Sr.Unit Research Administrator (Finance)

This position is responsible for the oversight of all aspects of the development, review, and implementation of the pre-award functions of sponsored awards within the department of Mental Health Law and Policy. This includes working with Principal Investigators to identify funding opportunities, review proposal guidelines, and assist with proposal submission; reviewing and providing input and guidance to Principal Investigators and department administrators regarding content of contracts from state and local sponsors; acting as the liaison with Sponsored Research, Research and Integrity Compliance, Office of Export Control, and Information Technology in contract and award negotiation; interpreting and applying federal guidance and institutional policy related to pre-award functions; and developing and delivering training to Principal Investigators, department researchers, and post­ award fiscal staff on a range of topics including guidance on searching for funding opportunities, proposal submission, and federal compliance regulations.Minimum Qualifications:

This position requires a Bachelor's degree and four years of research or research administration experience; A Master's degree may substitute for two years of the required experience. There is no substitution of experience for the Bachelor's degree.

Preferred Qualifications:

Five years of experience in a university research setting with a majority focus on preparing grant and contract proposals, including federally supported funding. Experience with USF's FAST and GEMS systems. Experience with eRA Commons, grants.gov, and ASSIST. Experience reviewing and completing award set up for Florida state and local agency contracts and agreements.

This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check

Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Contact the USF ADA Lead ( hr-ADA-Request@usf.edu ) to coordinate your accommodation request.Working at USF
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With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF's rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida's best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state's 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.
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About USF
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The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF's Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu .

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• Reviews terms of contracts for compliance with federal, state, and USF policy and procedures, and addresses potential compliance or invoicing issues, such as a conflict with USF CCHIP 011 in terms of invoicing due dates. Negotiates additional time for invoicing and the terms of required backup documentation to be submitted with invoices to the contract sponsor. Advises Principal Investigator and department administrator of potential conflicts or compliance issues in contract language and provides guidance and recommendations for resolution or next steps. Routes contracts, Business Associate Agreements, and Data Use Agreements to Sponsored Research or the appropriate department for review, approval, and execution. Serves as liaison between Principal Investigator, external sponsor, and Sponsored Research during negotiation and execution of contracts and agreements.
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• Coordinates the development and submission of proposals for external funding by creating and reviewing a comprehensive checklist of required documents with the Principal Investigator and establishing a timeline for proposal submission; meeting with Principal Investigators to review proposal guidelines; preparing budget materials in accordance with federal guidance making recommendations as necessary to ensure compliance; preparing, reviewing, formatting, editing and uploading documents into online systems such as Workspace, ASSIST and grants.gov; preparing the internal form; and acting as a liaison with Sponsored Research to complete the proposal submission.
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• Provides guidance and assistance to Principal Investigators and department researchers through the development and implementation of training modules to include guidance on searching for funding opportunities, proposal submission assistance, and information on federal compliance. Follows up with in-person meetings with new Principal Investigators and junior faculty.
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• Manages the coordination of complex setup processes for sponsored awards not typical to other departments such as awards with multiple subcontracts, awards with an international component, industry grants, and awards from non-profit sponsors. Coordinates with other USF central offices including Sponsored Research, Research and Compliance, Research Foundation, USF Foundation, and Office of Export Control to determine appropriate action and documentation to negotiate award setup.
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• Supervises Unit Research Administrator. Assesses and assigns workload, identifies training and professional development opportunities, provides guidance and feedback, and completes annual performance evaluations.
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