Within the Department of Neurosurgery, the Program Manager plays a critical role in supporting faculty members conducting cutting-edge neuroscience and brain cancer research through comprehensive grant administration and operational support.
The Program Manager is responsible for managing complex pre-award and post-award grant activities across multiple faculty portfolios and serves as a key resource for grant submissions, award management, reporting, compliance documentation, and research administration while working closely with faculty, finance teams, and research stakeholders. The Program Manager contributes directly to the success of the department's research mission and collaborative culture at UT MD Anderson.
The ideal candidate will possess preferred experience in grant application submission, post-award grant management, and grant-related financial administration. Experience preparing grant budgets, budget justifications, and related documentation is highly desirable. The successful candidate will be self-directed, highly organized, innovative in problem-solving, capable of managing multiple priorities simultaneously, and committed to working collaboratively with faculty, staff, and departmental partners. Education, licensure, and certification preferences were not provided.
Salary Range: Minimum $ 79,000.00 - Midpoint $99,000.00 - Maximum $119,000.00
The typical work schedule is: First 3-6 months will be onsite; subsequently hybrid, if the candidate performs well and has built good working relationships with faculty and staff.
Key Responsibilities
Grant Program Administration
• Provide administrative and grants-related support for the SPORE in Brain Cancer.
• Partner with the Associate Director, Research Planning and Development and Administrative Director to monitor award activity.
• Follow up with stakeholders regarding spending, scientific progress, and grant-related requirements.
• Solicit CEP/DRP applications and coordinate review activities.
• Coordinate collection, review, and upload of supporting documents required for SPORE RPPR submissions.
• Collect and manage Other Support documentation, effort calculations, and required certifications.
• Assist with personnel change requests and required grant updates.
• Attend all SPORE meetings.
Pre-Award Grant Management
• Independently manage pre-award grant activities for assigned faculty, including the Department Chair.
• Serve as backup support for grant activities for remaining faculty as assigned.
• Communicate regularly with faculty throughout the grant submission process.
• Collect compliance questionnaires, supporting documents, research materials, budgets, and budget justifications.
• Develop proposal budgets in collaboration with faculty, laboratory staff, and administrative staff.
• Obtain current salary information from the finance team during budget development.
• Establish internal grant submission deadlines and provide reminders through final submission.
• Upload proposal materials into Click and submit applications.
• Provide Biosketch and Other Support documents to external principal investigators and confirm paid or unpaid effort.
Post-Award Grant Administration
• Send final submitted budgets to the finance team for financial processing and ePAF activities.
• Notify the finance team when grants are established and activated.
• Communicate cost-sharing requirements for applicable awards.
• Provide updates regarding funding delays and anticipated continuation funding.
• Notify the finance team regarding delayed RCTS activity resulting from IACUC or compliance requirements.
• Serve as the primary contact for all progress report submissions.
• Maintain a comprehensive log of active grant progress reports.
• Collect required progress report materials and facilitate timely submission.
• Coordinate with finance regarding carryover funds, no-cost extensions, personnel, and effort reporting.
• Attend faculty finance meetings and coordinate follow-up activities.
Grant Tracking, Reporting & Faculty Support
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive grant tracking system, preferably within SharePoint.
• Update grant activity records regularly and accurately.
• Provide monthly reports of grants submitted, awarded, and progress reports completed for the Chair.
• Compile grant-related information for faculty retreats, division reports, and departmental reporting needs.
• Serve as the primary contact for maintenance of faculty Biosketch and Other Support documents.
• Review and update faculty documentation on a regular basis.
• Maintain records of document requests from collaborators and other departments.
• Track expected roles, effort commitments, and support associated with requests.
Research Communication & SciENcv Support
• Convert faculty documents into SciENcv and maintain records going forward.
• Serve as the departmental resource for SciENcv questions and support.
• Communicate upcoming grant opportunities to departmental stakeholders via email.
• Review grant opportunities for weekly CURE presentations.
• Present relevant opportunities during CURE meetings and Quarterly Research Faculty meetings.
• Present grant-related updates and research administration information as requested by department leadership.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
EDUCATION- Required: Bachelor's Degree
WORK EXPERIENCE- Required: 2 years Grant management experience such as grant writing, grant submission and financial administration and one year of lead or supervisory experience.
May substitute required education degree with additional years of equivalent experience on a one to one year basis.
Successful completion of the LEADing Self Accelerate and/or LEADing Self Discover programs may substitute for one year of required supervisory or management experience. Completion of both programs can be substituted for a maximum of two years of supervisory or management experience.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: Must pass pre-employment skills test as required and administered by Human Resources.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, paid time off, retirement, tuition benefits, educational opportunities, and individual and team recognition.
This position may be responsible for maintaining the security and integrity of critical infrastructure, as defined in Section 113.001(2) of the Texas Business and Commerce Code and therefore may require routine reviews and screening. The ability to satisfy and maintain all requirements necessary to ensure the continued security and integrity of such infrastructure is a condition of hire and continued employment.
