Associate Director, Pre-Award Research Administration

The Office of University Research and Innovation (OURI) supports Tufts University's research, scholarship, innovation, and entrepreneurial activities across all campuses. OURI partners with faculty, staff, students, and university leadership to advance groundbreaking research, secure external funding, ensure regulatory compliance, and translate discoveries into real-world impact.

OURI provides expertise and oversight across sponsored research administration, research compliance, intellectual property management, technology commercialization, startup development, and industry partnerships. Through these efforts, OURI helps strengthen Tufts' research enterprise while supporting the university's commitment to innovation, collaboration, and academic excellence.

This position is fully remote and may be performed from anywhere within the United States. The Associate Director is expected to maintain regular availability during Eastern Time business hours and may occasionally be asked to travel to campus for meetings, training, or other business needs, typically no more than 1-3 times per year.

Application Materials: Candidates are strongly encouraged to submit a cover letter as part of the application process. Cover letters will be reviewed and considered by the hiring team. Please review the Application Instructions section below for additional details.

Reporting to the Director of Research Administration, the Associate Director of Pre-Award Research Administration provides leadership and oversight for a team of Pre-Award Research Administrators supporting faculty and researchers across Tufts University. This role is responsible for the effective delivery of pre-award research administration services, including proposal development, sponsored project review and submission, award negotiation, and regulatory compliance.

The Associate Director serves as a key partner to faculty, departmental research administrators, and university leadership, helping to advance sponsored research activity while ensuring compliance with sponsor and institutional requirements. In addition to managing a portfolio of complex sponsored projects and agreements, this position leads staff development, process improvement initiatives, and strategic efforts that strengthen research administration services across the university.

Key Responsibilities:

Research Administration Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of pre-award research administration professionals, including hiring, coaching, performance management, and professional development.
• Establish team goals, priorities, and service standards to ensure high-quality support for faculty and research administrators.
• Foster a collaborative and customer-focused culture that supports the university's research mission.

Sponsored Research Proposal and Award Management

• Provide expert guidance and oversight for proposal development, review, approval, and submission activities.
• Support faculty and department research administrators in preparing competitive proposals and budgets for external funding opportunities.
• Manage a portfolio of complex sponsored projects, awards, and subawards.
• Review, negotiate, approve, and execute sponsored research agreements, grants, contracts, and related documents on behalf of the university.
• Finalize and approve subcontract agreements and amendments.

Compliance, Policy, and Process Management

• Ensure consistent interpretation and application of sponsor requirements, federal regulations, and university policies.
• Oversee non-financial post-award activities, including award modifications, budget reallocations, and no-cost extensions.
• Analyze research administration processes and identify opportunities for operational improvement.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate policies, procedures, and best practices that strengthen research administration services.

Strategic Partnerships and Outreach

• Build and maintain strong partnerships with faculty, departmental administrators, and institutional leaders across the university.
• Collaborate with colleagues throughout OURI and the broader research community to support multidisciplinary research initiatives.
• Develop training materials and educational programs for faculty and research administrators.
• Mentor junior research administration staff and contribute to professional development efforts across the research enterprise.
• Lead special projects and represent the unit on university committees and cross-functional initiatives.

Application Instructions: In addition to a resume, candidates are strongly encouraged to submit a cover letter as part of the application process. Cover letters will be reviewed and considered by the hiring team. In your cover letter (maximum two pages), please describe:

1) Your experience leading research administration functions, including supervising, mentoring, and developing research administration professionals.

2) A significant challenge you have navigated in research administration and the approach you took to resolve it.

Basic Requirements:
Knowledge and experience typically acquired by:

• Bachelor's degree.
• 7+ years of progressively responsible experience in research administration, sponsored programs, grants administration, or a related field.
• Experience leading, mentoring, and developing research administration staff and/or professionals.
• Demonstrated experience managing compliance with federal grants and contracts and interpreting sponsor requirements, federal regulations, and institutional policies.
• Experience with electronic grants management systems and enterprise research administration platforms.
• Knowledge of pre-award research administration, proposal development, electronic proposal submission processes, contract negotiation, and post-award financial management.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working within a central research administration or sponsored programs office in a higher education, academic medical center, or research-intensive environment.
• Experience supporting federally funded research programs, including NIH, NSF, and other federal sponsors.
• Experience developing or implementing research administration policies, procedures, or operational improvements.
• Professional certification in research administration, such as CRA, CPRA, or CFRA.