Associate Director, NU-RES Hub

About the Opportunity

The NU-RES Hub (the Hub), a shared administrative and business services unit within Northeastern University’s office of sponsored programs (, or ), provides unit level research administration support for a wide variety of clients within Northeastern’s global research network – our clients span research institutes, colleges, and US and international campuses. The Hub’s clients continue to expand their research and sponsored program portfolios, which includes federal contracting opportunities. The Hub seeks to hire Associate Director (AD) with experience in federal contracting and research administration.

The AD will report to the Hub Director and work closely with the Hub Associate Director to manage the portfolios of Hub clients. The AD will build and manage a framework to ensure the successful and compliant offer, negotiation, non-financial management, subcontracting, and closeout of federal contracts and subcontracts. In parallel, the AD will provide overflow pre-award support as needed . Thus, this will be a highly collegial and collaborative position requiring near constant communication with various stakeholders across Northeastern administrative and technical performers. The AD will also support and supervise a team consisting of a Grants and Contracts Portfolio Officer, a Sr. Grants and Contracts Portfolio Office, and a Sr. Contracts & Subawards Officer.

The AD must be independent with an eye for detail and mind for critical thought. AD must also have an ability to maintain a friendly, collaborative working relationship in a fast paced, deadline-driven environment with changing and at times competing priorities. A tolerance for ambiguity and a sense of humor are helpful.

Responsibilities include:

Support and lead the NU-RES Hub team that administers its clients’ sponsored agreement portfolio, from proposal development through close-out.

Provide contract administration support throughout the sponsored award and contract including:

Assign and monitor the team’s workload to ensure the timely and compliant accomplishment of project deadlines and complete accurate internal and external client deliverables, including tracking contract performance.

Support Request for Proposals/Quotes (RFP/Q), to include reviewing the RFP/Q to provide guidance to the business on the FAR, DFAR, or other clause impacts, identifying any contractual risks, and writing questions or assumption to clarify those risks.

Review proposal documents as needed for compliance with Solicitation Instructions, complete Representations and Certifications, and inclusions of contractual risk mitigation language. Inform leadership of any contractual concerns in the proposal and provide recommendations for revisions.

Support responses to solcitations and FOA’s for domestic assistance (grants / cooperative agreements) and private funding as needed.

Attend and contribute to meetings with Hub clients and staff.

Manage relationship with the Customer (Federal, State, Local) Contracting Officer / Subcontract Administrator as needed to resolve proposal or contract questions and discuss contract modifications.

Support the review and negotiation contracts, subcontracts, subawards, and modifications, consistent with university policies.

Research contract regulations, terms, and conditions, in particular the FA or similar State or Local Regulations or policy to provide compliant guidance.

Monitor timely reporting of contract data entry into various systems, data updates, resolve discrepancies and maintain data quality and accuracy.

Analyze quantitative and qualitative data; draft informational and operational/KPI reports.

Serve as the subject matter expert on areas related to federal contracts and acquisition and actively share lessons learned to facilitate knowledge sharing within team and the research community.

Partner with University offices, including Office of General Counsel, Office of Research Compliance, IT, Risk Services, OHSRP, and EHS as needed.Collaborate and build working relationships with university offices to address complex contracts administration and proposal challenges.

Foster a collegial, high-functioning, productive work environment.

Initiate and/or lead continuous process improvement initiatives and update of existing standard operating procedures.

Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Excellent written and verbal communication skills are required.

Demonstrated ability to effectively manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, time sensitive environment preferred. 

Must have solid judgment and capacity to exercise discretion to resolve ambiguity and promote effective solutions.

Must have a strong commitment to constructively contribute to a positive customer experience, providing professional, timely, efficient, and courteous service to the university research community. 

Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 7 years relevant federal grant and contracting experience, including knowledge of FAR, DFAR, EAR, OMB Uniform Guidance, and other relevant regulations, laws and policies related to cooperative agreements, OTAs, government contracts, and grants.

Candidates who are eligible for security clearance will be preferred.

CMCM and/or CRA preferred.

Management experience preferred.

Experience in a non-profit, academic setting is required. Knowledge of government grant regulations, agency policies, and familiarity with customary policies and procedures of an institute of higher education is preferred.

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

70% - Comprehensive management and oversight of federal contract proposals and awards, supervise and manage teams, build constructive, effective relationships with faculty, administrators, external collaborators and funding agency officers, analyze and interpret policies and regulations related to research and sponsored programs, analyze and prepare operational and strategic reports, and lead process improvement and new initiatives. Supervise, advise and assist Hub staff, researchers and administrative staff on the proposal submission process including providing guidance on federal regulations, agency requirements, internal policies and procedures, and budget development; review of proposals to a wide range of federal, state, local government agencies, and private foundation sponsors to ensure conformance to funding agency and University requirements. Assist in the negotiation of contracts and subcontracts on behalf of the University, monitoring for regulatory compliance with the funding agency’s terms and conditions of award from acceptance through closeout. Serves as expert resource and advises faculty and administrators in the interpretation of funding agency regulations and requirements, internal policies and procedures, budget development, FAR, DFAR, EAR, OMB, and other relevant regulations; monitoring for regulatory compliance with the funding agency’s terms and conditions of award from proposal submission through acceptance and closeout. Partners with University offices, including Office of General Counsel, Office of Research Compliance, IT, Risk Services, OHSRP, and EHS as needed. 

20% - Assess, monitor and coordinate team work/caseloads (award review, acceptance, and processing funding obligations, award notices and agreements); monitor key performance indicators, identify problems, troubleshoot and develop process improvements/solutions; foster a collegial, high-functioning, productive work environment; initiate and/or lead continuous process improvement initiatives and update of existing standard operating procedures, as needed; develop and refine data capture and analytics in conjunction with the NU-RES analytics team; develop and conduct ongoing training for research and sponsored program administration to the NU research community; provide cross-functional training for NU-RES Hub staff.;

10% - Continue to develop expert knowledge of research administration; engage in university-wide professional development activities, i.e., training, workshops, and developing resources useful for customers. Participate in special projects assigned by NU-RES Hub. Attend recurring meetings with Hub clients and staff.

Position Type