Coordinator, Sponsored Research

Company Description

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Why join Harvard Business School?

Harvard Business School, located on a 40-acre campus in Boston, was founded in 1908 as part of Harvard University. It is among the world's most trusted sources of management education and thought leadership. For more than a century, the School's faculty has combined a passion for teaching with rigorous research conducted alongside practitioners at world-leading organizations to educate leaders who make a difference in the world. Through a dynamic ecosystem of research, learning, and entrepreneurship that includes MBA, Doctoral, Executive Education, and Online programs, as well as numerous initiatives, centers, institutes, and labs, Harvard Business School fosters bold new ideas and collaborative learning networks that shape the future of business.

Job Description

Job Summary: 

The Coordinator, Sponsored Research provides support for sponsored research activities within the Research Administration team. Working closely with the Research Administration team, including the Director of Sponsored Research, Manager, Research Administration, and colleagues across the division and School, the Coordinator supports proposal preparation, budget documentation, award tracking, and compliance documentation collection. The role focuses on accurate execution of established processes under guidance, maintenance of documentation integrity, support for school-level review workflows, and timely completion of recurring administrative tasks across the sponsored research lifecycle.

Job-Specific Responsibilities:

Reporting to the Director, Research Facilitation, the Coordinator provides a broad range of funder, pre-award, and post-award process expertise and support to HBS faculty and researchers engaged in sponsored research and to other staff working to support research initiatives and projects throughout the School. Specific responsibilities include:

Proposal Support

• Work with PIs and their research teams for end-to-end proposal development and submission, and ensure formatting, editing, and all other sponsor- and opportunity-specific requirements for proposal submission are met.
• Help facilitate school-level review and approval processes for externally funded proposals.
• Collect required compliance documentation and supporting materials, including disclosures and certifications.
• Enter and update data in institutional and sponsor submission systems.
• Review and assemble complete proposal package (e.g., biosketches, current and pending support, facilities & resources) for completeness and routing under guidance of the Director of Sponsored Research and Manager, Research Administration.

Budget & Documentation Support

• Assist with budget preparation using established templates and guidance from Sponsored Research team.
• Validate fringe, indirect rates, and standard cost elements using approved institutional and sponsor rates.
• Support preparation of budget justifications and required sponsor forms.
• Assemble subcontract and subaward packets and supporting documentation.
• Support administrative and financial documentation associated with proposal submissions.

Award Administration Support

• Track submission, reporting, day-to-day grants management tasks, and compliance deadlines.
• Maintain proposal and award records in shared systems and institutional platforms.
• Update grant tracking systems and databases with submission and award activity.
• Prepare grant budget forecasts, routine reports, data summaries, and status updates for faculty and stakeholders.
• Support coordination of subcontracts and subawards associated with sponsored funding, including ensuring consistency with Subrecipient Monitoring Policy.
• Assist with information collection for leadership and ad hoc reports on sponsored funding activity and trends.

Data & Systems Management

• Maintain documentation repositories and shared electronic filing systems.
• Ensure accuracy, completeness, and consistency of proposal and award records.
• Support compliance documentation tracking, including disclosures and reporting requirements.
• Collaborate on sponsored research-related intranet content, faculty communications and newsletters, as applicable.
• Stay informed of procedural, regulatory, and University updates and system changes related to sponsored research workflows.

Customer Service & Communication

• Respond promptly to routine faculty and staff inquiries regarding sponsored research processes.
• Provide basic guidance on process requirements and direct complex policy questions to appropriate team member(s).
• Assist with preparation and distribution of guidance materials and communications to the HBS research community.
• Support logistics and material generation for training sessions and informational meetings related to sponsored research administration.
• Escalate complex compliance, budgetary, or policy interpretation issues to appropriate team member(s), as appropriate.
• Builds trust and collaboration by being present on-site and engaging directly with colleagues and various constituents
• Responsible for other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications:

• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent required.
• 5+ years of experience in an academic, sponsored research, grants administration, or comparable administrative environment required.
• Education beyond high school may count toward experience.
• Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook) experience is a must.
• Experience supporting structured processes, managing documentation, or working with data tracking systems.

Additional Qualifications and Skills:

• Collaborative, creative problem-solver, excellent team player with maturity, judgment and diplomacy, comfort with ambiguity and changing priorities.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, strong attention to detail, and ability to work collaboratively across teams and units with faculty and staff throughout an organization.
• An understanding of and ability to manage confidential information.

• A strong customer service orientation with experience exercising diplomacy with high profile clients.
• Takes initiative and ownership of work, following through to completion and executing with an appropriate sense of urgency.

Additional Information

• Standard Hours/Schedule: 40 hours per week, overtime eligible role
• Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position
• Pre-Employment Screening: Identity
• Other Information:
  • This is a hybrid position which we consider to be a combination of onsite and remote work at our Boston, MA based campus. This department expects staff to be onsite a minimum of 3 days per week and departments to provide onsite coverage Monday – Friday. Specific hours and days onsite will be determined by business needs and are subject to change with appropriate advanced notice.
  • A cover letter is required to be considered for this opportunity.
  • We may conduct candidate interviews virtually (phone and/or via Zoom) and/or in-person for this role.

  • #LI-PG1 

Work Format Details

This position has been determined by school or unit leaders that some of the duties and responsibilities can be effectively performed at a non-Harvard location. The work schedule and location will be set by the department at its discretion and based upon operational needs. When not working at a Harvard or Harvard-designated location, employees in hybrid positions must work in a Harvard registered state in compliance with the University’s Policy on Employment Outside of Massachusetts. Additional details will be discussed during the interview process. Certain visa types and funding sources may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.

Salary Grade and Ranges

This position is salary grade level 055. Please visit  Harvard's Salary Ranges  to view the corresponding salary range and related information. 

Benefits

Harvard offers a comprehensive benefits package that is designed to support a healthy work-life balance and your physical, mental and financial wellbeing. Because here, you are what matters. Our benefits include, but are not limited to: 

• Generous paid time off including parental leave 
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one 
• Retirement plans with university contributions 
• Wellbeing and mental health resources 
• Support for families and caregivers 
• Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement 
• Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks 

Learn more about these and additional benefits on our Benefits & Wellbeing Page. 

EEO/Non-Discrimination Commitment Statement

Harvard University is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. We seek talent from all parts of society and the world, and we strive to ensure everyone at Harvard thrives. Our differences help our community advance Harvard's academic purposes.

Harvard has an equal employment opportunity policy that outlines our commitment to prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, religion, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or identified in the university's non-discrimination policy. Harvard's equal employment opportunity policy and non-discrimination policy help all community members participate fully in work and campus life free from harassment and discrimination.