Associate Director, Office of Research & Sponsored Programs

Job Description Summary

The duties of the Associate Director are primarily related to leadership and operational management of the Grants and Contracts Managers (GCMs) team and providing pre‑ and post‑award assistance to researchers in departments without an assigned GCM. Supervisory duties include overseeing the full employee lifecycle for GCMs, such as hiring, onboarding, professional development, and workload distribution across university units. The Associate Director will assess GCM performance based on input directly from faculty and staff, as well as information from unit administrative leaders such as Associate Deans for Research and Departmental Chairs. Additionally, the Associate Director serves as the primary GCM for researchers who work in departments with lower proposal volume, ensuring all campus areas receive expert coverage. Finally, the Associate Director acts as a technical resource for the GCM team, providing backup support during peak cycles and resolving complex administrative or compliance issues.

Essential Functions

• Supervises and manages the Grants and Contracts Managers (GCMs). This includes hiring, training, onboarding, and ongoing mentoring. Provides problem solving assistance and backup support. Ensures that GCMs review research expenses and provide reports for all grants in their assigned portfolios at regular intervals. Fosters a strong sense of team cohesion by establishing daily check‑ins and communication routines that encourage frequent interaction among team members, supporting morale and creating a collaborative team culture.
• Monitors and evaluates WFU’s research funding portfolio in order to allocate/assign GCMs to units across the University in an equitable manner.
• Annually evaluates the GCMs’ performance, with input from department chairs, other administrative leaders, faculty, & staff. Assists the GCMs in goal setting and conducts mid‑year reviews to monitor progress toward annual goals.
• Designs, prepares, and updates training materials such as checklists and instructions for routine research administration processes.
• Serves as GCM for departments with few active awards (approximately 6 researchers). Manages faculty grant, discretionary, and start‑up funds. Maintains and reconciles budgets; advises and/or determines allowability of expenditures; informs management of irregularities and proceeds with corrective action. Using Workday, organizes and/or prepares financial summary reports; analyzes, summarizes, and interprets information; recommends course of action. Conducts forecasting and budget planning for year‑end projections.
• Facilitates proposal writers as they identify grant opportunities. Aids in interpretation of guidelines and regulatory requirements. Prepares proposal budgets and other administrative sections of applications. Initiates or reviews proposal records in Cayuse. Performs general pre‑award activities in academic units with fewer proposal submissions and/or without an assigned GCM.
• Provides ongoing analysis of existing accounting policies and procedures, recommends changes in processes, and/or develops new processes to increase the overall effectiveness of departmental research financial operations.
• Assists in compiling reports regarding study operations and progress for internal and external stakeholders, including faculty/staff, Research & Sponsored Programs, IRB, and/or study sponsors.
• Coordinates graduate student appointments with the Graduate School Office. Serves as liaison to the HR department with regards to research personnel issues on behalf of the assigned departments.
• Understands process and implements appropriate action for summer salary payments and course buyouts.
• Reviews effort certification reports.
• Oversees the receipt, processing and approval of invoices and expenditure requests through the assigned departments to Financial Services, including University P‑Card purchases when startup funds, grants, or discretionary funds are used for such purchases.
• Serves as liaison between the assigned departments and the Procurement Department, Financial Services, Human Resources and Financial Aid (with respect to student employment). Ensures the assigned units follow the policies and procedures set forth by other WFU administrative departments.
• Oversees and advises on the preparation of journal entries for reallocating or correcting expenses and maintains documentation.
• Executes special projects and other duties as assigned to improve efficiency and increase productivity of all GCM staff members.

Required Education, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration or related field plus five years progressively more responsible accounting/management experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Supervision experience in a professional setting.
• Must have pre‑ and post‑award administration experience in a university setting.
• Prior experience developing project budgets and submitting proposals.
• Proficiency in Word, Excel, and Google Workspace.
• Prior experience in post‑award maintenance processes and spend projections.
• Well‑developed planning, administrative, and project management skills; ability to establish goals, prioritize tasks, and mobilize resources in a time‑critical environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills; excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, including proficiency in business and scientific writing. Ability to develop and nurture relationships with individuals/organizations having diverse professional expertise.
• Ability to proactively respond to grant budgeting issues and needs.
• Ability to independently solve problems and make decisions.
• Ability to research, analyze, and interpret policy and procedural questions.
• Ability to handle multi‑tasking, professional relationships under stressful conditions, and sensitive information in a confidential manner.

Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Experience with electronic proposal submission and processing.
• Experience with Workday.
• Deep knowledge of Excel.
• Knowledge of Cayuse software.
• CRA, CFRA, or CPRA qualification.
• Experience managing a hybrid team.

Accountabilities

• Responsible for own work.
• Budgetary responsibilities.
• Supervisory responsibilities.

Physical Requirements

• Sedentary work primarily involves sitting/standing; communicating with others to exchange information; repeating motions that may include the wrists, hands, and/or fingers; and assessing the accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of the work assigned.

Environmental Conditions

• No environmental conditions.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all qualified candidates to apply without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, disability and military or veteran status.

Accommodations for Applicants

If you are an individual with a disability and need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, please contact or (336) 758‑4700.

In order to provide a safe and productive learning and living community, Wake Forest University conducts background investigations and drug screens for all final staff candidates being considered for employment.

Job Type

Full time

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