Senior Manager, Proposal Review

Company Description

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Financial Administration (FAD) is dedicated to advancing Harvard University’s teaching and research mission by stewarding its resources; providing support, guidance, and consultation; ensuring compliance with university and federal guidelines; mitigating risk; pursuing operational excellence; and promoting the financial health of the University.

Within and across the University, we aim to be exemplary colleagues, trusted partners, valued advisors, and agents of positive change.

Within our own community, we aspire to:

• Engage with respect, honesty, and integrity
• Cultivate equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging
• Welcome innovation, collaboration, and flexibility
• Enjoy our work, grow professionally, and aim for the extraordinary

Learn more about Financial Administration (harvard.edu) and our eight reporting units. ((Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).)

The Office for Sponsored Programs (OSP),through its Proposal Review Team,is responsible for ensuring the sponsored research proposals are accurate, complete, and compliant with institutional, sponsor, and regulatory requirements before submission, and serves as the institutions Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) with signatory authority.

The Senior manager positionhasresponsibilitiesthatspan all aspects of the proposal review and submissions lifecycle andteam members regularly interface with sponsors, regulatory agencies, principal investigators, school and department-based research administrators, project coordinators, other key administrative stakeholders across Harvard University, and collaborating institutions.

The Senior Manager will partner with the Senior Director of Pre-Award to continuously evaluateutilizationof existing processes,technologies, and practices.

The Senior Manager, in partnership with the Senior Director of Pre-Award, will recommend, develop, and lead the implementation ofnew orrevisedprocesses,technologies, and practices to streamline and standardize university-wide and local practices.

• Lead and manage the proposal review team, including staffing, onboarding, training, professional development, and workload distribution.
• Develop, implement, and maintain standard operating procedures, tools, and training to promote consistent, efficient, and compliant proposal review practices.
• Collaborate with sponsors, principal investigators, departmental staff, and other central offices to submit all sponsored proposals and when necessary, resolve issues and facilitate successful submissions.
• Develop and use metrics and dashboards to evaluate proposal review performance and identify opportunities for improvement within OSP and across the university.
• Contribute to the development and delivery of presentations, outreach, and training for schools, departments, and central offices, as needed
• Serve as an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) with signatory authority for proposal submissions and related institutional certifications and assurances.
• Provide exemplary customer service
• Other duties as assigned

Basic Qualifications are the minimum threshold a candidate must meet in order to be considered for this role.

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required
• Minimum of 8 years’ relevant work experience
• Advanced knowledge of sponsored research regulations
• Supervisory experience

• Detail-oriented and analytical problem-solver
• Excellent organizational and electronic document management skills
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple deadlines
• Excellent people and relationship management skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Experience with business process and workflow assessment and development, and process improvement and system design and implementation methodologies.
• Knowledge of federal and non-federal sponsor requirements…