Manager, Research Administration

Posting Details

Schedule

Monday to Friday, 35 hours per week – hybrid

Education Level

Bachelor’s degree in business administration or equivalent

Career Level

Minimum of 5 years relevant experience

Target Hiring Range

77,996 - $97,495 annually

Job Description

About the Faculty :

McMaster’s Faculty of Engineering has a reputation for innovative programs, cutting-edge research, leading faculty, and aspiring students. The Faculty of Engineering has a well-established reputation as one of Canada's most research-intensive faculties in a range of disciplines from advanced manufacturing, materials, automotive, and nuclear research. The Faculty attracts approximately $45 million in annual research funding. Engineering faculty, staff and students at McMaster pursue research and learning in more than two dozen research centres, institutes and networks whose interdisciplinary pursuits cross departmental and Faculty boundaries. Outside the University, the Faculty collaborates regularly on research projects with partners in other universities, government and more than 100 companies in Canada and abroad.

The Faculty has approximately 220 faculty members, along with over 7,000 undergraduate and about 1,100 graduate students.

The Office of Research, Innovation and Partnerships oversees the Faculty of Engineering’s $65M research funding portfolio. The Office promotes Engineering’s strategic research capacity, expertise and reputation, in alignment with institutional priorities, and the development of these portfolios with respect to emerging national and international priorities, in collaboration with University leadership. The Office initiates a diverse portfolio of activity in support of the Faculty’s strategic research goals including the development and administration of complex and non-traditional funding sources, pre and post award administration, resource and allocation management, industry partnership cultivation, innovation and entrepreneurship strategy and the delivery of internal and external workshops, conferences and events.

The Faculty of Engineering's Strategic Plan can be found .

About the Position :

This position plays a key role in enhancing the Faculty of Engineering’s award support for research. This position has been developed to advance all aspects of research in the Faculty of Engineering. This position works with the Faculty of Engineering’s senior leadership team in promoting Engineering research consistent with the faculty’s strategic plan. Working collaboratively with members of the Faculty, and various units across the University, this position works closely with the Associate Dean, Research, Director, Research Innovation and Partnerships and Director, Finance and Administration to facilitate the promotion of funding opportunities to faculty members to increase the impact of research within the Faculty of Engineering.

Responsibilities include reviewing proposals prior to submission and ensuring all applications meet University policy and Federal regulations; primary responsibility for managing applications that require ethics approval; award review and set-up to facilitate appropriate long-term management; and advising on non-financial compliance issues.

This role serves as the resource management and research administration lead for the unit, serving as a bridge between PIs and Faculty and central research administration and governance units for pre and post award research activity and portfolios. Responsibilities include setting, facilitating and managing compliance with policy and practices for research administration within the Faculty and in accordance with university governance; overseeing and planning for research chair and funding allocations; post-award support, compliance and reporting; project managing special initiatives and overseeing daily office operations. Co-manage administrative staff in ADRIP (full-time and contract), as well coordinate with inter-faculty units / offices as part of specific events and projects.

Key Accountabilities :

• Contributing to the development of standardized internal policies, business processes and guidance documents to maximize the operational effectiveness of the Faculty’s research service provisions and facilitate high quality research applications
• Grant cycle management and planning; evaluation of the Faculty’s research performance for operational and strategic planning purposes (calendar, success rates, team building, guidelines) in partnership with office and university senior leadership teams
• Support approved RCI’s in ensuring compliance with University policies and procedures, including directorships, external reviews, reporting, funding, and the establishments RCIs and core facilities; facilitate requests to the URIOB
• Manage Research Chair allocations, including planning, recruitment and reporting [(CRC, Endowed Chair, Awards / Prizes (internal, external)] -with appropriate internal units (ROADS, VPR, University Advancement etc).
• Collaborate with other University offices to ensure promotion of Faculty of Engineering priorities and compatibility with University policies, procedures and guidelines.
• Represent the Faculty of Engineering on committees that are primarily concerned with research that is directed at outreach, undergraduate research and community engagement.
• Represent the Faculty of Engineering on university committees as delegate for the Associate Dean Research as required.
• Advise research proposal leaders on budget development, ensuring maximum research effectiveness and compliance with Faculty and University policies.
• Direct administrative support for the management of major projects in collaboration with the Director of Finance & Administration.
• Works with researchers and collaborates with internal resources and external agencies to ensure that researchers and faculty members have timely access to information.
• Assist faculty members in the development and submission of award materials by interpreting award guidelines, University policies and Federal regulations.
• Direct resources to researchers in support of administrative & management aspects of major and cross disciplinary grant and contract proposals.
• Capture data summarizing research performance in the Faculty of Engineering, and working with the Associate Dean, Research & External Relations in analyzing and interpreting these data.
• Review award materials for accuracy, compliance and eligibility, and suggest changes when issues are identified.
• Assists in the completion of high quality and highly competitive nomination files.
• Grant cycle management and planning; evaluation of the Faculty’s research performance for operational and strategic planning purposes (calendar, success rates, team building, guidelines) in partnership with office and university senior leadership teams
• Contribute to proposal development and review applications for accuracy, including reviewing and contributing to budgets, institutional commitments, letters of support etc.
• Act as a liaison between the Faculty of Engineering and award sponsors.
• Direct process of appointing all research-related appointments, including endowed chairs, CRC chairs, RCI directorships and Engineering Honourifics, ensuring process meets requirements and appointment is compliant with funding guidelines.
• Facilitate reporting as required for chairs.
• Facilitate reporting on Engineering research activities for internal and external purposes.
• Develop and maintain a database and calendar of grants and awards for the Faculty of Engineering.
• Provide administrative oversight for any proposed internal award changes to ensure appropriate level of approval is sought.
• Design and lead undergraduate summer research award competitions and summer research programming with partners across campus (USRA, iUSRA, EDI, CNL – Faculty of Science, Nuclear Operations and Facilities, Engineering Outreach).
• Works with faculty and research staff to build capacity to be successful in securing research chairs, awards and prizes.
• Manage faculty participation and compliance with new research-related federal, provincial and institutional research security policies and procedures
• Manages research related events and projects.
• Supervise Research Office staff and student employees.

Qualifications : Education :

Experience :

Knowledge & Skills :