Executive Director, Grants and Contracts

Children’s National Health System and Research Institute is seeking an Executive Director of Grants and Contacts. Children’s National Health System has been serving the nation’s children since 1870 and is ranked among the top five pediatric hospitals in the country. As the premier provider of pediatric care in the Washington DC region, Children’s National Health System is the only freestanding children’s hospital between Philadelphia and Atlanta. Children’s National’s internationally recognized team of pediatric healthcare professionals treat more than 300,000 patients each year, who come from throughout the region, nation and world. The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences is the primary academic affiliation for faculty at Children’s National Health System. An overview of the Children’s National Research Institute overall funding is available in their 2022 Academic Annual Report available here.

About the role

The Executive Director, Grants and Contracts will hold primary responsibility to assure sponsored activities performed at Children's National with non-profit and for-profit sponsor's meet all institutional, local, federal and sponsor guidelines, rules, policies and laws. Will include interpreting regulations and rules of Children's National and sponsors to provide guidance to faculty and research personnel and resolve problems in the preparation and submission of sponsored grants and contracts.

The Executive Director will oversee the day-to-day operations of the office of Grants and Contracts and the Research Business Office and report to the Vice President, Research Finance and Academic Administration. The Executive Director will serve as one of the institutional officials and is responsible to deliver pre-award and post-award services and manage the day-to-day operations of the Grants and Contracts and Business Office staff. The incumbent will assist to plan, coordinate, and supervise the activities of the Pre-Award, Post Award and Business Office, to develop and administer procedures designed to comply with appropriate regulations for the administration of government, non-profit, corporate and cooperative grants and contracts, and for the interpretation and application of such procedures and regulations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required. JD, PhD, MS, MPH or MBA is preferred.
• Certified Research Administrator certification required; Certification in Healthcare Research Compliance preferred.
• 10 years of experience in research administration, including pre and post award management experience with NIH and/or federal grants and contracts, private foundation grants and awards, and industry sponsored research and clinical trial agreements. 
• 5 years of increasingly responsible supervisory experience in a complex academic research/healthcare setting, including directly managing a team. Academic medical Center experience preferred.
• Ability to collect and analyze data, identify trends and institute operational changes.
• Ability to develop new systems or procedures to resolve problems and facilitate workflow.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and proven experience working both independently and as an effective team member.
• Extensive experience interacting effectively with all levels of employees, including executive staff, junior and senior scientists, as well as officials from external organizations.
• Demonstrated experience making independent decisions, reaching, analyzing, and solving problems.
• Working knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Register, Office of Management and Budget Circular’s A-133, A-1 10 and A-122, IACUC, and IRB guidelines.
• Advanced working knowledge of contracting and research budgeting/administrative principles. Efficiency, diplomacy and composure in multi-tasking under pressure of multiple deadlines.
• Demonstrate ethics and professional practices, as well as stimulate social accountability and community stewardship.
• Demonstrate the ability to produce creative and innovative solutions and approaches to common issues.
• Advanced technical competence in wide range of research compliance issues; advanced legal knowledge in contract negotiations as it applies to sponsored research; superior ability to manage relationships with researchers, staff, sponsors and regulatory agencies; experienced and proficient in balancing regulatory compliance requirements against practical needs and limitations; highly experienced program development and problem-solving techniques.