Award Specialist

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Harvard's Financial Administration Department (FAD) is responsible for the stewardship of the University’s finances, including related business processes and technology in support of the teaching and research mission of the University. The Office for Sponsored Programs (OSP) is a department within FAD that manages a diverse portfolio of federal, foundation, international, and industry sponsors; we provide lifecycle sponsored program support and partner with schools, departments, and centers across the University to facilitate proposal submission, award acceptance and administration, and all sponsored financial reporting and invoicing throughout the life of the award.

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

• 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).)

Reporting to the Manager of Award Operations, the Award Specialist independently serves as a subject matter expert and institutional resource for complex sponsored award management. This role exercises independent judgment in the interpretation of sponsor terms and conditions, determination of appropriate award structures, and resolution of non-routine and high-impact issues. The Award Specialist plays a key role in ensuring institutional compliance, mitigating risk, and advancing strategic improvements to the award management processes and systems across the university.

• Lead the institutional review, interpretation, and acceptance of complex sponsored award notices, including resolving ambiguous or conflicting sponsor terms and determining appropriate award setup structures in alignment with university policy and risk considerations. Act as a primary point of contact and problem solver for a broad range of GMAS issues across the award lifecycle, providing guidance and decision‑making support across OSP and the university more broadly.
• Exercise independent judgment in evaluating non‑standard or high‑risk award scenarios, advising stakeholders on operational, compliance, and system implications, and determining appropriate courses of action.
• Accountable for data integrity and quality assurance for sponsored projects in GMAS, participating in the development and evaluation of processes and procedures that drive data quality and efficiency.
• Serve as a senior escalation point for complex award management issues, resolving non‑routine problems and guiding research administration staff and leadership on regulatory interpretation and institutional practices.
• Execute audit and reconciliation routines to ensure complete, accurate, and consistent award data.
• Lead the development, evaluation, and continuous improvement of award management processes, recommending and implementing enhancements that improve efficiency, data integrity, and compliance outcomes. Provide expert advisory support to research administration stakeholders, guiding complex decision‑making and ensuring alignment with institutional policies, sponsor requirements, and risk tolerance.

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

For consideration please include a cover letter.

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required
• Minimum of 5 years’ relevant work experience
• Advanced knowledge of sponsored research regulations

The following qualifications are strongly preferred. If you meet some, but not all, you are still encouraged to apply; we value employees with a…