Executive Director - Research Administration

This Executive Director of Research Administration position is responsible for the administrative oversight of New York Blood Center enterprises research and sponsored programs. He/she will provide comprehensive support to maximize productive use of time by the investigators. He/she will coordinate and expedite the administrative, budgetary, and clerical requirements to support research.In this role he/she will oversee pre/ post awards, overall grant administration sub-awards supported by a variety of sponsors. These sponsors include local, federal, national, international, private, non-profit, public and for-profit organizations. He/she will assume the role of institutional officer (IO) and authorize Signing Official (SO) for all awards including in NIH's electronic systems (eRA Commons).

The Executive Director reports to the Executive Vice President/ Chief Financial Officer with a dotted-line to the Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) and SVP/Executive Director of Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute.(LFKRI)

Core Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

Provide vision and direction for the Office of Sponsored Programs, aligning its operations with NYBCe's research mission and growth objectives.
• Serve as the institutional signatory (Authorized Organizational Representative) for all grant and contract submissions.
• Serve as institutional liaison during federal audits.
• Advise senior leadership, department heads, and principal investigators (PIs) on sponsored program strategy, funding opportunities, and research compliance.
• Develop and implement OSP policies, procedures, and standard operating guidelines aligned with federal regulations.

Pre-Award Administration

Proposal Development & Submission

• Oversee review and submission of all grant and contract proposals.
• Ensure compliance with sponsor requirements (NIH, NSF, DoD, NYS, NYC, foundations).
• Validate:
• Budget development and justification.
• IDC calculations and fringe benefit application.
• Subrecipient budgets and agreements.
• Effort commitments and salary caps.
• Coordinate institutional approvals and sign-offs.
• Maintain electronic research administration systems (eRA Commons, Research.gov, grants.gov, etc.).
• Support multi-PI, multi-site, and consortium applications.

Risk & Compliance Review

• Interpret sponsor policies and procedures.
• Review proposals for regulatory requirements (IRB, IACUC, biosafety, export control).
• Conduct financial risk assessments for cost-sharing and matching requirements.

Post-Award Administration

Award Setup & Financial Management

• Oversee award acceptance and account establishment.
• Ensure proper budget allocation and expense coding.
• Coordinate with finance to ensure timely invoicing, drawdowns and reporting requirement information.
• Monitor burn rates and financial projections.
• Manage cost transfers and rebudgeting requests including advancing of funds, increases to the account budgets, and extensions of term dates.

Compliance & Reporting

• Ensures compliance will all sponsored guidelines as well as all Federal Regulatory agencies, including adherence to Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200).
• Monitor:
• Effort reporting.
• Subrecipient monitoring and risk assessment.
• Sponsor prior approval requirements.
• Oversee timely submission of: Federal Financial Reports (FFRs)Technical progress reports (in collaboration with PIs)RPPRs (NIH) Property and equipment reporting.
• Assist PIs in troubleshooting problems both budgetary (sponsored funding, as well as institutional funding) and all corresponding administrative details.

Award Close-Out

• Ensure final financial reconciliation and allowable cost verification.
• Coordinate final technical reporting submissions.
• Oversee:
• Subrecipient final invoices.
• Equipment disposition.
• Record retention compliance.
• Any other close-out documents.
• Maintain audit-ready documentation for NYBC, federal and state oversight.

Portfolio & Awardee Management

Portfolio Management Responsibilities

• D-Fund budgeting, management and distribution.
• Manage contracts, cooperative agreements, state programs, and philanthropy-supported awards.
• Conduct monthly portfolio reviews with PIs on financial management.
• Conduct quarterly portfolio reviews with:
• CFO (financial reporting & compliance).
• CSO and SVP & ED LFKRI (financial management & sustainability).
• Track indirect cost recovery trends and sponsor limitations.
• Support institutional forecasting models for 3-5 year financial planning.

Compliance & Regulatory Affairs

• Ensure institutional compliance with federal regulations governing research including OMB Uniform Guidance, NIH Grants Policy Statement, Export Controls (EAR/ITAR), and conflict of interest policies.
• Coordinate with IRB, IACUC, Biosafety Committee, and other compliance bodies on research-related reviews.
• Monitor regulatory changes and update institutional policies accordingly.

Immigration and Visa Support

• Manages J-1 visa sponsorship for research scholars, providing essential support for Form DS-2019 issuance, compliance, and travel.

Outreach & Training

• Provide education and training to PIs and departmental staff on sponsored program regulations, submission processes, and financial management.
• Develop resources, tools, and templates to streamline research administration.
• Represent OSP at internal and external meetings, including professional associations (NCURA, SRA International).

