Cluster Manager Jobs in Raleigh, NC (NOW HIRING)

Posting Details
Posting Information
Posting Number
PG194713EP
Internal Recruitment
Yes
Working Title
Research Administration Hub Manager
Anticipated Hiring Range
Commensurate with education and experience
Work Schedule
Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm; position is eligible for flexible work schedule arrangements based on operational needs. Extended hours may be required during peak college submission deadlines
Job Location
Raleigh, NC
Department
Engineering Research Administration
About the Department
The College of Engineering (COE) Office of Research Administration (ORA) operates under a college-managed, departmentally embedded operating model designed to deliver standardized, high-quality administrative infrastructure and regulatory safeguarding for the College's extensive, multi-million dollar sponsored research portfolio. Under this unified organizational structure, research administration professionals are centrally employed, trained, and evaluated by the College's ORA, but are strategically deployed and embedded directly within individual academic departments and units.
This matrixed model merges the benefits of centralized institutional oversight-such as equitable workload balancing, continuous professional development, and uniform compliance tracking-with the agile, relationship-driven advantages of local integration. Embedded staff act as direct, day-to-day strategic partners to principal investigators (PIs), faculty, and departmental leadership, providing seamless cradle-to-grave support tailored to the unique research nuances of their assigned units.
Collectively, this distributed network manages an exceptional volume of activity across all departments and units in the College, processing over 1,100 research proposals and administering more than 800 new awards, continuations, and supplements annually. Because the research administration landscape is shaped by shifting federal mandates (including Uniform Guidance and Cost Accounting Standards), state policies, and evolving Electronic Research Administration (eRA) platforms, the ORA ensures absolute institutional compliance. Operating as a high-volume, strictly deadline-driven organization, the unit mitigates severe financial, legal, and reputational risks while optimizing NC State's competitive edge in securing external funding.
Wolfpack Perks and Benefits
As a Pack member, you belong here, and can enjoy exclusive perks designed to enhance your personal and professional well-being. As you consider this opportunity, we encourage you to review our Employee Value Propositionand learn more about what makes NC State the best place to learn and work for everyone.
What we offer:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision
• Flexible Spending Account
• Retirement Programs
• Disability Plans
• Life Insurance
• Accident Plan
• Paid Time Off and Other Leave Programs
• 12 Holidays Each Year
• Tuition and Academic Assistance
• And so much more!

Attain Work-life balance with our Childcare benefits, Wellness & Recreation Membership, and Wellness Programs that aim to build a thriving wolfpack community.
Disclaimer: Perks and Benefit eligibility is based on Part-Time or Full-Time Employment status. Eligibility and Employer Sponsored Plans can be found within each of the links offered.
Essential Job Duties
The Research Administration Hub Manager provides overall operational leadership, personnel management, and regulatory governance for an assigned hub of departmentally embedded Sponsored Research Administrators (SRAs). The primary purpose of this position is to ensure the uniform, high-quality delivery of both pre-award and post-award services across their assigned cluster of academic departments.
The Hub Manager acts as the critical operational bridge between the Engineering's ORA leadership, the embedded SRAs, and departmental leadership (Department Heads and Departmental Finance Leads). This role focuses heavily on personnel management (including hiring, training, and workload balancing), process optimization, Service-Level Agreement (SLA) compliance, and high-level regulatory exception management. The incumbent independently resolves complex compliance, financial, and administrative challenges, ensuring that institutional risk is minimized while faculty service remains optimized.
Detailed Description of Core Responsibilities
Personnel Leadership, Supervision & Workload Balancing

• Direct Supervision: Lead, manage, and provide direct oversight for a team of permanent sponsored research professionals (SRAs) embedded within the hub's assigned academic departments. Monitor and assign portfolios, counsel and discipline employees, develop comprehensive work plans, and execute formal performance appraisals for permanent SRAs within the assigned hub.
• Dynamic Workload Allocation: Actively monitor macro-level proposals and award metrics across all departments within the hub's footprint. Dynamically redistribute research portfolios, reassign staff coverage, and balance workloads across departmental boundaries during peak sponsor submission windows, staff absences, or sudden spikes in volume to ensure college-wide operational continuity, meet Service-Level Agreement (SLA) targets, and mitigate staff burnout.
• Performance Standardization & Mentorship: Establish objective performance standards and hub-wide key performance indicators (KPIs) for embedded sponsored research professionals to ensure uniform service delivery. Provide continuous technical mentorship, advanced training coordination, coaching, and professional guidance to cultivate a high-performing, agile, and cohesive hub team.

