Pre Award and Post Award Research Administrator

In this role, you will support a busy academic research department by owning complex, detail oriented sponsored research administration and grant finance work. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys partnering closely with principal investigators and keeping budgets, proposals, and awards on track and compliant. It is a great opportunity to work for one of the most respected higher educationinstitutions in the world. This vacancy arose due to a department member getting promoted into another department.

Key Details

• Location: Cambridge, MA
• Work Arrangement: Hybrid (2 days on-site per week)
• Schedule options: 8a-4p, 9a-5p, 10a-6p
• Pay: $40/hour
• Job Type: Contact with a strong chance to convert to a permanent role

Why This Job is Awesome / Your Impact

• You will play a critical role in supporting sponsored research operations for faculty and research teams.
• You will be the go to partner for pre award and post award administration, budgeting, and compliance, helping ensure funding is managed accurately and responsibly.
• You will join a well structured environment where process, accuracy, and collaboration matter, with clear long term potential.

Responsibilities

• Manage end to end sponsored research administration across pre award and post award, ensuring proposals, awards, and ongoing activity stay compliant with sponsor requirements and internal policies
• Prepare, review, and submit complex budgets and grant proposals, including multi investigator, multi unit, renewals, cost sharing, under recovery, and subrecipient components
• Coordinate proposal workflow and deadlines across stakeholders, including principal investigators, research administration partners, and department staff, and handle Just In Time requests as needed
• Oversee award lifecycle processes including setup, modifications, extensions, closeouts, and required financial reporting
• Monitor and guide grant financial performance, including budget versus actual tracking, projections, account reconciliation, payroll suspense, and resolving overruns
• Serve as a resource to faculty and staff by advising on allowable spending, travel, appointments, and related procedures, escalating complex issues when appropriate
• Support training, manage ticketed requests, build cross department relationships, and drive process improvements and special projects

Required Qualifications

• 5 years of relevant experience with federal grants and contracts and or financial administration in a nonprofit environment.
• Strong familiarity with the pre award process for research grants.
• Strong finance and budgeting skills, including tracking budget versus actuals on grants.
• Experience working in higher education or closely with principal investigators.
• Bachelors degree required.
• Excellent organization, attention to detail, and ability to work independently.
• Strong communication skills and customer service mindset, with comfort working across levels in a fast paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with enterprise financial systems, grants management tools, and multidimensional databases.

PandoLogic. Category:Finance, Keywords:Finance Manager, Location:Cambridge, MA-02139