Staff Management & Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of grants and contracts administrators, financial analysts, and support staff.
• Set performance expectations, conduct evaluations, and support professional development.
• Foster a customer-service culture within the OSP that supports the research community.
• Any related duties as assigned.

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, finance, public health, life sciences, or a related field.

Related Experience:

• Minimum of 10 - 12 years of progressively responsible experience in sponsored research administration, with at least 3-5 years in a supervisory or leadership role.
• Demonstrated expertise in federal grant regulations, including NIH grant mechanisms and OMB Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200).
• Experience with electronic research administration systems (eRA Commons, Grants.gov, ASSIST, Cayuse, Coeus, or similar).

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Master's degree or advanced certification (CRA - Certified Research Administrator) strongly preferred.

Related Experience:

• Experience at a nonprofit research institution, academic medical center, or blood/biopharmaceutical research organization.
• Familiarity with NIH-specific funding mechanisms (R01, R21, P01, U-series, T32, etc.) and BARDA/DTRA/DoD grant programs.
• Working knowledge of clinical trial contracting and industry-sponsored research agreements.

Required Licenses / Certification

• Certified Research Administrator (CRA) credentials preferred.

Knowledge:

• Working knowledge of federal policies and procedures, state, and industry rules and regulations governing technical aspects of grants and sub-awards including electronic submission, negotiation and administration of grant proposals or reports.
• Working knowledge of Oracle E-Business Suite (PIAI, MAS and/or MPSA Reports), PeopleSoft, and/or Google Apps and various software applications.
• Working knowledge pre-awards electronic administration and submission systems.
• Working knowledge of OMB Circular A-21, A-133, A-110 and CAS.
• Working knowledge of IRB, sponsored program regulations.
• Knowledge of the NIH Grants Policy Statement and generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).
• Knowledge of Federal grants portals, such as NSF Fastlane and Research.gov, Grants.gov Workspace, and eRA Commons ASSIST.
• Expert knowledge of federal government regulatory grant management, including Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200.

Skills:

• Cultural competency and the ability to communicate effectively in a culturally sensitive manner with both individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds.
• Strategic thinking and institutional leadership.
• Regulatory expertise and attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship management skills.
• Financial acumen and budget oversight.
• Change management and process improvement.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills required to associate with all levels of organization, external agencies and customers. Possess poise, tack, sensitivity, respect and diplomacy as they Interact with diverse populations.
• Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills, exercising strong organizational and time-management.
• Detail-oriented, deadline-driven with excellent project management skills.
• Play a dual role in strategic planning and hands-on project management. Strong organizational, collaborative, and management skills.
• Project management, organization, and team collaboration skills.
• Demonstrated leadership skills.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; ability to translate complex regulatory requirements for diverse audiences.

Abilities:

• Ability to lead in a matrix structure to achieve business goal.
• Ability to manage multiple projects with varying priority at one time to deliver results on time and under budget.
• Ability to communicate clearly and with authority, both in writing and verbally, to others in one-on-one or small group settings.
• Ability to interact with individuals at all levels of the organization and customers in a helpful, courteous and friendly manner while demonstrating sensitivity to and respect for diverse populations.
• Demonstrated ability to work with partners and the development team to achieve results.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-site, team-based organizational structure.
• Ability to work in a strong team environment.
• Ability to plan and organize job tasks or resources in an efficient manner.
• Ability to be responsive and available to management in order to address issues and concerns as they arise.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to juggle multiple competing tasks and demands.
• Ability to use logic and reasoning to identify and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems within established policies and procedures.
• Ability to identify complex problems in a timely manner, decipher information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced research environment.

Any combination of education, training, and experience equivalent to the requirements above that has supplied the necessary knowledge, skills, and experience to perform the essential functions of the job.

For applicants who will perform this position in New York City or Westchester County, the proposed annual salary is $170,000.00p/yr. to $180,000.00p/yr. For applicants who will perform this position outside of New York City or Westchester County, salary will reflect local market rates and be commensurate with the applicant's skills, job-related knowledge, and experience.

Founded in 1964, New York Blood Center (NYBC) has served the tri-state area for more than 60 years, delivering 500,000 lifesaving blood products annually to 150+ hospitals, EMS and healthcare partners. NYBC is part of New York Blood Center Enterprises (NYBCe), which spans 17+ states and delivers one million blood products to 400+ U.S. hospitals annually. NYBCe additionally delivers cellular therapies, specialty pharmacy, and medical services to 200+ research, academic and biopharmaceutical organizations. NYBCe's Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute is a leader in hematology and transfusion medicine research, dedicated to the study, prevention, treatment and cure of bloodborne and blood-related diseases. NYBC serves as a vital community lifeline dedicated to helping patients and advancing global public health. To learn more, visit nybc.org. Connect with us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn.