Job Details

Director of Contracts and Grants Administration

Position Number: 9803252
Location: Boone, United States
Position Type: Sponsored Programs, Grants, and Contracts

Director of Contracts and Grants Administration

Department: Contracts and Grants Accounting - 415102

Minimum Qualifications
Master's degree in business administration, public administration, accounting, finance, higher education administration, research administration, or a related field.

Minimum of 8 years of progressively responsible experience in sponsored programs administration, research administration, grants management, contract and grant accounting, or a closely related field.
Minimum of 5 years of supervisory or management experience leading professional staff and complex administrative operations.
Demonstrated knowledge of federal sponsored project regulations, Uniform Guidance, sponsor requirements, and research administration best practices.
Experience managing pre-award and post-award functions, including proposal submission, award administration, compliance, and financial oversight.
Demonstrated ability to interpret regulations, exercise independent judgment, and communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to lead with a compass toward serving faculty and researcher needs while balancing with critical, reliable compliance requirements.

License/Certification Required

Preferred Qualifications
A certified research administrator (CRA) credential is preferred.

More than 10 years of progressively responsible experience in research administration or sponsored programs leadership.

Experience leading both sponsored programs, contracting and grant accounting functions within a university or research-intensive environment.
Experience supervising managers or directors and leading large, multi-functional teams.
Professional certification such as Certified Research Administrator (CRA), Certified Pre-Award Research Administrator (CPRA), or Certified Financial Research Administrator (CFRA).

Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Leadership and Strategic AdministrationProvide leadership and oversight for all post-award administration and accounting functions across the Office of Research and Innovation.

Manage the daily operations of the CGA department, ensuring effective coordination across pre- and post-award functions, contract negotiation, closeout, and reporting.
Serve as a key advisor to the Vice Chancellor of Research and Innovation for research administration operations, financial compliance, staffing, systems, and strategic initiatives.
Develop and implement strategic plans, operational priorities, and performance measures that advance institutional research and innovation goals.
Lead organizational change initiatives, process improvements, and technology implementations that improve efficiency, transparency, and service delivery.
Establish clear expectations, workflows, service standards, and performance measures that support timely, accurate, compliant, and customer-oriented service to faculty and campus partners.

Collaboration with Pre-Award AdministrationCollaborate with the Director of Sponsored Programs on processes to ensure the effective integration of pre-award processes with the post-award compliance needs to execute the resulting agreements, including processes such as the review, preparation, negotiation, and execution of incoming and outgoing contracts, subawards, and research-related agreements.

Share responsibility with the Vice Chancellor of Research and Innovation for ensuring that all sponsored project award implementations comply with federal, state, sponsor, and university requirements.
Maintain productive relationships with sponsoring agencies, partner institutions, industry collaborators, and other external stakeholders.

Award Set-up, Contracts, and Agreements NegotiationsOversee award intake, review, negotiation, set-up, and handoff processes to ensure awards are established accurately and efficiently.

Lead or supervise contract and agreement negotiations related to sponsored programs, including grants, contracts, subawards, data use agreements, confidentiality agreements, material transfer agreements, and other research-related agreements as appropriate.
Coordinate with the Office of General Counsel, academic units, principal investigators, sponsors, and external partners to resolve contractual, regulatory, financial, and operational issues.
Support private sector and external collaborations by ensuring that sponsored project agreements are structured to protect the university while enabling timely, productive partnerships.
Oversee processing of post-award program reporting and authorization of project change actions.

Post-award Reporting and Financial Administration SupportOversee post-award financial administration, including financial system fund setup, sponsor reporting, invoicing, financial monitoring, effort and cost-share tracking and reporting support, budget revisions, expenditure review, and closeout.

Ensure sponsored project financial activity is accurate, timely, compliant, and aligned with sponsor terms and institutional, federal and State requirements.
Provide leadership for financial reporting, analysis, forecasting, and issue resolution related to sponsored projects.
Partner with principal investigators, departments, colleges, finance offices, and central administration to address financial questions and support responsible project management.

Research Administration Infrastructure and Continuous ImprovementLead efforts to strengthen institutional research administration infrastructure through the development of policies, procedures, guidelines, best practices, and service standards.

Collaborate with ORI units, Finance, General Counsel, Human Resources, Information Technology, academic colleges, and other campus partners to improve interdependent business processes and support research growth.
Identify opportunities to leverage technology, automation, and data-informed decision-making to improve operational effectiveness.
Ensure the maintenance, integrity, and reporting of sponsored project data and records for institutional leadership and external stakeholders.

Customer Service, Outreach, and TrainingFoster a highly responsive, service-oriented culture that supports faculty, staff, administrators, and external sponsors while maintaining appropriate institutional oversight.

Facilitate communication and problem-solving among colleges, principal investigators, research administrators, and financial staff to improve processes and address operational challenges.
Develop and deliver training, educational programs, guidance materials, and workshops related to sponsored programs administration, financial management, and compliance.
Promote a campus culture that supports responsible growth in sponsored research, scholarship, creative activities, and innovation.

Personnel Leadership and Staff DevelopmentSupervise, mentor, and evaluate CGA staff and provide overall leadership for a staff of approximately 20 employees.

Recruit, develop, and retain highly qualified staff committed to excellence in service, compliance, and operational effectiveness.
Empower staff to exercise sound judgment, solve problems proactively, and assume ownership of assigned responsibilities.
Promote professional development, succession planning, workload management, and continuous learning across the unit.
Foster a collaborative, solutions-oriented, and professional team culture grounded in accountability, continuous improvement, compliance, and service.

Work Schedule/Hours:Mon-Fri, 8:00 - 5:00 pm
Suggested Salary Range: $133,276 - $138,000
Closing Date: 09/27/2026
Open Until Filled: No
Evaluation of Applications Begins: 09/07/2026
Proposed Date of Hire: 11/02/2026

To apply, visit https://appstate.peopleadmin.com/postings/55921

Appalachian State University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. The University does not discriminate in access to its educational programs and activities, or with respect to hiring or the terms and conditions of employment, on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity and expression, political affiliation, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information or sexual orientation.