Senior Research Administrator

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Concord•Lebanon, NH

41d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Hybrid Research Business Operations Specialist (Research Adminstrator) supports the full life cycle of clinical and research studies that include a clinical trial component, integrating activities across Awards Management, Coverage Analysis, Budgeting/Contract Negotiation, and Clinical Trial Financial Oversight. This position ensures regulatory and fiscal compliance from pre-proposal through closeout by coordinating with investigators, departments, sponsors, and institutional offices. The role bridges three critical domains-Awards, Pre-Activation, and Clinical Trial Financial Management-to promote accuracy, transparency, and efficiency in study setup and execution.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in a related field or the equivalent in education and experience required.
Five (5) years research administration work experience required.
Experience in a healthcare or academic research administration setting and knowledge of electronic research administration systems
Working knowledge of federal regulations relating to grants, contracts, and research compliance a well as non-federal sponsored research
Ability to work effectively, independently and as a member of a team.
Ability to exercise judgment, initiative, and discretion and to interact with staff and outside agencies in a professional manner.
Technological proficiency including email, calendars, databases, and Office suite
Excellent communication, organization, and customer service skills

Nice To Haves

Certification in Research Administration preferred

Responsibilities

Prepare preliminary cost estimates and feasibility quotes for clinical and translational projects, incorporating standard institutional rates, salary allocations, and indirects.
Coordinate with investigators and department administrators to define resource needs, sponsor assumptions, and institutional commitments.
Collaborate with DRA and Clinical Trials Team to ensure alignment with proposal guidelines and internal review requirements.
Conduct Coverage Analyses (CA) in accordance with CMS NCD 310.1, local coverage determinations (LCDs), and institutional billing policies.
Differentiate standard of care vs. research-only costs, assign appropriate billing designations, and validate CPT coding.
Develop detailed internal budgets and sponsor cost proposals reflecting CA results, rate cards, and institutional overhead structures.
Collaborate with the Contracting and Negotiation Team to ensure budgets align with payment terms and invoicing schedules.
Partner with contracting offices (DHRO, Legal, Supply Chain) to review payment terms, reimbursement models, and financial obligations.
Ensure payment terms, milestones, holdbacks, and audit clauses are harmonized between the CTA, budget, and coverage analysis grid.
Track negotiation progress and flag bottlenecks for escalation.
Support award setup and activation by coordinating between the Sponsored Program Administration Team, Clinical Trial Finance, Department Research Administrators, and Sponsored Research Office.
Review Like Institution Sub-contracts for consistency with negotiated budgets and institutional policies.
Prepare internal financial build in the Clinical Trials Finance and ensure appropriate fund and account creation.
Coordinate with the OnCore CTMS and finance teams for activation readiness.
Monitor study finances across the project life cycle: activation, invoicing, collections, and closeout when applicable.
Uniform Guidance and sponsor terms.
Track expenses, reconcile accounts, and coordinate corrective actions for deficits or unallowable costs.
Partner with departments to ensure appropriate cost transfers, effort reporting, and timely invoicing.
Utilize OnCore CTMS, TrialPro, and TrialConnx systems for workflow tracking, coverage analysis, budget versioning, and milestone management.
Maintain dashboards for time-to-activation, invoice aging, and payment reconciliation.
Participate in process improvement initiatives focused on harmonization across awards, budgeting, and post-award operations.
Provide training and mentorship for junior analysts in coverage analysis, budgeting, and award setup workflows.
Serve as liaison between ORO, DHRO, and the Clinical Trials Office, ensuring consistent communication and documentation standards.
Contribute to handbook and SOP development supporting the CTO Mentorship Program and Pre-Activation Handbook.
Other duties as assigned