Departmental Research Administration; DRA Manager

Position Summary

The Departmental Research Administration (DRA) Manager leads and oversees departmental research administration services, ensuring consistent, high‑quality support for the financial and administrative management of sponsored projects across assigned units. This role is responsible for supervising, training, and mentoring Departmental Research Administrators (DRAs); managing team workload and priorities; and resolving complex or escalated issues. The DRA Manager provides guidance on the effective and compliant management of sponsored awards and works to ensure accurate financial administration, proper application of sponsor and institutional requirements, and strong departmental support throughout the award lifecycle.

The position provides day‑to‑day operational leadership for departmental research administration services, including oversight of workflows, workload distribution, and process consistency. The DRA Manager establishes and reinforces standardized DRA practices, ensures accurate and consistent data capture at the departmental level, and uses metrics to monitor performance and improve service delivery. This role promotes consistent, high‑quality support through structured coordination of staff, standardized processes, and clear communication with faculty, departments, and central administrative units.

• Bachelor’s degree and three or more years of related experience. A Master’s Degree may substitute for a portion of experience requirements.
• Experience interpreting and applying federal and state laws and regulations related to sponsored projects, including post‑award financial management, cost allowability, and compliance requirements.
• Experience managing or supporting the financial administration of sponsored awards, including budgeting, monitoring expenditures, reconciling accounts, and supporting financial closeout activities.
• Experience using financial accounting systems or fund accounting systems to manage project funds and ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Working knowledge of federal regulations governing research (e.g., OMB Uniform Guidance, Federal Acquisition Regulations) and sponsor policies and procedures, with the ability to apply requirements to post‑award financial management and compliance, and to make informed judgments in complex or ambiguous situations.
• Experience collaborating with principal investigators and project teams to support post‑award management across the award lifecycle.
• Experience communicating complex regulatory and financial requirements to faculty, staff, or project teams to support.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to translate complex regulatory and financial information into clear, actionable guidance.
• Ability to quickly learn, interpret, and consistently apply complex processes and procedures; apply creativity in problem‑solving; prioritize workload; set and meet deadlines; and perform effectively with minimal direct supervision.
• Demonstrated commitment to high‑quality customer service and effective support of faculty and research teams.
• Ability to monitor project and financial activity, track multiple awards simultaneously, and communicate status, risks, and issues clearly and proactively.
• Strong interpersonal skills to support effective collaboration with faculty, departments, and central administrative units in a complex institutional environment.
• Computer and technical proficiency, including Google and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel), and financial or research administration systems; ability to troubleshoot and learn new systems quickly.
• Ability to clearly and diplomatically communicate ideas, positions, and decisions to a wide range of audiences, including faculty and staff, sponsors, and audit entities.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment and apply problem‑solving and decision‑making skills in complex or ambiguous situations, anticipate implications of decisions, and proactively identify and implement solutions.
• Skill in managing diverse personnel situations with tact, diplomacy, and appropriate assertiveness; ability to foster positive working…