Summary

Provides comprehensive administrative leadership and operational oversight for the Vaccine Research Center within the Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology. The position is responsible for financial stewardship, pre-award and post-award grant administration, regulatory coordination, workforce management, and day-to-day operations supporting clinical trials and vaccine research. The manager collaborates with faculty, departmental leadership, institutional offices, sponsors, contract research organizations, the National Institutes of Health, and collaborating institutions to ensure activities are completed accurately, timely, and in compliance with institutional and sponsor requirements. The position also supervises administrative and regulatory staff and provides collaborative oversight of nursing and research coordinator operations.

Employees with CRA certification are eligible for certification pay.

Job Duties

Financial and Grant Administration (40%) 

• Manages all aspects of pre-award and post-award grant administration for the Vaccine Research Center, including proposal development, budget preparation, award management, financial monitoring, and sponsor reporting.
• Reviews financial transactions for compliance with institutional and sponsor requirements.
• Prepares accurate and timely financial reports for investigators and leadership.
• Monitors budgets, salary funding sources, expenditures, and research-related costs.
• Reviews effort certifications and manages PEPT cost entries.
• Works with investigators and institutional offices to identify and resolve financial or administrative issues affecting sponsored research. 

Strategic and Operational Leadership (25%)

• Serves as a primary administrative leader for the Vaccine Research Center, reporting to the Principal Investigator of the Vaccine Treatment and Evaluation Unit and the department administrator.
• Partners with faculty and leadership to develop and implement strategies supporting the Center’s research mission and growth.
• Participates in planning related to space utilization, faculty recruitment, workforce needs, staffing adjustments, and resource allocation.
• Provides administrative guidance and participates in leadership decisions affecting the Center’s personnel, financial resources, and research operations. 

Human Resources Oversight (15%)

• Directs recruitment, onboarding, training, work assignments, and performance management for administrative staff.
• Provides direct supervision to one Research Administration Associate and one Senior Regulatory Affairs Associate.
• Collaborates with the Head Research Nurse to provide dual operational oversight of nursing and research coordinator teams.
• Supports salary equity and ensures personnel actions and management practices comply with institutional policies. 

Stakeholder Engagement and Communication (10%)

• Serves as an administrative liaison among investigators, sponsors, contract research organizations, the National Institutes of Health, collaborating institutions, and internal institutional offices.
• Represents the Center in sponsor meetings and teleconferences involving administrative, operational, and financial matters.
• Facilitates communication among stakeholder groups to support timely issue resolution and continuity of research activities.

Regulatory and  Compliance Management (5%)

• Oversees regulatory documentation and compliance activities associated with clinical trials and research operations.
• Coordinates Material Transfer Agreements and Confidentiality Agreements with investigators and the appropriate institutional offices.
• Collaborates with regulatory staff to respond to and resolve inquiries from agencies and sponsors.

Operational Management (5%)

• Oversees routine administrative operations supporting the Center’s laboratory, clinic, and research activities.
• Reviews and approves laboratory and clinic orders, travel requests, expense reports, and purchasing card transactions.
• Responds to departmental inquiries concerning budgets, salary funding sources, financial transactions, and expenditures. 
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree.  Certified Research Administrator certification through the Research Administrators Certification Council (RACC) may substitute for the degree requirement.
• Four years of relevant experience. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in business administration, public health, research administration, or a related field.
• Experience coordinating work across multidisciplinary research, clinical, and administrative teams.
• Familiarity with academic medical center financial systems and research operations.
• Experience managing pre-award and post-award sponsored research activities.