Specialist, Institute for Global Health and Development

Introduction

The Aga Khan University’s Institute for Global Health and Development (IGHD) was established in the year 2020 to serve as a University-wide entity for providing a unique platform for facilitating strategic engagements and partnerships between AKU, University of Central Asia and the wider Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). IGHD aims to address global health and environmental challenges by creating a multi-disciplinary support system and infrastructure, whereby researchers across campuses and regions can collaborate and contribute.

The IGHD works across four thematic areas, including Sustainable Development Goals (including Broad Social Determinants of Health); Gender Equity and Empowerment; Climate Change, Urban Development, and Health, and; Agriculture, Food Security, and Nutrition.

As an equal opportunity employer, AKU believes in promoting a diverse and inclusive culture and is committed to adopt appropriate standards for safeguarding and promoting a respectful relationship with and between diverse workforce of its faculty, staff, trainees, volunteers, beneficiaries, wider communities, and other stakeholders with whom it works, including children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees/trainees and partners to share this commitment.

Responsibilities

You will be responsible to supervise project activities related to field and data management to ensure quality control, while maintaining good working relationship with staff, community and various stakeholders involved. Specific responsibilities will be to:

• Negotiation with University’s various departments for timely completion of grant checklist processProvides advice and guidance regarding sponsored projects administration to PI
• Acts as liaison between PI and Office of Research and Graduate Studies to resolve pressing concerns in time for meeting submission deadlines.
• Conducting regular sessions for PI and senior research staff on dynamics and regular updates in due diligence process. 
• Reviewing the proposal in light of institutional as well as prospective granting agency’s requirements.
• Using advanced contracts and grants concepts to manage a high volume of proposals and subawards; many involving significant complexity; this involves liaising with legal department.
• Keeping oneself abreast of frequent developments in research and grants Administration field (like CFR, AFR, etc).
• Assisting in resolving modifications issues that may involve contacting funding agency;
• Review specific terms and conditions to answer questions regarding allowability of expenses;
• Audit of subcontracts for appropriate allocation of funding
• Ensuring that each project ends with a "closeout process” that is all work has been completed, required reports have been submitted, and any outstanding financial matters have been resolved
• To provide logistics and fleet management support on both national and international levels
• Ensuring that all active projects have valid ERC this may involve sending regular progress report of the project;
• Guiding faculty members on how to inform ERC regarding changes in proposals and also keeping ERC well informed.
• Timely submission of any new applications/ exemptions for Departmental Research Committee and subsequently submitting it to ERC. 
• Coordinate between other departments to AKU to ensure our research grants are in accordance with regulatory requirements of granting agency. 
• Monitor and discuss the Grants Variance Report (GVR) with PI about corrective and preventive measures with respect to utilization of grants
• Developing and implementing stringent and internationally acceptable Programme and Financial Audit systems to adhere to various granting agencies' rules and regulations to ensure 'zero' observation in external audits
• Conduct financial and administrative audits at the field sites (outside and within Karachi)
• Conduct project monitoring visits at the field sites to ensure that project activities are in line with the agreed upon timelines with the granting agencies

Requirements

You should have:

• Masters of Business Administration (MBA) 
•  Certification in research and grants administration will be an added advantage
• At least three or four year experience in Research and Grants Administration 

• Adept knowledge of research  administration,  US Federal and non-Federal sponsors supporting research and educational activities preferably in a university environment (Institutes of Higher Education);

  
  

• Sound knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Code of Federal Regulations (CFAR, USA), OMB Circulars (Office of Management and Budgeting, USA, circulars applicable to foreign universities, A-21, A-110, A-133), sponsor-specific policies, intellectual property policy, conflict of interest requirements, publication rights, contract negotiation, application of indirect cost rates and other necessary concepts and their applications in research administration field;

  
  

• Knowledge and applicability of the new 2 CFR Part 200 (Uniform Guidance), the consolidated guidelines to manage US Federally and non-federally funded research grants;

  
  

• Knowledge and applicability of SAM (Systems of Award Management), eCommons, and similar other online grants submission and management ERPs of granting agencies.

  
  

• Maintains knowledge of and ability to interpret and apply sponsor, institutional and departmental policies;

  
  

• Independently negotiates and manages research grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts with international granting agencies in line with institutional legal and regulatory requirements;

  
  

• Excellent working experience with all types of award mechanisms, including grants, contracts, subcontracts, cooperative agreements, sub-awards, and Purchase Orders;

  
  

• Requires independent judgment and strong organization and communication skills with customer service focus;

  
  

• Stays updated on compliance regulations in all areas of research administration;

  
  

• Timely completion of University’s due diligence process.

  
  

• Any other task assigned by supervisor