Associate Director of Research Administration

Location: Town of Howard
The Talent Acquisition department hires qualified candidates to fill positions which contribute to the overall strategic success of Howard University. Hiring staff “for fit” makes significant contributions to Howard University’s overall mission.

At Howard University, we prioritize well-being and professional growth.
* *** Work-Life Balance:
*** PTO, paid holidays, flexible work arrangements
* *** Financial Wellness:
*** Competitive salary, 403(b) with company match
* *** Professional Development:
*** Ongoing training, tuition reimbursement, and career advancement paths
** Join Howard University and thrive with us!*
* ** BASIC FUNCTION:
** The Associate Director of Research Administration will oversee the College Research Administrators (CRAs) and departmental research administrators, ensuring effective pre- and post-award support for faculty. This role will be responsible for the training, oversight, and performance evaluation of research administrators across all colleges. The Associate Director will serve as the primary liaison between the Office of Research (OOR) and the Associate Deans, working to improve administrative efficiency and ensure compliance with federal and institutional policies.
** SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY:
** The Associate Director of Research Administration will serve as the primary point of contact (POC) for the College Research Administrators (CRAs) and departmental research administrators, ensuring the effective operation of the CRA program and centralized research administration model.

This position will provide strategic oversight, training, guidance, recruitment, and onboarding support for CRAs while ensuring consistency in research administration processes across colleges. The Office of Research (OOR) will be responsible for the educational, compliance, and professional development aspects of the role, while day-to-day performance management will remain under the purview of the individual colleges.
** NATURE AND SCOPE:
** Reporting directly to the [Director of Research Administration/AVP of Research Operations], the Associate Director will implement a centralized research administration model. This role will establish standardized workflows, ensure research administrators receive ongoing training, and work closely with Associate Deans and faculty to troubleshoot issues. The Associate Director will also lead monthly research administration meetings to facilitate training, updates, and process improvements.
** PRINCIPAL

ACCOUNTABILITIES :
**** Oversight & Management
*** Directly supervises
** CRAs and departmental research administrators**, ensuring consistent and effective research administration support.
* Works closely with
** Deans, Associate Deans, and PIs
** to monitor and enhance grant support services.
* Develop
** standardized departmental processes
** for pre- and post-award administration to be implemented university-wide.
* Oversees the
** integration of existing departmental research administrators
** into the new centralized structure.
** Training & Professional Development
*** Develops and implements an
** onboarding program
** for newly hired and transitioning research administrators.
* Ensures that all research administrators complete
** 12 hours of required training annually**, covering:  + Proposal development & sponsor guidelines  + Budgeting & financial management  + Workday grants system workflows  + Federal compliance & university policies
* Leads
** monthly 3-hour research administration meetings**, providing updates, training, and addressing concerns raised by administrators and faculty.
** Performance Management & Feedback
*** Works with
** Associate Deans to evaluate CRA and departmental research administrator performance**.
* Develops and implements
** performance metrics
** for tracking research administration effectiveness across colleges.
* Addresses faculty concerns regarding research administration support and identifies opportunities for
** process improvement**.
** Collaboration & Troubleshooting
*** Serves as the
** primary liaison
** between CRAs, departmental administrators, Associate Deans, Sponsored Programs Office (SPO), and Research Operations.
* Identifies and…