Senior Research Administration Specialist

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation's top public universities. Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.

One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks for numerous retail, restaurant and performing arts discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates on select campus events. UNC-Chapel Hill offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package, paid leave, and a variety of health, life and retirement plans and additional programs that support a healthy work/life balance.

The College of Arts & Sciences is the largest academic unit within the University and consists of about 71 units, including centers, programs, institutional support and 42 academic departments and interdisciplinary curricula, which offer both undergraduate bachelor's degrees and graduate-level masters and PhD degrees. The College is divided into four academic divisions: Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. The Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education oversees all academic student support units, including but not limited to Academic Advising, Honors, and the Academic Success Center. The Senior Associate Dean for Research & Innovation drives strategic planning and provides guidance across the academic divisions and research programs, fostering new models of innovation, new initiatives and new collaborations. The Office of the Dean is responsible for all of the academic, academic student support, financial and administrative operations in the College of Arts & Sciences.

The College of Arts & Sciences Business Operations Office is housed in the Office of the Dean and supports the fiscal and human resources operations of the departments, curricula, and programs by consolidating their business operations into one center. The Business Operations Office enables transparency of operations and information, creating a more responsive organization that utilizes online systems and automation to streamline processes. It consistently applies policies, ensuring compliance to UNC, State, and Federal regulations and laws.

Within the Business Operations' Accounting Department, grant and research administration support is provided for the non- Big 5 Departments (Biology, Chemistry, Math, English and Psychology). The Big 5 Departments have their own grant and research administration units, which are given autonomy from the Business Operations Office due to the specificity of field, the number and value amounts of grants and other third-party funding handled by their faculty.

For the smaller departments and centers, each may or may not have their own grant and research staff based upon the complexity and loss impact of the grants. These departments with their own field representatives will be handling their own research administration, however unlike the Big 5 Departments, any system financial transactions must be approved by Business Operations.

The Business Operations' Accounting Division is ultimately accountable for any consequence of error with process and monies with the smaller departments and centers. Also, the group is recognized as the College's principal grant and research administration experts, thereby providing a wide breadth of general and specific research funding information, UNC computer system, process, and policy counsel to ALL grant and research administrators (even Big 5 staff if they need assistance) throughout the College. At this time, the Accounting Division primarily provides post-award administration support. These services include faculty/staff consulting, sponsors/ OSR coordination, purchasing, account reconciliation, and reporting.

Recently, trends reflect that more grant and research administration work is being transferred to the Accounting Division from the smaller departments and centers in order to keep operational costs down and retain a more efficient process and controls with less compliance liability. Overall grant and research administration work is expected to have exponential growth as a result of the Chancellor's Research initiative.

INTERNAL ONLY: Internal posting for permanent, time-limited and layoff priority employees of UNC-Chapel Hill only.

This position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement that may include a partially remote work location, consistent with System Office policy. UNC Chapel Hill employees are generally required to reside within a reasonable commuting distance of their assigned duty station.

The Senior Research Administration Specialist serves as an advanced-level research administration professional responsible for leading complex pre-award activities while incorporating project management principles to support faculty and research teams across assigned units. This role functions as a subject matter expert in proposal development, sponsor guidelines, and research administration processes, with a strong emphasis on strategic planning, coordination, and execution of sponsored research proposals.

The position will independently manage a portfolio of highly complex proposals and collaborates closely with principal investigators (PIs), departmental leadership, and central offices to ensure timely, compliant, and competitive submissions. In addition to pre-award responsibilities, this role applies project management practices to coordinate timelines, track deliverables, facilitate communication across stakeholders, and support multi-investigator and multi-institutional proposals.

This position also serves as a team resource and mentor, providing guidance, training, and problem-solving support to research administration staff. While not a formal supervisor, the role is expected to function as a lead by promoting best practices, streamlining processes, and supporting continuous improvement initiatives.

Limited post-award responsibilities (approximately 10%) include award setup support, interpretation of award terms, and advising on financial and administrative compliance.

Mid- to late-career with Masters and 2- 4 yrs experience; Bachelors and 3-5 yrs experience

It is necessary for the candidate to demonstrate the following:

Research Administration Expertise:

Project Management & Coordination:

Communication & Collaboration:

Leadership & Mentorship:

Technical Skills:

Other:

N/A

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.