Senior Sponsored Programs Administrator

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of hire and must maintain authorization throughout employment. This position is not eligible for sponsorship.

This position is contingent upon the availability of sufficient funding. Position Title:
Senior Sponsored Programs Administrator

Position Summary:
This position serves as the Colleges principal post-award research administration financial administrator, partnering with faculty and staff to provide financial guidance, training, and oversight for externally sponsored grants and contracts. The incumbent is responsible for the financial management and reporting of externally sponsored awards, with primary responsibility for federal grants and contracts. A strong working knowledge of business, finance, accounting, and sponsored programs administration is required. Responsibilities include administering post-award financial activities, preparing financial reports, coordinating fiscal closeout activities, and ensuring compliance with institutional policies and applicable federal, state, and local regulations. This position also supports the Colleges annual budgeting process and assists with financial activities related to sponsored programs administration, including the Single Audit and the annual National Science Foundation Higher Education Research and Development ( HERD ) Survey.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities :

• Serves as the primary post-award financial administrator for federal grants and contracts.
• Maintains proficiency in the post-award administration of private grants and other sponsored programs to provide backup support and ensure continuity of operations.
• Maintains current knowledge of federal regulations and sponsor requirements, including the Uniform Guidance and agency-specific policies governing sponsored programs.
• Interprets sponsor regulations and institutional policies to ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, local, and institutional requirements.
• Identifies financial and compliance risks associated with sponsored awards and recommends corrective actions to ensure compliance with institutional policies and sponsor requirements.
• Conducts training sessions and provides one-on-one guidance to faculty and staff regarding sponsored project financial management, post-award compliance, allowable costs, budget management, and sponsor requirements.
• Serves as the primary financial resource for Principal Investigators (PIs) and departmental administrators by reviewing award terms and conditions and providing ongoing financial consultation throughout the award lifecycle.
• Administers the Colleges sponsored programs financial management system and monitors financial activity to ensure accuracy, completeness, and compliance.
• Reviews and monitors grant and contract expenditures to ensure they are allowable, allocable, reasonable, and within approved budget limitations.
• Prepares and submits sponsor invoices in accordance with award terms and conditions.
• Establishes approved grant budgets and applicable indirect cost rates within the Colleges financial system.
• Reviews and approves sponsored project expenditures and procurement transactions to ensure allowability and compliance with institutional purchasing policies and sponsor requirements.
• Prepares quarterly, semiannual, annual, and final financial reports required by sponsoring agencies.
• Collaborates with the Research Development and Sponsored Programs Office to process budget revisions, no-cost extensions, and other post-award administrative actions.
• Reviews the general ledger to ensure journal entries related to sponsored projects are accurate and properly recorded.
• Prepares grant salary allocation schedules for faculty and staff and coordinates distribution to the Payroll Office, Provosts Office, Human Resources, and other authorized departments, as appropriate.
• Assists with effort reporting and effort certification processes.
• Coordinates all financial aspects of grant closeout, including reconciliation of budgets, expenditures, receivables, and final financial reports.
• Participates in professional organizations, conferences, and training opportunities to remain current on changes in sponsored programs administration and regulatory requirements.
• Serves as a liaison between the Division of Business and Financial Affairs and the Department of Government and Community Relations to identify initiatives that may be supported through external funding opportunities.
• Assists the Associate Vice President of Business and Financial Affairs and the Principal Accountant with quarterly internal audits and other compliance reviews.
• Participates in College committees, volunteer activities, and other campus initiatives that support the mission of the institution.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:
Bachelors degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field and a minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in sponsored programs administration, grants management, research administration, fund accounting, or a closely related field.

Demonstrated knowledge of federal grant regulations, including the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200), and experience administering federally sponsored awards is required. The duties of this position require confidentiality, diplomacy, and tact.

Excellent oral communication skills are required when presenting information and responding to questions from internal and external constituencies. Incumbent must be able to write business correspondence, procedure manuals, memoranda, letters, and email communications.

Ability to communicate complex financial and regulatory requirements to faculty and staff through individual consultation, presentations, and training sessions.

Incumbent must be able to read, analyze, and interpret award agreements, sponsor guidelines, federal, state, and local regulations, professional journals, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedural manuals.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must have intermediate to advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).

Preferred Qualifications:
Experience with Ellucian Banner, Workday, or a comparable enterprise resource planning ( ERP ) financial system is preferred.

Certifications, Licenses, Restrictions :
None

Physical Demands:
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to: sit, walk, use hands to handle office supplies, operate computer and other office equipment, talk, and hear. The employee frequently is required to: reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to: stand, climb, and lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include the ability to adjust focus.

Shift:
Days

% Travel Required:
1% - 25%

Full Time/Part Time:
Full-time

Work Location/Schedule:
This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement.

FLSA:
Exempt

Number of Vacancies:
1

Anticipated Candidate Start Date:

Position End Date:

Posting Detail Information Posting Number:
SC0929P

Posting Open Date:
08/04/2026

Posting Closing Date:

Open Until Filled:
Yes

Special Instructions to Applicants:

EEO Statement:
Spelman College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are a smoke-free campus.