Associate Director, Research Management Services - Baltimore, Maryland, United States job with Johns Hopkins University | 37669047 (2024)

Johns Hopkins, founded in 1876, is America's first researchuniversity and home to nine world-class academic divisions workingtogether as one university.

Johns Hopkins University (JHU) School ofMedicine (SOM) seeks anAssociate Director, ResearchManagement Services(RMS). Reporting to the ExecutiveDirector of Research Finance, will collaborate with operationalstakeholders, senior leadership, and departmentaladministrators/directors to oversee centralized planning,administration, and implementation of sponsored research managementpractices for all administrative and financial aspects of sponsoredand non-sponsored research accounts within Research ManagementServices (RMS) partnerships.

With a proven track record in finance andresearch administration, the ideal candidate will possess acomprehensive understanding of progressive academic financepractices and firsthand knowledge of the tripartite integratedmission within the SOM. This expertise is vital for optimizingefficiencies and achieving operational goals across all SOMdepartments served by RMS.

This role requires strong leadershipcapabilities, including the ability to prioritize tasks effectivelyand foster collaboration among colleagues and stakeholders. Therole requires exceptional judgment, tact, creativity, adaptability,and initiative. The Associate Director should be capable ofproducing top-tier work, demonstrating flexibility to adapt tochanging priorities in alignment with organizational needs. Acommitment to service, a positive outlook, and a high level ofconfidentiality are integral aspects of this position. Strategicthinking and representation of the SOM's sponsored researchmanagement pillar are paramount qualities expected in thesuccessful candidate.

This role will lead a team of 30+professionals, manage approximately 1,400 sponsored andnon-sponsored research accounts, and oversee rolling sponsoredexpenditures of $160+ million, with anticipated growth.Responsibilities include pre and post award activities for variousgrants, contracts, clinical trials, sub-awards, and non-sponsoredresearch funding supporting the SOM's research mission.

Specific Duties &Responsibilities

• Ensure optimal operations for all pre-awardand post-award activities for multiple departments within theSchool of Medicine.
• In close collaboration with departmentalleadership partners, this position will serve as the primaryresource for strategic financial and operational planning in theresearch space.

Financial Operations

• Oversee and direct the day-to-day functionsof complex award management activities within RMS including,monitoring and managing research accounts (sponsored andnon-sponsored), reporting, sponsored accounting pre-award and postaward budgeting, submissions, effort reporting, payroll, FSRpreparation and closeouts.
• Target, attain and maintain Dashboardcompliance criteria and measures in the “excellent range”including, timely submission of FSR’s, minimizing the number oftransactions over 90+ day for payroll and non-payroll costtransfers and timely certification of effort forms.
• Minimize deficit balances, unbilled revenueand open receivables.
• Proactively identify funding gaps and/orbudget variances timely. Develop corrective action plans in orderto minimize the amount of cost overruns and small balancetransfers.
• Identify opportunities and champion majorinitiatives for continuous improvement in support of internalcontrols and financial reporting processes.
• Develop in collaboration with partnerdepartments the annual fiscal year sponsored budget; oversee theannual sponsored budget planning and preparation for departmentstakeholders.
• Implement and manage internal audits in thesponsor space based on random samplings. Identify areas ofrisk/non-compliance and make recommendations for internal processadjustments as required.
• Collaborate with and act as point of contactwith departmental faculty, departmental leadership and/orgrants/financial staff regarding the planning, management andexecution for optimizing all available sponsoredfunding.
• Ensure compliance in all areas relating togrant and contract management, to include sponsor organizationguidelines, internal protocols, accurate protocol informationwithin grant documents, conflicts of interest, etc.
• Provide relevant updates and routinereporting to departmental and SOM leadership, asrequired.
• Ensure all post-award responsibilities arecompleted timely and accurately, including budget distribution,account reconciliation, payroll allocation, and effort reporting,cost transfers, paying and preparing invoices. Ensure SAP set-upsare correct to include sponsor, start/end dates and F&A ratesetc.
• Ensure all high and low-risk Sub-awards areadministered timely and compliantly. Perform routine audit ofhigh-risk sub-award documentation requirements asrequired.
• Provide on-going guidance, facilitation& expertise to faculty, clinical and basic science departmentalstaff and RMS staff related to sponsored and non-sponsored researchfunding.
• Leads recommendations and actions onsponsored budget adjustments or cost improvement measures relatedto sponsored management in the partner departments; identifies riskto research mission.
• Assist new faculty with onboarding/start-upprocess, including movement from former institution, orientation toRMS and ORA policies, procedures, and requirements.
• Assist departing faculty with off boarding,including movement to their new institution, equipment transfer,relinquishment and closeout of JHU projects.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director indeveloping, updating and operationalizing Service Level Agreements(SLA) with department operational stakeholder.
• Collaborate with the Office of ResearchAdministration (ORA) to ensure the successful and timely processingof all agreements through the central approval process.
• Collaborate with Sponsored Projects SharedServices (SPSS) to ensure the successful and timely processing ofall account set-ups, modifications and closeouts.
• Collaborate with the Office of InternalAudits (OIA) to ensure all outstanding audit action items areresolved and implement internal controls to prevent futurefindings.
• Key focus on customer service, timely andappropriate communication; and meeting deadlines.

Administrative Operations

• Responsible for direct/indirect managementof 30+ grants and contracts professionals.
• Responsible for effective staff management,including recruiting practices, on-boarding/orientation, training,professional development, workflow, performance management, and thepromotion of an inclusive, innovative and diverse workenvironment.
• Oversees training of staff by developingprocedures to improve efficiency, effectiveness and implements bestpractices. Ensures the skills and competencies of department staffaddress changing technology and changing needs.
• Oversees staffing and personnel managementplans, employment and compensation issues, performance managementissues, disciplinary actions, and salary planning in amulti-departmental matrix environment.

Lean Operations

• Implementing LEAN techniques throughcontinuous techniques for refining efficiencies and productivitywithin RMS to ensure value-add services are being provided to itscustomers.
• Requires a commitment to the initialonboarding and ongoing training of the RMS team.
• Manage current rate agreements and seekrevisions and/or updates.
• Manage the onboarding and scaling ofresources as well as the implementation plans with to newdepartments (customers) that are looking for centrally managedsponsored research.

Other

• Strong written and verbal communicationskills with excellent presentation skills.
• Completes with a high degree of accuracy andtimely delivery of special assignments, reports, and projects asassigned.
• Recognizes the sensitivity and importance ofmanaging confidential department and/or Schoolinformation.
• Communicates in a tactful and diplomaticmanner with staff, students, faculty, and externalpartners.
• Strong critical thinking skills, methodicaland intentional decision making acumen based on industry experienceworking in the research administrative space.

Special Knowledge, Skills, &Abilities

• Demonstrated knowledge of pre and post awardsponsored activities involving sponsored projects. Demonstratedknowledge of the All Funds and sponsored fundingimpacts.
• Johns Hopkins University SAP accounting andfinancial systems preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to make independentjudgments and to act on decisions on a daily basis.
• Demonstrated ability to work independentlyfor extended periods of time without daily direction, ability toprioritize own work, work with flexibility on several taskssimultaneously and meets concurrent deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to lead projects andcross-functional teams to improving the quality of administrativefunctions of the School.
• Demonstrated knowledge of advanced Excelskills in order to develop spreadsheets and reports in an automatedfashion.
• Self-starter as an independent thinker,self-governing to organize, complete and deliver projects anddeliverables with little direction.
  

• Ability to prioritize work with flexibilityto act and or change direction as needed while working on multipletasks simultaneously with concurrent deadlines.
  

• Ability to efficiently manage multipleprojects and deadlines, work across departments and functions, andtranslate strategies from plans to action.
  

• Understanding of and commitment to themission of the organization.
  

• Ability to maintainconfidentiality.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Finance, Business or arelated field is required.
• Minimum of five years of progressivelyresponsible finance or relevant experience required.
• Proven track record of effective leadershipand ability to navigate complex issues and drive strong performanceresults.

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