RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION COORDINATOR / ASSOCIATE

RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION COORDINATOR / ASSOCIATE

Position Number: S-3694

Position Summary:

As a member of the Office of Sponsored Programs ( OSP ) team, this position aids CMU faculty and staff by providing pre- and post-award support for internally and externally funded research and programmatic projects. This position is responsible for providing assistance to CMU applicants on an as-needed basis to develop and review individual sponsored project proposals, develop and manage grant/contract budgets, as well as provide general administrative support to CMU faculty and staff with awarded contracts/grants. This position may focus on certain aspects of the research administration field such as contracts, partner agreements, clinical research, etc.

Required Qualifications:

Research Administration Coordinator:
Bachelor’s degree.
Experience with budget analysis.
Experience with grantsmanship/research administration.
Demonstrated ability to build and maintain positive, professional, interpersonal relationships with those internal to CMU and external stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to communicate (written and verbal) clearly and knowledgeably with individuals and groups and maintain confidentiality, where appropriate.
Ability to plan, establish priorities, and handle multiple tasks and projects.
Ability to successfully manage and use email, web navigation tools, word processing systems, presentation software, database software and spreadsheet programs.
Demonstrated organizational skills and strong attention to detail.
Ability to assist in the implementation of changes/solutions, and complete projects as assigned.
Ability to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Research Administration Associate:
All required qualifications of a Research Administration Coordinator, plus:
Three years of relevant professional experience.
Experience with budget development, analysis, and modifications.
Experience as a Research Administrator, developing and submitting competitive, compliant proposals to external entities.
Advanced computer skills and an increasing familiarity with applicable programs, sponsor portals, and CMU systems.
Ability to assist others in prioritizing activities and planning effectively.
Ability to lead the implementation of changes/solutions and manage/lead projects as assigned.
Demonstrates ability to navigate cost share requirements, external partners, and completion of common sponsor budget forms.
Ability to professionally manage conflict, opportunity, and feedback.
Demonstrated ability to effectively set priorities across multiple projects and set expectations with stakeholders to achieve mutual deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications:

Master’s degree in a relevant field.
Previous work experience managing grants and contracts for an institute of higher education.
Certification in Research Administration ( CRA , CPRA , CFRA ).
Experience interpreting funding opportunity guidelines and award restrictions.
SAP Grant Management experience.
Previous customer service experience.
Experience in higher education and working with faculty and academic department.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Research Administration Coordinator:
Provides expertise, analysis, and assistance to CMU applicants on an as-needed basis to develop and review individual sponsored project proposals, develops and manages grant/contract budgets, as well as provides general administrative support to CMU faculty and staff with awarded contracts/grants, under direct supervision.
Provides support for externally funded projects, ensuring proposals and awards are in compliance with external and internal policies, regulations, and applicable laws.
Develops and maintains accurate budgets in alignment with applicable guidelines and regulations.
Assembles and submits external proposals and/or award modification requests via appropriate sponsor portal interfaces.
Maintains complex databases and manages tracking systems to support sponsored projects’ compliance with internal and external policies, regulations, and procedures.
Reviews university grant/contract personnel, independent contracts, and large purchase expenditures against award budgets and sponsor restrictions.
Guides CMU faculty and staff, as well as collaborates with departments university wide, to navigate administrative items within the university system to ensure efficient processing of expenditures related to personnel, independent contractors, purchase requisitions, etc.
Documents and develops processes and guidelines for training purposes and continuity of services.
Leads the Office of Sponsored Programs ( OSP ) Project Director meetings which inform faculty and staff about requirements and processes impacting the management of newly funded awards, when necessary.
Assists with the OSP policy and procedure review and development process.
Performs other duties as assigned.

Research Administration Associate:
Performs all duties and responsibilities of the Post Award Coordinator under limited supervision, plus:
Assists CMU faculty and staff in developing their sponsored project agenda by identifying external funding strategies supportive of short- and long-term goals.
Performs analyses to assist in the management of externally funded grants and contracts, including providing advice on financial management of personnel effort commitments and other purchases.
Supports OSP in outreach and professional development opportunities.
Advises stakeholders on university processes and information impacting grant/contract management.
Manages, reviews, and/or develops external collaborators’ proposal and award documents.
Provides advice on areas of expertise to CMU leadership, as necessary.
Serves as a liaison between CMU and external sponsors to best support sponsored project initiatives and maintain positive relationships with outside agencies.
Reviews newly awarded externally funded grants and contracts, developing necessary documents, and providing a summary of each award to the
Assistant Director of Post-Award Sponsored Projects.

