Post-Award Shared Services Lead

University of Washington • Seattle, WA

5d

About The Position

The Department of Medicine has an outstanding opportunity for a Post-Award Shared Services Lead on our central grants team. The Post-Award Shared Services Lead provides strategic leadership in the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of a shared service model for post-award financial and administrative management across the Department of Medicine’s 11 divisions. This role is instrumental in shaping the Department’s research administration infrastructure to ensure alignment with institutional goals, sponsor requirements, and compliance standards. The incumbent will lead the design and institutionalization of best practices for post-award operations, including standardized workflows for award setup, financial monitoring, reporting, compliance oversight, and closeout procedures. They will ensure that all post-award activities meet complex regulatory and financial requirements at the institutional, state, and federal levels, and will serve as a key authority on risk mitigation and audit readiness. Acting with delegated authority from the Department Chair, this position will independently oversee high-value, high-risk awards and contracts, ensuring fiscal accountability and strategic alignment. The incumbent will also serve as a trusted advisor to faculty and leadership, and will represent the Department in institutional policy development, compliance initiatives, and external collaborations. Additionally, the Post-Award Shared Services Lead will develop and deliver training programs, mentor staff, and foster a culture of continuous learning, operational excellence, and proactive problem-solving in research administration. This position operates at a high level of strategic and operational complexity, requiring deep expertise in post-award research administration, academic medical research finance, and regulatory compliance across institutional, state, federal, and sponsor-specific frameworks. The incumbent must lead the implementation of a scalable shared service model that supports the diverse and evolving post-award needs of 11 divisions within the Department of Medicine, each managing complex and varied research portfolios. The role demands advanced leadership in organizational change management, including the ability to influence and align cross-functional teams, develop and implement financial and compliance policy, and drive continuous improvement across a large, decentralized academic environment. The incumbent must demonstrate exceptional judgment, business acumen, and decision-making skills in high-stakes, time-sensitive financial and compliance scenarios. This position requires frequent engagement with senior leadership, including Division Heads, the Department Chair, Vice Chairs, and the Dean’s Office, as well as collaboration with central university offices such as Grant and Contract Accounting (GCA), Internal Audit, and the Office of Sponsored Programs. The incumbent must navigate complex inter-institutional agreements, subawards, and audit processes, often serving as the Department’s representative in high-level financial and compliance negotiations. The complexity is further amplified by the need to balance standardization with flexibility, ensuring that shared post-award services are both efficient and responsive to the specialized needs of faculty and research teams. The incumbent plays a critical role in shaping the Department’s financial and compliance infrastructure and ensuring its alignment with institutional goals, sponsor expectations, and national best practices. The Department of Medicine is the largest and most research-intensive department within the University of Washington School of Medicine, accounting for approximately 60% of the School’s total workforce and financial activity. With over 3,900 faculty, staff, trainees, and students, and annual research expenditures exceeding $300 million across 1,000 active awards, the Department plays a central role in advancing the University’s research mission. This position is pivotal in ensuring the integrity, efficiency, and strategic alignment of the Department’s post-award operations. By leading the implementation of a scalable shared service model, the incumbent will directly influence the financial stewardship, compliance, and performance of a large and diverse research portfolio. The success of this model has the potential to serve as a blueprint for post-award administration across other departments within the School of Medicine and the broader University. The role carries significant institutional responsibility, including delegated authority to oversee high-risk, high-value awards and to represent the Department in financial, compliance, and audit-related discussions. Errors in this role could result in substantial financial loss, audit findings, reputational damage, and disruption to critical research activities. As a key architect of the Department’s post-award infrastructure, the incumbent ensures that financial and administrative processes are executed with the highest standards of compliance, accuracy, and service excellence—safeguarding the University’s relationships with federal agencies, foundations, and partner institutions, and supporting the long-term sustainability of its research enterprise.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or related field AND a minimum of five (5) years progressively responsible experience with extramural proposal preparation and dealing with proposal parathion issues including, but not limited to, compliance and policy issues, foundation and federal policies and practices.
• Demonstrated experience of successfully handing multiple projects with critical deadlines
• Ability to work independently with a minimum level of supervision and high degree of reliability, accuracy and productivity
• Work well under stress in a fast paced environment with competing priorities
• Intermediate computer skills – computer proficiency with spreadsheets (excel), word processing and databases in Windows environment
• Detail Oriented
• Excellent communication skills – both written and verbal
• Ability to work well in a team
• Ability to handle confidential information responsibly
• Excellent customer service skills as the Department provides service to multiple customers including 11 divisions, the Associate Chair of Research, and the Department Chair
• Ability to creatively problem solve
• Strong organizational ability

Nice To Haves

• In depth knowledge of University financial system, policies, and procedures
• Experience in preparation of program project proposals
• Experience in a research or academic higher education health care organization with emphasis on successfully

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic development, implementation, and continuous improvement of a shared service model for post-award financial and administrative activities across the Department of Medicine.
• Design and institutionalize standardized processes and tools for award setup, financial monitoring, invoicing, reporting, and closeout procedures.
• Collaborate with divisional administrators and faculty to ensure the shared service model meets the diverse needs of research programs while maintaining compliance and efficiency.
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance service delivery, reduce risk, and ensure audit readiness.
• Develop and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of post-award services.
• Create and deliver training programs and onboarding resources for divisional staff and new hires.
• Represent the Department in institutional working groups and strategic planning efforts related to post-award administration.
• Serve as the Department’s senior advisor and subject matter expert on post-award financial management, including complex, multi-year, and multi-institutional awards.
• Oversee the financial administration of sponsored projects, including budget reconciliation, expenditure review, cost transfers, and effort certification.
• Ensure compliance with sponsor terms and conditions, federal regulations (e.g., Uniform Guidance), and University policies.
• Act as the primary liaison with central offices (e.g., Grant and Contract Accounting, Internal Audit) to resolve complex financial and compliance issue
• Provide guidance to faculty and staff on allowable costs, re-budgeting, and financial reporting requirements.
• Monitor subawards and service agreements to ensure timely invoicing, payment, and compliance with contractual obligations.
• Exercise delegated authority to oversee high-risk, high-value awards and ensure alignment with institutional and sponsor expectations.
• Represent the Department in institutional policy discussions, compliance initiatives, and audit responses related to post-award administration.
• Lead the implementation of new policies and procedures in response to changes in sponsor regulations or institutional priorities.
• Mentor and support the professional development of post-award staff across the Department, fostering a culture of continuous learning and operational excellence.
• Participate in national and regional research administration forums and bring back insights to inform departmental practices and innovation.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees