Position Summary

The Manager provides leadership, management, and operational oversight for the University’s Sponsored Projects Accounting Private Team, which is responsible for the post-award financial management of private foundation, industry, and gift-funded sponsored awards. This position ensures accurate, timely, and compliant financial reporting, invoicing, billing schedule setup, pending payment review and application, award closeout, and award setup review, in alignment with sponsor and foundation reporting requirements and University policies.

The Manager leads and develops the Private Team, establishes priorities and performance expectations, manages workload and capacity, and ensures consistent and high-quality processing of private and gift awards across the University. The position serves as the primary operational liaison between the Private Team and the Director of Sponsored Projects Accounting and provides recommendations regarding processes, policies, systems, staffing, and resource needs.

The Manager provides leadership on complex and high-risk private awards and serves as a subject-matter expert on foundation and sponsor reporting requirements, award terms and conditions, and University policies governing private and gift funding. The position is responsible for identifying risks and resolving escalated issues while ensuring appropriate controls are in place to protect University resources and maintain strong sponsor and donor relationships.

The Manager is responsible for continuous improvement of the Private Team function, including workflow optimization, standardization, documentation, training, data quality, system enhancements (including the Arch system), and implementation of new or revised policies and procedures. The position works collaboratively with Sponsored Projects Accounting leadership, Grants Specialists, departmental administrators, faculty, and other University partners to provide effective and consistent service to the research community and to the University’s foundation and gift funders.

This position plays a critical role in ensuring private and gift-funded awards are managed, reported, invoiced, and closed out accurately and timely, enabling departments to appropriately access and manage funding while supporting the University’s compliance, audit readiness, and stewardship responsibilities. This role plays a critical part in safeguarding University assets and stewarding private and gift funding. Decisions made at this level have significant implications for sponsor and donor relationships, compliance, audit readiness, and institutional reputation.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

Team Leadership and People Management:

• Directly supervise, lead, and develop Private Team members.
• Establish clear performance expectations, priorities, goals, and service standards for the team.
• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings, performance evaluations, coaching, and development discussions.
• Address performance concerns and recognize and develop staff in accordance with University policies and practices.
• Identify training and professional development opportunities to strengthen team capabilities and succession planning.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and service-oriented team environment.

Private Award Financial Operations:

• Oversee the timely and accurate financial reporting, invoicing, billing schedule setup, and pending payment review and application for private foundation, industry, and gift-funded awards.
• Establish workload priorities based on reporting deadlines, award complexity, sponsor requirements, and departmental needs.
• Monitor team workload, capacity, turnaround times, and outstanding work to ensure service expectations are met.
• Develop and maintain processes to ensure consistent and accurate award management across the University, including the use of the Arch system.
• Ensure appropriate documentation and internal controls are maintained throughout financial reporting, invoicing, and award closeout.
• Monitor operational metrics and identify trends, bottlenecks, and opportunities for improvement.

Complex Awards and Escalations:

• Provide oversight and guidance for complex and high-risk private, foundation, and gift award structures, including multi-year pledges, restricted gifts, and multi-sponsor arrangements.
• Serve as the escalation point for complex financial reporting, invoicing, and closeout questions and issues.
• Evaluate risks associated with award terms, funding restrictions, reporting requirements, and system configuration.
• Resolve issues in collaboration with departments, sponsors, foundations, central University offices, and Sponsored Projects Accounting leadership.
• Ensure appropriate escalation to the Director when issues have significant financial, compliance, operational, or institutional implications.

Policy, Compliance, and Internal Controls:

• Ensure Private Team activities comply with sponsor and foundation terms and conditions, gift and grant policies, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Interpret and communicate changes in sponsor requirements, foundation reporting standards, and University policies that affect private award management.
• Identify potential compliance risks and implement appropriate controls and corrective actions.
• Support audit readiness by ensuring financial reporting, invoicing, and closeout processes and documentation are complete, accurate, and consistently applied.
• Participate in policy development and review affecting private and gift-funded award administration.

Process Improvement and Operational Excellence:

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives within the Private Team function.
• Evaluate workflows and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce manual processes, eliminate errors, and improve customer service.
• Develop and implement standardized procedures, job aids, training materials, and reference resources, including documentation of the Arch system and related tools.
• Partner with University technology and business process teams on system enhancements, automation, reporting, and data integrity initiatives.
• Use operational data and metrics to identify trends and support decisions regarding staffing, workload, and process improvements.
• Lead change management efforts associated with new systems, processes, policies, and organizational initiatives.

Communication and Collaboration:

• Serve as the primary liaison between the Private Team and the Director of Sponsored Projects Accounting.
• Regularly communicate team performance, workload, emerging issues, risks, accomplishments, and recommendations to the Director.
• Collaborate with other Sponsored Projects Accounting managers to ensure consistent processes and service across SPA functions.
• Partner with faculty, departmental administrators, foundations, and other University stakeholders to resolve issues and improve the private award management experience.
• Represent the Private Team in cross-functional University committees, working groups, and process improvement initiatives as appropriate.

Training and Knowledge Development:

• Establish and maintain training programs for Private Team staff.
• Ensure staff maintain current knowledge of sponsor and foundation requirements, University policies, systems (including Arch), and private award management procedures.
• Develop and deliver training and educational resources for departmental administrators and other members of the research administration community.
• Promote knowledge sharing and consistent application of policies and procedures across the team.

Strategic Planning and Special Projects:

• Participate in Sponsored Projects Accounting strategic planning and operational initiatives.
• Lead or participate in special projects, system implementations, policy reviews, process redesign, and change management initiatives.
• Evaluate the impact of proposed changes on Private Team operations and recommend solutions to leadership.
• Identify opportunities to improve the University's private and gift award administration infrastructure and customer experience.

Award Management and Technical Expertise:

• Maintain advanced knowledge of private, foundation, and gift award structures, sponsor requirements, and University policies.
• Provide technical guidance for complex financial reporting, invoicing, billing schedule setup, pending payment review and application, and award closeout.
• Personally review or manage complex, high-risk, or otherwise sensitive awards when appropriate.
• Ensure appropriate quality-control processes are in place to support accurate award management across the team.

Working Conditions:

Job Location/Working Conditions:

Normal office environment.

Physical Effort:

• Typically sitting at desk or table.
• Repetitive wrist, hand or finger movement.
• Ability to move to on and off-campus locations.

Equipment:

Office equipment.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.

Required Qualifications

Education:

Bachelor's degree

Certifications/Professional Licenses:

No specific certification/professional license is required for this position.

Work Experience:

Research Administration (4 Years)

Skills:

Not Applicable

Driver's License:

A driver's license is not required for this position.

More About This Job

WashU seeks highly motivated individuals who are able to perform duties in a manner consistent with our core mission and guiding principles.

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

M.B.A. - Master of Business Administration

Certifications/Professional Licenses:

No additional certification/professional licenses unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Work Experience:

No additional work experience unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Skills:

Analytical Thinking, Analytical Writing, Computer Literacy, Customer Service, Detail-Oriented, Effective Written Communication, Financial Information, General Accounting, Independent Decision-Making, Internet Research, Oral Communications, Organizational Processes, Organizational Project Management, Professional Judgement, Project Administration, Research Administration

Grade

G14

Salary Range

$75,200.00 - $128,800.00 / Annually

The salary range reflects base salaries paid for positions in a given job grade across the University. Individual rates within the range will be determined by factors including one's qualifications and performance, equity with others in the department, market rates for positions within the same grade and department budget.

Questions

For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to our External Applicant FAQ.

Accommodation

If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email CandidateQuestions@wustl.edu or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.

All qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

Pre-Employment Screening

All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.

Benefits Statement

Personal

• Up to 22 days of vacation, 10 recognized holidays, and sick time.
• Competitive health insurance packages with priority appointments and lower copays/coinsurance.
• Take advantage of our free Metro transit U-Pass for eligible employees.
• WashU provides eligible employees with a defined contribution (403(b)) Retirement Savings Plan, which combines employee contributions and university contributions starting at 7%.

Wellness

• Wellness challenges, annual health screenings, mental health resources, mindfulness programs and courses, employee assistance program (EAP), financial resources, access to dietitians, and more!

Family

• We offer 4 weeks of caregiver leave to bond with your new child. Family care resources are also available for your continued childcare needs. Need adult care? We’ve got you covered.
• WashU covers the cost of tuition for you and your family, including dependent undergraduate-level college tuition up to 100% at WashU and 40% elsewhere after seven years with us.

For policies, detailed benefits, and eligibility, please visit: https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/

EEO Statement

Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity. It is the University’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity or shared ancestry, color, national origin, citizenship (where prohibited by federal law), age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information. As a federal contractor, the university maintains affirmative action programs to implement its equal employment opportunity policy for individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, in accordance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 (VEVRAA), as amended.