Supervision Exercised:

None.

Employee Group: Professional & Administrative -Salary
Staff Pay Level:
Pay Range: $55,000 - $73,000 (based on level)
Division: Academic Affairs
Department: Sponsored Programs
Position Status: Regular
Position End Date:
Employment Status: Full-Time
FTE: 1.0
Position Type: 12 month
Weekly Work Schedule: Mon-Fri, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. / weekends and evenings as needed
Location: 1200 S Franklin St, Mt Pleasant, Michigan, 48859
Posting Ends:
Open Until Filled: Yes

About the Department:

About CMU:

Central Michigan University has a more than 125-year legacy of preparing students to become leaders and changemakers in their communities and in their personal and professional lives.

We serve nearly 15,500 students on our Mount Pleasant campus, in satellite locations around the state and throughout the country, and through flexible online programs. Many of our approximately 300 undergraduate, master’s, specialist and doctoral programs in the arts, media, business, education, human services, health professions, liberal arts, social sciences, medicine, science and engineering are nationally ranked for excellence.

CMU leads the nation in leadership development programming through our Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute, and we are proud to be among only 5% of U.S. universities in the top two Carnegie research classifications. Our faculty work with graduate and undergraduate students in areas such as Great Lakes research, medical innovation, engineering technology and more.

Central is home to 17 men’s and women’s Division 1 sports including football, basketball, gymnastics, baseball, wrestling and more. Our student-athletes achieve great success in competition and in the classroom, capturing Mid-American Conference championships and maintaining an average cumulative GPA of 3.17.

CMU is located in Mount Pleasant, a community that blends the best of small-town living with big-city amenities. It’s part of the culturally varied and vibrant Great Lakes Bay Region that also includes Saginaw, Bay City, Midland and the state’s largest Native American community, centered on the Saginaw Chippewa Isabella Reservation in Mount Pleasant.

Area residents enjoy the mix of outdoor activities, cultural events, shopping and dining options, and family attractions. Other major Michigan destinations and attractions — Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Traverse City, wineries, beaches, golf and ski resorts, and many more — are within easy reach of the city’s central location in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.

CMU employees enjoy access to a nationally recognized wellness program along with health care and benefits that exceed regional, state and national norms.

CMU Leadership Standards:

Central Michigan University is a place where we value students and work for their success, where we act as family, and where employees are engaged, appreciated and have extraordinary opportunities to make a difference.

We intentionally maintain and strengthen the hallmark CMU culture that sets us apart from our peers by expecting CMU leaders and employees to model the following Leadership Standards and develop them within their teams.

Please review the Leadership Standards before applying for this position.

Message to Applicants:

Central Michigan University is dedicated to fostering a broadly diverse and inclusive campus that respects all social identities, experiences, and perspectives. In an effort to further this initiative, we are especially interested in candidates who will advance and promote an inclusive and supportive environment for every member of our university community.

You must submit an on-line application in order to be considered as an applicant for this position.

Cover letters may be addressed to the Hiring Committee.

If there is another applicable document you wish to include that is not required, please utilize the Other Document (1) upload field.

To apply, visit

CMU , an AA/EO institution, strongly and actively strives to increase diversity and provide equal opportunity within its community. CMU does not discriminate against persons based on age, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, race, religion, sex, sex‐based stereotypes, sexual orientation, transgender status, veteran status, or weight (see OCRIE ).

If you wish to see “EEO is the Law” posters, please click here .

CMU does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, including admission and employment, and is required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 not to discriminate in such a matter.

Inquiries about the application of Title IX can be made to CMU’s Title IX Coordinator, the US Department of Education’s Assistant Secretary, or both.

CMU’s Title IX Coordinator can be reached at:

Phone: 989-774-3253
Office: 103 E. Preston St.
Bovee University Center, suite 306
Mount Pleasant, MI 48858
Email: [email protected]