Director, Grants Administration

University of St. Thomas•Houston, TX

About The Position

The Director of Grants Administration leads the university’s sponsored research and restricted grants portfolio, balancing institutional compliance with support for faculty. Reporting to the Provost’s Office and working closely with the Chief Financial Officer’s office, the Director aligns fiscal matters, budget forecasting, drawdowns, and audit compliance. The position oversees the grant lifecycle, supporting pre-award proposal development and budget construction while ensuring post-award financial accuracy, audit readiness, and timely closeout. The Director serves as a strategic partner to academic departments, facilitating external funding while protecting the university’s regulatory and financial standing.

Requirements

Extensive professional experience in grants administration, sponsored research, or public-sector compliance in a higher education setting.
Comprehensive knowledge of Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) and federal and state grant regulations.
Track record of pre-award budgeting and post-award financial reconciliation in partnership with centralized finance teams.
Commitment to service, partnership, and collaboration with academic faculty.
Exceptional interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
Ability to work in a fast-paced, multifaceted environment and manage competing grant deadlines under pressure.
Proficiency with computer-based higher education ERP systems, grant routing software, and standard office suites.
Bachelor’s degree required.

Nice To Haves

Certified Grants Management Specialist (CGMS) or Certified Research Administrator (CRA) designation.
Master’s degree or advanced professional certification in a related field.
Practicing Catholics who will advance the university’s mission are preferred, as permitted by law.

Responsibilities

Monitor federal, state, and private foundation grant opportunities and match them with faculty research profiles and STEM initiatives.
Assist faculty and Principal Investigators during pre-award development, including interpreting RFP guidelines.
Build compliant proposal budgets and manage the institution’s internal routing process for external funding requests.
Develop and deliver training sessions, toolkits, and workshops to help faculty understand the grant lifecycle.
Streamline internal workflows to reduce administrative burdens for teaching and research faculty.
Ensure compliance with Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200), federal cost principles, state regulations, and donor restrictions.
Partner with accounting, finance, and CFO offices to monitor restricted fund expenditures, track matching funds, and review budget-to-actual reports.
Execute federal drawdowns and oversee post-award effort certification workflows.
Serve as the primary contact for internal and external grant audits.
Author, update, and implement SOPs for institutional research compliance, time-and-effort reporting, and conflict-of-interest disclosures.