Assistant/Associate Vice President, Sponsored Program Administration

Assistant / Associate Vice President, Sponsored Program Administration

Wayne State University is searching for an experienced Assistant / Associate Vice President, Sponsored Program Administration at its Detroit campus location.

Wayne State is a premier, public, urban research university located in the heart of Detroit, Michigan where students from all backgrounds are offered a rich, high-quality education.

Our deep-rooted commitment to excellence, collaboration, integrity, diversity and inclusion creates exceptional educational opportunities which prepare students for success in a global society.

POSITION PURPOSE :

Responsible for leading the Sponsored Program Administration team of 40 staff. Oversee all aspects of proposal review and submission, negotiation of award terms and conditions, compliance with administrative and fiscal terms and conditions of all awards, as well as identifying and resolving issues throughout the entire award life cycle.

Work with various offices and academic leaders across campus to foster a positive, productive, and growing research enterprise.

Serve as the lead administrator for sponsored grants and contracts for the University. Represent the Office of the Vice President for Research on appropriate business and administrative councils and committees.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS :

Institutional oversight of fiscal management of sponsored projects. Ensure appropriate indirect cost distribution and provide indirect cost recovery projections to the budget office for budget planning purposes.

Oversight of all revenue collection activities including federal letters of credit and sponsor invoicing / collections. Prepare / oversee financial reporting required by federal, state local and industry sponsors as well as for internal stakeholders.

Prepare and present various ad hoc reports upon request. Ensure effort reporting, uniform guidance, and single audit compliance.

Oversee staff working with internal audit for all external sponsor audits. Provide corrective action plans when needed and ensure they are implemented and followed.

Provide leadership and oversight to staff responsible for proposal review and submission, contract negotiation for federal, industry and nonprofit sponsors, and award setup.

In addition to sponsored research agreements, contract population includes clinical trials, Data Use Agreements, Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreements, and other miscellaneous agreements.

Ensure proper management of outgoing sub-awards. Ensure data integrity within Cayuse and Banner to allow for accurate reporting for external reporting as well as internal metrics.

Possess signature authority for contracts and award documents up to $3M.

Track proposal and award metrics for reporting to the Board of Governors. Work with Computing & Information Technology personnel to develop and / or refine reports based on changing requirements.

Generate reports focused on annual goals and productivity measures. Perform variance and trend analyses and comparison reporting to prior fiscal years.

Collaborate with Fiscal Operations staff on preparation and submission of the annual National Science Foundation Higher Education Research & Development survey to ensure maximization of appropriate expenditures for inclusion.

Seek opportunities to utilize systems to maximize appropriate expenditure counting for report purposes and streamline report preparation.

Track expenditures throughout the fiscal year to assess and keep leadership apprised of the trend.

Keep abreast of changing regulations and guidelines. Proactively ensure compliance by adjusting policy / practice / procedure.

Work with other responsible units / committees on campus as needed to effect policy change. Work with Vice President’s office to coordinate campus communications to keep the research community apprised of upcoming changes.

Ensure proper training is provided as needed.

Representation of the Sponsored Programs office and / or the Division of Research on university-wide committees, including co-chairing the Conflict of Commitment / Foreign Influence committee.

Attend Council on Governmental Relations meetings as University representative and disseminate / distribute information to appropriate university leadership and staff.

Identify and resolve issues through the life cycle of an award. Respond to faculty inquiries and complaints in a timely and professional manner.

Meet with senior staff as needed to review operations and implement new policy and / or policy changes.

Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS :

Education : Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university required.

Master’s degree or equivalent experience preferred.

Experience :

Established subject matter expert, 7+ years’ experience ), minimum qualifications for Assistant Vice President, Sponsored Program Administration.

Established subject matter expert, 15+ years’ experience ), minimum qualifications for Associate Vice President, Sponsored Program Administration.

At least ten years’ experience in the specialized field of grant and contract administration and prior management experience are required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES :

Organizational Leadership - Displays willingness to make decisions; relates work tasks to key organizational objectives / vision;

exhibits sound and accurate judgment; prepares and supports those affected by change.

Communication skills - exemplary written and verbal communication skills; strong customer service skills.

Analytical Skills - ability to analyze financial or other quantitative data, compile and interpret statistical data; detect and interpret errors or discrepancies;

perform variance analysis; solve complex problems.

Planning / Organizational Skills - prioritizes and plans work activities for a large team. Develops strategies to achieve organizational goals;

manages project team activities; adapts to changing conditions and priorities.

Team Building - develops subordinates' skills and- encourages growth; Includes staff in planning, decision making, and process Improvement;

encourages sense of positive affiliation among staff members.

Computer skills - proficient in Microsoft Office applications, Banner system, Cayuse proposal routing and award management system, and Cognos and PowerBI reporting tools.

Leadership - proven ability to foster collaborations across diverse constituencies in a large academic institution and inspire confidence and motivate groups to collectively meet common objectives.

Results Orientation - demonstrated strong skills and a track record of sustained measurement of program outcomes, ability to work independently and with and through others to achieved desired results.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS :

Master’s degree or equivalent experience preferred.

SCHOOL / COLLEGE / DIVISION :

H09 - Research

PRIMARY DEPARTMENT :

H0912 - Sponsored Program Administration

EMPLOYMENT TYPE :

• Regular Employee
• Job type : Full Time
• Job category : Executive

FUNDING / SALARY INFORMATION :

• Compensation type : Annual Salary
• Annual Salary : TBD

WORKING CONDITIONS :

Normal office environment.

JOB OPENINGS :

• Number of openings : 1
• Reposted position : No

BACKGROUND CHECK REQUIREMENTS :

University policy requires certain persons who are offered employment to undergo a background check, including a criminal history check, before starting work.

If you are offered employment, the university will inform you if a background check is required.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT :

Wayne State University provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics.

The university encourages applications from women, people of color and other underrepresented people. Wayne State is an affirmative action / equal opportunity employer.