Post-Award Shared Services Lead

Job Description

The Department of Medicine has an outstanding opportunity for a Post-Award Shared Services Lead on our central grants team.

The Post-Award Shared Services Lead provides strategic leadership in the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of a shared service model for post-award financial and administrative management across the Department of Medicine’s 11 divisions. This role is instrumental in shaping the Department’s research administration infrastructure to ensure alignment with institutional goals, sponsor requirements, and compliance standards.

The incumbent will lead the design and institutionalization of best practices for post-award operations, including standardized workflows for award setup, financial monitoring, reporting, compliance oversight, and closeout procedures. They will ensure that all post-award activities meet complex regulatory and financial requirements at the institutional, state, and federal levels, and will serve as a key authority on risk mitigation and audit readiness.

Acting with delegated authority from the Department Chair, this position will independently oversee high-value, high-risk awards and contracts, ensuring fiscal accountability and strategic alignment. The incumbent will also serve as a trusted advisor to faculty and leadership, and will represent the Department in institutional policy development, compliance initiatives, and external collaborations.

Additionally, the Post-Award Shared Services Lead will develop and deliver training programs, mentor staff, and foster a culture of continuous learning, operational excellence, and proactive problem-solving in research administration.

This position operates at a high level of strategic and operational complexity, requiring deep expertise in post-award research administration, academic medical research finance, and regulatory compliance across institutional, state, federal, and sponsor-specific frameworks. The incumbent must lead the implementation of a scalable shared service model that supports the diverse and evolving post-award needs of 11 divisions within the Department of Medicine, each managing complex and varied research portfolios.

The role demands advanced leadership in organizational change management, including the ability to influence and align cross-functional teams, develop and implement financial and compliance policy, and drive continuous improvement across a large, decentralized academic environment. The incumbent must demonstrate exceptional judgment, business acumen, and decision-making skills in high-stakes, time-sensitive financial and compliance scenarios.

This position requires frequent engagement with senior leadership, including Division Heads, the Department Chair, Vice Chairs, and the Dean’s Office, as well as collaboration with central university offices such as Grant and Contract Accounting (GCA), Internal Audit, and the Office of Sponsored Programs. The incumbent must navigate complex inter-institutional agreements, subawards, and audit processes, often serving as the Department’s representative in high-level financial and compliance negotiations.

The complexity is further amplified by the need to balance standardization with flexibility, ensuring that shared post-award services are both efficient and responsive to the specialized needs of faculty and research teams. The incumbent plays a critical role in shaping the Department’s financial and compliance infrastructure and ensuring its alignment with institutional goals, sponsor expectations, and national best practices.

The Department of Medicine is the largest and most research-intensive department within the University of Washington School of Medicine, accounting for approximately 60% of the School’s total workforce and financial activity. With over 3,900 faculty, staff, trainees, and students, and annual research expenditures exceeding $300 million across 1,000 active awards, the Department plays a central role in advancing the University’s research mission.

This position is pivotal in ensuring the integrity, efficiency, and strategic alignment of the Department’s post-award operations. By leading…