Director of Grants and Contracts Post Award Administration

Campus

OSU-Center for Health Sciences

Contact Name & Email

Jamie Childers, Jamie.Childers

Work Schedule

Typically, Monday - Friday 8 hour shifts

Appointment Length

Regular Continuous/Until Further Notice

Hiring Range

$ Salary

Priority Application Date

While applications will be accepted until a successful candidate has been hired, interested parties are encouraged to submit their materials by to ensure full consideration.

About this Position

The Director of Grants, Contracts, and Post Award Administration provides strategic leadership and operational oversight of post-award sponsored research administration at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences (OSU-CHS). The Director is responsible for ensuring the effective financial management, regulatory compliance, and administrative oversight of externally sponsored grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements in accordance with federal and state regulations, sponsor requirements, and institutional policies. The Director leads the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of institutional post-award policies, procedures, internal controls, and administrative systems to promote financial accountability, operational efficiency, and effective stewardship of sponsored funds. Responsibilities include oversight of sponsored project financial reporting, billing, cash management, expenditure monitoring, effort certification, subrecipient monitoring, audit coordination, and award closeout. Serving as a key institutional resource and advisor, the Director collaborates with research leadership, principal investigators, departmental administrators, central finance, and other university stakeholders to address complex financial and regulatory matters, mitigate institutional risk, and support the university's research mission. The Director also provides leadership, supervision, and professional development for post-award administration staff while fostering a collaborative, accountable, and service-oriented organizational culture.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's
  • A baccalaureate degree in business, finance, accounting or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years progressive experience in higher education or nonprofit industry with significant exposure to grant budgeting and reporting processes to government agencies. 
• A minimum of three (3) years of demonstrated supervisory or management experience, including responsibility for staff development, operational oversight, and process improvement.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Public Administration, Higher Education Administration, Research Administration, or a closely related field preferred.
• Certified Research Administrator (CRA) or Certified Financial Research Administrator (CFRA), as administered by the Research Administrators Certification Council (RACC), preferred.
• Experience in a leadership role within a centralized sponsored research administration office at a university, academic medical center, or research-intensive institution.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex sponsored project portfolios, developing and implementing institutional policies and procedures, improving administrative processes and internal controls, and leading organizational change.
• Experience supervising professional staff and managers, collaborating with senior institutional leadership, and supporting institutional audits and regulatory compliance initiatives.
• Familiarity with enterprise financial systems, electronic research administration platforms, and data analytics or business intelligence tools.
• Experience with Ellucian Banner, IBM Cognos Analytics, electronic research administration platforms, and business intelligence or financial reporting tools preferred. 
  
  

Skills, Proficiencies and Knowledge

• Advanced knowledge of sponsored research administration practices and regulatory compliance within a university or academic health sciences environment.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement strategic initiatives that improve operational efficiency, financial accountability, and institutional research administration infrastructure.
• Advanced proficiency with Ellucian Banner, IBM Cognos, Analytics, or similar systems.
• Experience utilizing data analytics, business intelligence tools, and financial reporting systems to support institutional decision-making, performance monitoring, and process improvement. 
• Knowledge of federal financial management and payment systems, including the Payment Management System (PMS), Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP), and other sponsor-specific reporting platforms.
• Advanced understanding of facilities and administrative (F&A) cost recovery, indirect cost allocation, effort certification, and institutional cost-sharing practices.
• Ability to evaluate complex organizational challenges, develop practical solutions, and lead cross-functional initiatives involving research administration, finance, and academic leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and develop professional staff, promote accountability, and foster a collaborative, service-oriented organizational culture.