Manager, Post Award Operations

Endeavor Health • Evanston, IL

2d

About The Position

The Manager, Post-Award Research Administration leads daily post-award operations within the Office for Sponsored Programs, overseeing the financial and administrative management of sponsored awards from setup through closeout. The role supervises post-award staff and ensures compliance with award terms and conditions, federal regulations including 2 CFR 200 (Uniform Guidance), and Endeavor Health policies. The manager partners with the Director of the Office for Sponsored Programs, Finance, the Office of Clinical Research, and research compliance colleagues on financial reporting, audit readiness, subrecipient monitoring, and process improvement.

This position manages a portfolio of complex grants and contracts, oversees award setup and financial reporting, and directs award closeout. It also leads staff operations and training, supports audits, develops procedures and internal controls, and advises investigators and department leadership on grant financial management. The position is full time, Monday through Friday, in Evanston, Illinois; the description notes flexible work schedules without specifying a particular schedule.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration/Management.
• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in grant accounting, sponsored programs administration, or research finance.
• Strong knowledge of accounting principles and financial reporting.
• Experience managing complex federal, state, foundation, and industry-sponsored awards.
• Advanced Excel and financial analysis skills.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret sponsor regulations and institutional policies.
• Healthcare, higher education, or research administration experience.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced knowledge of Uniform Guidance and federal grant compliance.
• Experience supporting external audits and financial statement preparation.
• Experience leading projects, training staff, or improving financial processes.

Responsibilities

• Supervise the day-to-day work of Post-Award Specialists, including hiring, onboarding, training, workload distribution, coaching, and performance evaluation.
• Establish and monitor service standards and quality benchmarks for award setup, invoicing, financial reporting, and closeout, and report metrics to the Director, Office for Sponsored Programs.
• Develop, document, and continuously improve standard operating procedures for the post-award lifecycle.
• Serve as the escalation point for complex award management issues, including cost transfers, deficits, disallowances, and sponsor disputes.
• Identify process improvement opportunities and strengthen internal controls.
• Mentor junior analysts and provide technical guidance.
• Manage a portfolio of complex grants and contracts.
• Oversee award setup, including reviewing terms and conditions, establishing accounts, loading budgets, and communicating restrictions and reporting requirements to investigators and departments.
• Oversee preparation and submission of financial reports and invoices, including Federal Financial Reports (FFRs).
• Monitor award expenditures for allowability, allocability, and reasonableness, and oversee review of cost transfers, effort certification, and rebudgeting actions.
• Oversee subaward financial management, including subrecipient risk assessment, invoice review, and monitoring in accordance with Uniform Guidance requirements.
• Direct timely award closeout, including final financial reports, final invoices, property and invention reporting coordination, and account inactivation.
• Conduct detailed budget-to-actual reviews and forecast spending trends.
• Review and approve financial transactions for compliance.
• Prepare and review sponsor financial reports and invoices.
• Lead grant closeout and audit support activities.
• Ensure post-award practices comply with 2 CFR 200, sponsor terms, cost accounting standards, and institutional policy, and monitor regulatory changes affecting award management.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for the annual single audit, sponsor audits, and internal reviews related to sponsored awards, coordinating documentation and corrective action plans.
• Partner with finance, research compliance, and contracting colleagues on effort reporting, service center rates, and residual balance policy.
• Develop and deliver training for investigators, research staff, and department administrators on award management, allowable costs, and sponsor requirements.
• Analyze financial impacts to the general ledger and institutional financial statements.
• Advise investigators and department leadership on grant financial management.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Premium pay such as shift, on-call, and holiday pay, based on the position and eligibility.
• Incentive pay for select positions.
• Opportunity for annual increases based on performance.
• Career pathways to promote professional growth and development.
• Medical, dental, pet, and vision options.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Free parking.
• Wellness program.
• Savings plan.
• Health savings account options.
• Retirement options with company match.
• Paid time off and holiday pay.
• Community involvement opportunities.

What This Job Offers

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