Assistant Director, Academic Affairs & Research - 135501

This is a hybrid position with a combination of onsite and remote work.

Incumbent serves as Assistant Director, Academic Affairs & Research within Sponsored Projects Finance ---a division of Business and Financial Services (BFS). This position is considered a subject matter expert serving in a senior leadership capacity to the division and the campus in support of sponsored research by providing exceptional post award financial management to include support to campus departments and sponsoring agencies/entities.

The Assistant Director, Academic Affairs & Research provides leadership, oversight and management to a team of Award Accountants promoting employee development directly through training and review of work performed, and ensuring standardization and compliance with funding entity regulations. This position manages the most complex sponsored research awards and responsible for multiple sub-awards milestone reporting. Independently resolves unique issues and post award problems without precedent or structure. Incumbent also applies knowledge and education in direct support of federal regulatory compliance and continuously strives to identify areas of risk and actively implement mitigation processes and strategies. This position works directly with divisional staff and campus departments to identify areas of opportunity for quality improvement and provide leadership and guidance for new initiatives to achieve operational efficiency.

This position also serves in a critical role to promote partnership between SPF, the campus departments, and the sponsoring agencies. This position is one of four Assistant Director positions within the division serving the Vice Chancellor areas. All Assistant Directors coordinate activities between assigned Vice Chancellor areas to ensure operating standards are established and maintained across three Vice Chancellor teams. This position serves as a member of the SPF Leadership Team; participates on division/department-wide committees for award management and research administration.

• Bachelors Degree in Accounting, Finance or Business Administration and 3+ years relevant experience; or a combination of education and experience preferred.

• Working knowledge of contracts and grants transactions and applicable financial systems, as well as related policy, accounting and regulatory compliance requirements.

• Experience in post award management or equivalent experience in higher education/similar setting. Expert knowledge in post award financial management process on highly complex award mechanisms.

• Experience in personnel management & supervision, performance management, organizational administration and strategic planning. Experience in motivational and moral building techniques with ability to create and maintain team spirit and harmony.

• Ability to perform highly complex financial analysis and customized reporting. Demonstrated expert level analytical skills, ability to comprehend and reconcile financial data, and perform mathematical computations with accuracy.

• Thorough knowledge of policy and its interpretations. Knowledge of current compliance regulations in all areas of research administration.

• Demonstrated advanced knowledge of generally accepted accounting, fiscal and reporting principles. Proven comprehensive knowledge of contracts and grants post award financial administration.

• Demonstrated advanced competence in the use of excel, spreadsheets, and database software in financial analysis, fiscal management and financial reports.

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, and the ability to quickly master additional software as needed. Demonstrated ability to effectively use information technology and processredesign methodologies in creating, designing and implementing new processes.

• Thorough knowledge of and ability to interpret and apply sponsor, institutional and departmental policies. Knowledge of current compliance regulations in all areas of research administration. Proven ability to independently comprehend, analyze and interpret terminology and phrasing in agency guidelines and regulations and University policy and proceduremanuals. Ability to apply knowledge in preparing financial reports.

• Ability to manage high volume and complex transactions. Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal direction, effectively prioritize responsibilities, and meet multiple conflicting deadlines to produce quality results

• Strong interpersonal skills, service orientation, ability to multi-task effectively in a varied, high volume environment, judgment and decision-making, reasoning, ability to develop original ideas to solve problems, and effective verbal and written communication skills. Excellent oral, written and interpersonal skills with ability to exercise tact, diplomacy and flexibility to promote positive working relationships and job effectiveness.

• Full knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulation, Code of Federal Regulations, sponsor-specific policies, intellectual property policy, conflict of interest requirements, publication rights, application of indirect cost rates and other complex concepts in research administration. Expert knowledge in OMB circulars such as Uniform Guidance, A-21, A110 and principles of cost accounting standards, including allowability, allocability, and reasonableness, state, local, sponsor and institutional regulations, policies, and guidelines.

• Job offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on Background Check results.

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