Senior Grants Manager

Company Description

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Located in Boston's Longwood Medical Area, Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) is at the forefront of dental education, research, and patient care. Founded in 1867, HSDM holds the distinction of being the first dental school in the U.S. to be part of a university and its medical school, and the first to confer the DMD degree. Our mission is to foster a community of global leaders in education, research, and clinical innovation dedicated to improving human health by integrating dentistry and medicine.

We invite dedicated professionals to join our team and contribute to our rich tradition of excellence and innovation in the dental field.

General Statement of Duties: Reporting to the Director of Grant Administration, the Senior Grants Manager is responsible for lifecycle sponsored award management, and for enforcing and complying with all sponsor and University research-related policies and procedures. The Senior Grants Manager’s portfolio will include contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements from federal agencies (primarily NIH, HRSA and DOD), industry sponsors, foundations, and foreign and international entities.

The Senior Grants Manager is expected to work closely with HSDM faculty and other PIs and researchers. Although the role is expected to function with a great deal of autonomy, the individual will collaborate with colleagues in the HSDM Office of Administration and Finance, the HMS Office of Research Administration (ORA), the Office for Sponsored Programs (OSP), and other Harvard and external colleagues as needed.

This position requires a high level of collaboration, attention to detail, accuracy, and independent judgement.

• Pre-Award
  • Managing the application process with researchers, subrecipient institutions, and other administrators to meet internal and external deadlines.
  • Working with PIs to prepare and submit grant applications for basic and clinical research, ensuring that all sponsor guidelines are met.
  • Advising researchers on funding opportunity requirements, as well as fiscal, administrative, and compliance policies and procedures.
  • Preparation of project‑specific budgets, including proper application of F&A costs.
  • Entering proposals into Harvard’s system of record (GMAS) and sponsor portals (e.g., ASSIST, Grants.gov Workspace, Research.gov, Proposal Central) and routing to ORA for institutional review, authorization, and submission.
  • Drafting timely responses to Just‑In‑Time requests, including revised budgets, current and pending support, and compliance approvals (e.g., IRB, IACUC) information.
• Post-Award
  • Understanding and applying award terms and conditions, regularly reviewing study progress, and generating accurate and timely invoices to sponsors.
  • Monitoring both sponsored and non-sponsored award expenditures to ensure that expenses are properly charged and reimbursed, according to award terms and conditions and within budget limits and timelines.
  • Managing oversight of subrecipients, including ongoing monitoring of spending and of special terms and conditions.
  • Preparing financial projection reports to analyze spending patterns and rates. Notifying PIs about funding shortfalls and planning for contingencies.
  • Reviewing and approving payments, including vendor invoices, individual reimbursements, and other accounts payable and receivables up to $25k.
  • Submitting timely payroll changes for faculty and staff.
  • Maintaining accurate records of personnel effort and corresponding salary charges to sponsored awards and assisting faculty and staff with quarterly and annual effort certifications.
  • Preparing progress reports and prior approval requests and routing them for institutional review, authorization, and submission to sponsors.
  • Working with OSP to close out sponsored projects by award…