Director, DISC Office Post Award

Job description

As the leader of the Department, Institute, School & Centers (DISC) Post-Award Office within the Office of Research Administration (ORA), the Director is responsible for University-wide leadership and day-to-day management of department-level post-award research administration services across all Brandeis schools, divisions, departments, centers, institutes, President and Provost units. The Director leads an integrated post-award organization supporting principal investigators and academic units throughout the sponsored project lifecycle, from award activation through financial management, forecasting, reporting, and closeout. The Director establishes the service model, operational standards, business processes, systems, and strategic direction for DISC Post-Award and ensures consistent, high-quality support across the University. The Director has primary responsibility for governance, optimization, and ongoing administration of the University's BA Priority Software platform for sponsored-project financial management, including common workflows, data standards, reporting practices, training, and continuous improvement. The Director serves as the principal ORA liaison for department-level post-award administration and leads coordination across academic units and central administrative offices to resolve complex operational issues and strengthen the University's research administration infrastructure. The Director provides leadership and oversight for DISC Post-Award staff, with responsibility for portfolio allocation, training, performance management, professional development, quality assurance, and continuous improvement. Working with the Associate Provost for Research Administration and ORA leadership, the Director develops and implements post-award policies, procedures, controls, and institutional practices. The Director works closely with the Institutional Pre-Award Office, Provost’s Finance Team, Faculty Affairs, Sponsored Programs Accounting, Payroll, Human Resources, Procurement, academic deans and administrators, department chairs, center and institute leadership, and other University partners to create an integrated, service-oriented approach to sponsored programs administration to support Brandeis’ core mission as a research institution. The salary range for the position is $139.6k-$143k. Job Description Policy, Systems & Strategic Program Development (35%) Maintains in-depth and expansive knowledge of sponsor regulations and requirements and stays fully abreast of proposed changes in federal and state regulations and laws affecting sponsored programs, including OMB Uniform Guidance, Federal Acquisition Regulations, Code of Federal Regulations, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements, and state and institutional policies and reporting requirements, to ensure continued compliance. Leads the development, implementation, and interpretation of University-wide post-award administrative policies, procedures, standards, and business practices in coordination with the Associate Provost for Research Administration, Sponsored Programs Accounting, and other University offices. Develops communications, guidance, and training to ensure consistent interpretation and application across academic and administrative units. Provides strategic and operational leadership for the BA Priority Software platform supporting sponsored-project financial administration. Establishes system governance, standardized workflows, data definitions, reporting practices, user roles, controls, training, and continuous improvement priorities; serves as the primary functional liaison among DISC Post-Award, academic units, Finance, data/technology partners, and the software vendor or implementation partners. Leads the design and continuous improvement of post-award tools, systems, forms, templates, forecasting models, dashboards, and other resources that support effective sponsored-project management, institutional consistency, reduced administrative burden, data quality, and timely decision-making. Fosters internal collaborations and builds effective relationships with key Brandeis stakeholders to advance strategic initiatives and build alignment around post-award issues affecting the research mission. Serves as the primary ORA liaison for department-level post-award administration across the University and collaborates with central offices on crosscutting issues involving financial management, personnel, procurement, reporting, compliance, and closeout. Serves as a primary or alternate institutional representative to internal committees and working groups related to sponsored research administration, financial management, systems, and compliance, and represents the University in relevant external professional forums, as assigned. DISC Post-Award Function & Oversight (65%) Provides University-wide leadership and oversight of department-level post-award research administration services for all schools, divisions, departments, centers, institutes, and Provost & President units, ensuring a consistent, service-oriented model of support from award activation through project closeout. Directs the operational integration of post-award teams and functions across the University, including the transition of divisional grants administration into DISC Post-Award. Establishes common service standards, portfolio structures, workflows, escalation pathways, and quality controls while ensuring continuity of support for faculty and academic units during organizational change. Manages, mentors, and develops DISC Post-Award staff, including direct reports and team leaders, with responsibility for organizational structure, recruiting and hiring, onboarding, portfolio assignment and allocation, workload balance, quality assurance, professional