Assistant Director of Sponsored Programs Agreements

The Talent Acquisition department hires qualified candidates to fill positions which contribute to the overall strategic success of Howard University. Hiring staff “for fit” makes significant contributions to Howard University’s overall mission.

At Howard University, we prioritize well-being and professional growth.

Here is what we offer:

• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus mental health support
• Work-Life Balance: PTO, paid holidays, flexible work arrangements
• Financial Wellness: Competitive salary, 403(b) with company match
• Professional Development: Ongoing training, tuition reimbursement, and career advancement paths
• Additional Perks: Wellness programs, commuter benefits, and a vibrant company culture

Join Howard University and thrive with us

https://hr.howard.edu/benefits-wellness

JOB PURPOSE:

The Senior Sponsored Agreements Administrator serves as a senior technical specialist for incoming sponsored agreements and award actions. The role independently reviews, drafts, negotiates, and coordinates the acceptance and modification of grants, cooperative agreements, research contracts, incoming subawards, clinical trial agreements, and other sponsored-program instruments; identifies and escalates institutional risk; and ensures each matter is documented, setup-ready, and handed off cleanly to the appropriate account setup, Post-Award, and central-office functions. The position reports to the Senior Director, Sponsored Programs Office, Pre-Award and is accountable for timely, accurate, policy-aligned management of an assigned portfolio.

SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY:

May provide technical guidance and informal mentorship to junior team members but does not have direct supervisory responsibility.

NATURE AND SCOPE:

This position reports directly to the Senior Director, Sponsored Programs Office (SPO), Pre-Award and is a key member of the incoming award and research agreement function. The role is focused on sponsored agreements and related award actions across federal, nonprofit, foundation, industry, and other external sponsors. The position manages matters from intake and triage through review, negotiation, execution or acceptance, modification, and documented handoff to the appropriate downstream function.

The Senior Sponsored Agreements Administrator collaborates closely with Pre-Award colleagues, Office of General Counsel, Compliance, Post-Award, Finance, principal investigators, academic departments, and other central offices. While this is a non-supervisory role, the position is expected to function as a senior technical resource, maintain clear ownership of assigned matters, support clean cross-functional handoffs, and contribute to process optimization, SOP refinement, and training.

The position requires demonstrated fluency in university or comparable sponsored research administration; an in-depth understanding of sponsored agreements and federal, sponsor, and institutional requirements (including 2 CFR 200 and applicable FAR/DFARS provisions); and disciplined use of research administration and enterprise systems. The incumbent must be able to independently research and apply requirements, distinguish among agreement and award-action types, manage multiple complex matters simultaneously, maintain accurate and audit-ready records, identify cross-functional dependencies, and elevate issues early with a clear analysis of the risk and recommended path forward.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Sponsored Agreement & Award Action Review

  • Independently review, draft, and negotiate a wide range of sponsored agreements, including grants, cooperative agreements, research contracts, incoming subawards, clinical trial agreements, and related amendments or modifications.
  • Analyze incoming award actions, including new awards, amendments or modifications, no-cost extensions, carryover or carryforward requests, cost share or other institutional commitments, prior approvals, and changes in scope, key personnel, or other award terms, to determine required review, approvals, routing, and documentation.
  • Interpret standard and non-standard terms to ensure alignment with university policy, sponsor requirements, and applicable federal requirements.
  • Apply approved fallback language and institutional positions; coordinate with leadership, Office of General Counsel, Compliance, Finance, or other responsible offices when deviations, legal issues, or material risk indicators arise.
  • Confirm the appropriate instrument or award-action classification and required institutional approvals before execution, acceptance, or downstream handoff.

• Portfolio Ownership, Timeliness & Workflow Control

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