Sr. Manager, Research Administration

University of Miami•Coral Gables, FL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Office of Research Administration (ORA) is the University's institutional office responsible for reviewing, endorsing and submitting proposals to extramural sponsors for research, clinical trials, training, instructional and other sponsored activities. As a leader in the Office of Research Administration (ORA), the Senior Manager, Research Administrator (Contracts), is integrally involved in, and supervises a team responsible for, the review and analysis of complex sponsored project agreements and provides research administration services to a portfolio of academic departments and research units, including acting as one of the institutional liaisons with external sponsors to support the University mission. This includes ensuring that sponsored project agreements are consistent with sponsors and University policies and guidelines, while providing outstanding customer service to faculty and support staff. Moreover, the Senior Manager, Contracts participates in development of efficient work processes, policies and procedures and drafting of various support documents, templates and other tools to facilitate drafting, reviewing and processing of research agreements.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in relevant field.
Minimum 7 years of relevant experience, ideally in an academic setting.
Appropriate combination of relevant education and/or experience may be considered.
Knowledge of business and management principles.
Extensive knowledge of research administration, preferably in an academic institution.
Extensive knowledge of sponsored program regulations; specific areas of expertise in contracting, applicable laws and regulations.
Ability to efficiently research complex information and use it for establishment and improvement of work processes, reporting and data analysis.
Excellent written and oral communication.
Excellent interpersonal and collaboration skills.
Highly numerate with demonstrated excellence in analytic skills.
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
Works independently with minimal supervision and respects deadlines.
Ability to direct, manage, implement, and evaluate department operations.
Ability to effectively plan, delegate and/or supervise the work of others.
Ability to lead, motivate, develop, and train others.

Nice To Haves

Juris Doctorate or Master’s degree in relevant field preferred.
Certified Research Administrator (CRA) or Certified Pre-Award Research Administrator (CPRA) certification preferred

Responsibilities

Conducts, and leads a team responsible for, comprehensive analysis and negotiation of research agreements (specifically focused on zero dollar agreement types such as Confidentiality Agreements (CDA’s), Material Transfer Agreements (MTA’s), Data Use Agreements (DUA’s) as well as Research Collaboration Agreements), evaluating terms and conditions of contracts from various sources, including: government, foundation, corporate and, engaging in negotiations to establish the contractual terms.
Interacts with other ORA personnel, Principal Investigators and study teams, Compliance, IRB (Human Subject Research Office), Technology Transfer, Risk Management, and other relevant offices to ensure that research initiation is managed in an efficient and effective manner consistent with UM policies and procedures.
Maintains advanced knowledge of applicable OMB circulars, NIH Policy Statement and other applicable regulations.
Leverages real-time dashboards to monitor team performance, ensuring the team consistently meets or exceeds Service Level Agreement Key Performance Indicators.
Drives a culture of accountability by basing team performance assessments on measurable data.
Identifies process inefficiencies through data analysis and suggest/implement improvements.
Provides updates and status and performance reports to senior management on a regular basis by tracking relevant data using University systems and other tools and provides leadership with metrics, including through output and turnaround time.
Oversees, trains, and mentors staff in assigned team.
Partners with other departments to facilitate transparent and accountable research administration and coordinate documentation and approval processes.
Maintains effective relationships with sponsor representatives to facilitate communication.
Establishes and continuously assesses the effectiveness of the internal controls within the unit and compliance with University policies and procedures.
Ensures employees are trained on controls within the function and on University policy and procedures.

Benefits

The University of Miami is recognized as one of the nation’s premier research institutions and academic health systems and is among the largest employers in South Florida.
With more than 20,000 faculty and staff, the University is committed to excellence and guided by a mission to positively impact the lives of students, patients, and communities locally and globally.
We are dedicated to fostering a culture where every individual feels valued and empowered to contribute meaningfully.
United by shared values, the University community works together to build an environment defined by purpose, collaboration, and service.
The University of Miami is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Applicants and employees are protected from discrimination based on certain categories protected by Federal law.
The mission of the University of Miami is to transform lives through education, research, innovation, and service.
A vibrant and diverse academic and healthcare community, the University of Miami and the University of Miami Health System ("UHealth") have rapidly progressed to become one of the nation’s top research universities and academic medical centers in the nation.
The University comprises 12 schools and colleges serving undergraduate and graduate students in more than 350 majors and programs.
The University ranks No. 55 on U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 Best Colleges list and ranked No. 49 in the 2022 Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education College Rankings.
Bascom Palmer Eye Institute is ranked the #1 eye hospital in the USA and offers some of the nation's premiere eye doctors to treat every eye condition for adults.
Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer, part of the Miller School of Medicine, received the prestigious National Cancer Institute designation in 2019.
The University of Miami and UHealth have also ranked among the Forbes Best Employers and Best Employers for Women on several occasions, most recently in 2022.
With more than 17,000 faculty and staff, the University strives for excellence, and is driven by a powerful mission to transform and impact the lives of its students, patients, members of the community, and people across the globe.