Assistant Director of Research Administration

North Carolina State University•Raleigh, NC

46d

About The Position

The College of Sciences (COS) brings together the mathematical, physical, and biological sciences in a research-intensive environment that simultaneously values excellence in teaching and strong community engagement. The COS Research Office is the nucleus of research administration and support, providing a full suite of pre- and post-award services to enhance the research, teaching, administrative, and outreach functions of the College. Key office responsibilities include proposal development and submission, portfolio management, effort reporting, and responding to departmental and faculty post-award and other research administration needs. While working in this unit, you will be expected to foster a supportive and welcoming environment. NC State promotes an integrated approach to problem solving that transforms lives and provides leadership for social, economic, and technological development across North Carolina and around the world. NC State's land grant mission of teaching, research and service is dedicated to the service of North Carolina and its people. Applicants are encouraged to review the institution's mission, vision and strategic plan, and consider how their background, interest and experience would enable them to support the university. The Assistant Director of Research Administration (ADRA) is a leadership role within the College of Sciences responsible for overseeing and coordinating all post-award research administration activities across departments, centers, and clusters. In this role you will ensure consistency, efficiency, and compliance in post-award processes while supporting and training research administration staff. Additionally you will serve as a key liaison between COS departments, central university offices, external sponsors, and faculty researchers. This role reports to the Director of Research Administration, with a dotted-line relationship to the Associate Dean for Research.

Requirements

Require post-baccalaureate credentials or a bachelor's degree plus alternative or equivalent professional training and experience may be substituted for the advanced degree on an exceptional basis.
Experience in research administration, accounting, compliance, or financial oversight within an academic, research, or similarly complex organization.
Direct involvement working with or supporting federal sponsors (e.g., NIH, NSF) and familiarity with sponsor-specific regulations and requirements.
Demonstrated leadership, team-management, and staff-guidance competencies in complex administrative environments.
Problem-solving, analytical, and independent decision-making skills.
Ability to clearly and professionally conveys complex research administration information to faculty, staff, central offices, and sponsors, fostering shared understanding, coordinated action, and a customer-focused approach.
Effectively manages multiple priorities and projects in fast-paced, high-volume environments while maintaining accuracy, attention to detail, and professional composure.

Nice To Haves

5+ years of research administration experience with strong grant financial management.
2+ years of managerial experience.
Demonstrated ability to provide excellent customer service and engage with faculty, staff, and stakeholders across campus.
Familiarity with NC State systems (PINS, RED, WRS) or similar university research platforms, and proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Suite, or similar tools.
Skill in developing, documenting, and implementing efficient procedures and standard operating processes.

Responsibilities

Supervise Senior Research Accountants, Research Accountants, and Technicians.
Provide strategic oversight of post-award operations across COS.
Lead regular team meetings and foster collaboration with Department Business Officers.
Develop and implement SOPs and best practices.
Serve as Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) for post-award activities.
Conduct monthly reviews of the CRO portfolio using internal systems (Airtable, Zendesk, WRS).
Monitor financial compliance and audit risks.
Ensure timely processing of summer salary, release time, PCard approvals, payroll actions, and other financial transactions.
Coordinate smooth transitions from pre- to post-award activities.
Oversee tracking and submission of Research Performance Progress Reports (RPPRs).
Ensure monthly financial reconciliation reports are delivered to PIs.
Meet with faculty to review portfolios and address questions.
Lead onboarding and ongoing training for post-award team members.
Conduct performance reviews and manage improvement plans.
Foster a team-oriented, service-driven culture.
Represent COS Research Administration at university-level meetings and events.