Director of Post-Award Research Administration, Moody College of Communication

University of Texas at Austin

7d • $95,000 • Remote

About The Position

Based in the Moody College Research Office, the Director of Post-Award Research Administration manages post-award administration of sponsored research awards across Moody College, from account setup through closeout. The role serves as a central resource and partners with the Office of Sponsored Projects, principal investigators, and departmental and center administrative staff to administer subawards, process financial transactions, prepare sponsor reports, and ensure compliance with federal regulations and sponsor requirements. It provides expert guidance on post-award policies, procedures, and financial management throughout the award lifecycle.

The Director leads and oversees post-award operations, supervises the Grants and Finance Coordinator, and partners with that coordinator and college units on account transactions, financial reporting, personnel-related grant matters, compliance, and award closeout. The position also leads sponsor reporting and effort certification, maintains financial tracking and reporting systems, and provides training and support across Moody College. The position is located in Austin, Texas, and is fully remote subject to the University’s Flexible Work Arrangement Policy and required documentation. Flexible work hours are between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. CST; the regular schedule must be approved by the direct supervisor and may depend on team coverage needs.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, accounting, finance, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• At least five years of experience in post-award research administration, sponsored programs/grants and contracts management, or related financial administration.
• Strong working knowledge of federal and sponsor-specific post-award regulations and reporting requirements, such as 2 CFR 200 Uniform Guidance.
• Strong financial and analytical skills, including budget monitoring and reconciliation.
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to manage multiple accounts, deadlines, and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for coordinating with faculty, departmental staff, and the Office of Sponsored Projects.
• Proficiency with spreadsheet and financial reporting tools, such as Excel.
• Must meet the qualifications outlined in the University’s Flexible Work Arrangement Policy and submit required documentation to participate in remote work.
• Internet access is required for remote work.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with NIH and NSF post-award reporting requirements, including RPPR submissions.
• Experience with university financial systems such as UTRMS, Cognos, and Workday.
• Certified Research Administrator (CRA) or equivalent certification.
• Experience in a higher education or large research university setting.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and oversight for compliant and efficient post-award operations across the sponsored-project award lifecycle.
• Supervise the Grants and Finance Coordinator, sharing responsibility for day-to-day award and account actions and advising on complex or escalated issues.
• Partner on account transactions, rebudgets and budget transfers, purchase orders, contracts, subawards, award modifications, and closeout activities; lead actions requiring sponsor or institutional approval.
• Serve as the primary post-award liaison for investigators, sponsors, the Office of Sponsored Projects, and campus partners.
• Partner with departmental and center administrative staff on research personnel matters, including appointments, costings, tuition support, faculty buyouts, summer salary, and other grant-funded personnel activities.
• Advise departmental and center administrative staff on grant expenditures.
• Develop and maintain shared tracking tools to support unit-level post-award administration.
• Collaborate on financial management of sponsored projects, including monitoring expenditures, projections, and account activity.
• Lead preparation and submission of major sponsor reports, including NIH RPPRs; oversee the Indirect Cost Return process and the annual post-award report for the Associate Dean for Research; and provide requested ad hoc reporting and analysis.
• Oversee key financial tracking systems and institutional research metrics reporting.
• Collaborate with the Grants and Finance Coordinator on the post-award reporting calendar and financial reporting, ensuring compliance with sponsor and institutional deadlines.
• Lead effort certification on sponsored projects.
• Monitor sponsor, federal, and institutional policy changes affecting research administration and share relevant updates with investigators and administrative partners.
• Support consistent and effective post-award practices across Moody College through training, guidance, and direct support to units as needed.
• Represent the Moody Research Office on committees, working groups, and initiatives related to post-award research administration.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• The position has the option to elect the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) instead of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to eligibility requirements.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director