & help anticipate responses to the changing landscape of research funding.
  
• Provide strategic consultation to securing new types of funding, preparing proposals & business plans for funding of new centers & initiatives related to research.
  
• Participate in & oversee the development and/or improvement of special systems for efficiency & quality control of grants management activities & support to PIs and faculty.
  
• Work closely with PIs/faculty, research & finance staff to ensure adherence to pertinent regulations, policies & procedures that govern sponsored project grant funds.
  
• Work closely with the School's Human Resources staff to ensure that hiring & employment regulations & procedures are in alignment with established policies & procedures. Coordinate the information needed for processing salary charges.
  
• Provides advice & assistance in managing the conflict of interest policy in the School to ensure that officers of research & instruction are compliant with federal and state laws, regulations & policies with respect to financial conflicts of interest.
  
• Work closely with the School's Financial Management staff to solve any issues related to processing of expenses related to research projects. Identify any policy and/or process issues which need to be investigated further.
  
• Work closely with the School's Development staff to understand the terms of any donor funding received & provide necessary reporting for stewardship purposes.
  
• Manage the effort reporting & certification process to ensure school compliance. Advise & assist principal investigators & faculty in the effort certification process as needed.
  
• Provide guidance & training to new PIs & research staff & maintain educational efforts regarding new developments in policies & procedures. Foster a community of collaboration & information sharing with research administrators within the School. Serve as a resource referral to/from sponsors & the University.
  
• Provide ongoing evaluation of customer service delivery model to PIs and faculty to ensure that appropriate research support is delivered within the available resources.
  
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Supervision Received:

The Director receives direct supervision from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Research and from the Senior Assistant Dean of Administration, Finance and Planning. The incumbent must be a self-motivated leader capable of exercising sound judgment, prioritizing workload, and making informed, independent decisions.

Responsibility for Budgets/Assets:

Prepare annual ADR-OSP cost-center budget. Prepare financial summaries and projections of annual ICR and direct grant expenditures. Track productivity of individual principal investigators and research groups and centers. Monitor research incentive program funds.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree required. Minimum 5 years related experience. A master's degree in business, accounting, public administration, risk management or in a related area is preferred.

Must have demonstrated financial experience in budgeting, accounting and compliance. Strong mathematical and organizational competencies are a necessity. Excellent analytical and quantitative skills are a must. Must have a minimum of 5 years supervisory/management experience. Demonstrated experience in exercising independent judgment and decision-making is essential. Broad and expert-level computer skills including spreadsheets and accounting/financial management software is mandatory. Strong understanding of grants management administration and an in-depth knowledge of grants management accounting is required. An ability to handle pressure resulting from monitoring budgetary activities and fostering grant production is essential. Must be skilled at building and maintaining relationships, enhancing and maintaining customer-service orientation, and working with multiple constituencies within an academic setting. The ability to exercise tact, discretion and judgment in sensitive and confidential matters is required. Must be a skilled problem solver who can meet deadlines and work well under pressure.

Application Instructions

All candidates must submit a cover letter and resume and aplly through Columbia University's Jobs at Columbia (JAC) online employment application system.

http://jobs.columbia.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=134488

Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.