Advanced Compliance, Risk Management & Escalation Governance

• Expert Policy Interpretation: Evaluate, interpret, and apply complex Federal, State, University, and sponsor-specific fiscal policies (including Uniform Guidance, Cost Accounting Standards, and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) to safeguard the university's research enterprise.
• Complex Issue Triage: Serve as the first formal escalation point for embedded SRAs, faculty, and departmental leadership regarding high-risk or ambiguous research administration challenges (e.g., complex cost-share arrangements, subrecipient monitoring complications, justification of unusual direct costs, or severe budget over-expenditures).
• Audit Readiness & Internal Controls: Develop, implement, and maintain rigorous internal quality-control frameworks across the hub's departments. Perform spot-audits of proposal files, award setups, Project Modification Requests (PMRs), and closeout packages to ensure absolute data integrity and audit readiness.

Strategic Operations, SLAs & Stakeholder Relations

• SLA Accountability: Monitor and enforce adherence to the College's standardized Service-Level Agreements (SLAs), ensuring embedded SRAs deliver timely, accurate pre- and post-award support to departmental principal investigators (PIs).
• Departmental Collaboration: Partner regularly with Department Heads and Departmental Financial Leads within the hub's footprint to align research administration capabilities with departmental infrastructure, faculty recruitment plans, and strategic research objectives.
• University Liaison: Represent the College hub on cross-institutional committees, professional groups, and central administrative offices (such as the central Contracts and Grants Office and the SPARCS office) to align hub operations with broader university initiatives.

Training, Professional Development & Process Optimization

• Staff Onboarding & Training: Lead the structured onboarding and continuous training of hub personnel, ensuring all team members achieve mastery of electronic research administration portals (RED PD/PT/PAM, Research.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons) and core institutional financial systems.
• Continuous Improvement: Identify operational bottlenecks within the hub's workflow and design streamlined, innovative procedural solutions to maximize efficiency in proposal processing and award management.

This posting is for current permanent NC State University employees and NCSU temps only.
Other Responsibilities

• Other tasks and responsibilities may be assigned based on the needs of the organization and evolving priorities.

Qualifications
Minimum Education and Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Business, Finance, or a related discipline with 12 Credit Hours of accounting coursework and three years of professional accounting experience, of which at least one is supervisory; or an equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

Other Required Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in sponsored research management within a tier-one (R1) research university or complex research enterprise.
• At least 3 years of demonstrated experience directly supervising professional-level employees and managing complex fiscal programs.
• Expert-level knowledge of public fund accounting principles, financial management methods, budgetary control, audit guidelines, and federal circulars (Uniform Guidance / 2 CFR 200, CAS).
• Advanced technical proficiency within complex enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms (such as PeopleSoft Financials and HR), institutional research portals (RED), and master-level execution of data tracking tools (Excel, Word, Access).
• Excellent executive-level written and verbal communication, leadership, organizational, and complex problem-solving skills.
• Proven ability to operate effectively and maintain high customer-service standards within a highly matrixed or shared-services environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• 5+ years of extensive financial and research administration experience specifically utilizing NC State University financial modules (PeopleSoft, RED, and Payroll Distribution frameworks).
• Successful completion of the Research Administration Management Program (RAMP) training or equivalent institutional master-level certificates.
• Active Certified Research Administrator (CRA) credential.

Required License(s) or Certification(s)

• N/A

Valid NC Driver's License required
No
Commercial Driver's License required
No
Recruitment Dates and Special Instructions
Job Open Date
06/26/2026
Anticipated Close Date
Open Until Filled
Special Instructions to Applicants
In addition to your application please submit a cover letter, resume, and the contact information for at least three professional references.
This posting is for current permanent NC State University employees and NCSU temps only.
Position Details
Position Number
00042951
Position Type
EPS/SAAO
Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (1.0 = 40 hours/week)
1.0
Appointment
12 Month Recurring
Mandatory Designation - Adverse Weather
Non Mandatory - Adverse Weather
Mandatory Designation - Emergency Events
Non Mandatory - Emergency Event
Department ID
143301 - Engineering Research Administration
EEO
NC State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal opportunities for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. The University encourages all qualified applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, to apply. Individuals with disabilities requiring disability-related accommodations in the application and interview process are welcome to contact 919-513-0574 to speak with a representative of the Office of Equal Opportunity.
If you have general questions about the application process, you may contact Human Resources at (919) 515-2135 or workatncstate@ncsu.edu.
Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. Degree(s) must be obtained prior to start date in order to meet qualifications and receive credit.
NC State University participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.