development, performance management, succession planning, and goal setting. Establishes and monitors standards for post-award financial management, including budget planning and forecasting, expenditure review and reconciliation, cost share tracking, effort and personnel planning, award modifications, sponsor and institutional reporting, progress-report coordination, continuation actions, and project closeout. Ensures timely identification, escalation, and resolution of financial, compliance, and operational risks. Maintains a portfolio of PIs and researchers–often the most complex or exceptional—post-award management including budget planning and forecasting, reconciliation, tracking cost share expenses, effort management, current and pending reports, just-in-time reports, RPPRs, continuing applications, etc., as well as proactive outreach to researchers. Serves as the senior escalation point for complex or sensitive post-award matters involving principal investigators, academic units, central offices, sponsors, and institutional leadership. Provides expert analysis and recommendations, resolves cross-functional barriers, and ensures accountability for follow-through. Leads office outreach, education, and change-management efforts related to post-award administration, including University-wide training, workshops, communications, and resources designed to strengthen faculty and administrator understanding of sponsored-project financial management and institutional requirements. Effects the ongoing improvement of ORA and University processes, systems, and business practices to remove administrative obstacles, increase operational efficiency, strengthen internal controls, and deliver improved service to the research community. All other duties, as assigned. Job Requirements: Minimum education: Bachelor's Degree required, master's degree preferred 8+ years work-related experience; 10+ years preferred Significant experience and demonstrated expertise in university research administration and compliance, including post-award sponsored-project administration, financial management, and policy; experience leading operations across multiple academic or organizational units strongly preferred. Understanding of Federal funding agencies and regulatory bodies, and experience developing institutional approaches to emerging administrative, financial, and compliance requirements. A proven track record in leading organizational change, achieving operational efficiencies, strengthening internal controls, removing administrative obstacles, and delivering improved service to the research community. Demonstrated experience implementing, administering, or optimizing financial or grants-management systems, with strong understanding of data governance, workflow design, reporting, and business-process improvement. Demonstrated leadership, strategic thinking, project management, and change-management skills, including the ability to manage ambiguity and prioritize multiple time-sensitive demands in a rapidly changing environment. A collaborative and inclusive professional style; ability to build strategic relationships with faculty, staff, and leaders at all levels; excellent organizational and communication skills; and the utmost respect for discretion, confidentiality, and professionalism. Broad and deep knowledge and perspective of the University, including academic and central administrative functions. Ability and inclination to anticipate future opportunities, risks, and consequences. Resonance with the mission and goals of the Office's priorities. Developed management skills and substantial experience in personnel management, including the ability to recruit, train, empower, develop, and retain a highly effective workforce and to lead teams through organizational change. Skills & Knowledge: Certification in Research Administration field [e.g., Certified Research Administrator (CRA®) or Certified Financial Research Administrator (CFRA)] required, or ability to obtain within one year of appointment. Strong systems orientation and demonstrated ability to translate operational requirements into effective workflows, data practices, reporting, and user support. Mastery of post-award research administration, sponsored-project financial management, compliance concepts, and business processes, as well as broad knowledge of academic and central administrative functions. Dimensions & Scope: Regular interaction with University leadership, deans, faculty, department and center leadership, and senior administrators. Leads a University-wide post-award function with direct responsibility for seven+ staff members supporting multiple academic portfolios. Exercises substantial independent judgment in setting operational priorities, resolving escalated issues, and recommending changes to policies, systems, staffing, and organizational design. Expected to lead diverse teams consisting of non-direct reports, requiring high degree of collaboration and inspiring confidence with team members. Pay Range Disclosure The University's pay ranges represent a good faith estimate of what Brandeis reasonably expects to pay for a position at the time of posting. The pay offered to a selected candidate during hiring will be based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience and education/training, internal peer equity, and applicable legal requirements. Equal Opportunity Statement Brandeis University is an equal opportunity employer which does not discriminate against any applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, ancestry, religious creed, gender identity and expression, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, genetic information, disability, caste, military or veteran status or any other category protected by law (also known as membership in a "protected class").