Manager, Research Portfolio Services (Lead Liaison)

• Location: Fayetteville, AR
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Closing Date

10/23/2026

Type of Position

Sponsored Program Administration

Workstudy Position

Job Type

Regular

Work Shift

Sponsorship Available

No

Institution Name

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas is a land grant institution, classified by the Carnegie Foundation among the nation’s top 2 percent of universities with the highest level of research activity. The University of Arkansas works to advance the state and build a better world through education, research, and outreach by providing transformational opportunities and skills, fostering a welcoming climate, and nurturing creativity, discovery, and the spread of new ideas and innovations.

The University of Arkansas campus is located in Fayetteville, a welcoming community ranked as one of the best places to live in the U.S. The growing region surrounding Fayetteville is home to numerous Fortune 500 companies and one of the nation’s strongest economies. Northwest Arkansas is also quickly gaining a national reputation for its focus on the arts and overall quality of life.

As an employer, the University of Arkansas offers a vibrant work environment and a workplace culture that promotes a healthy work-life balance. The benefits package includes university contributions to health, dental, life and disability insurance, tuition waivers for employees and their families, 12 official holidays, immediate leave accrual, and a choice of retirement programs with university contributions ranging from 5 to 10% of employee salary.

Below you will find the details for the position including any supplementary documentation and questions, you should review before applying for the opening.

If you have a disability and need assistance with the hiring process, please submit a request via the Disability Accommodations | OEOC | University of Arkansas (uark.edu) : Request an Accommodation. Appli­cants are required to submit a request for each position of which they have applied.

For general application assistance or if you have questions about a job posting, please contact Human Resources at 479.575.5351.

Department

Campus Research Services

Department's Website

Summary of Job Duties

The Manager, Research Portfolio Services (Lead Liaison) provides leadership and operational oversight to a team of Award Liaisons that manage the financial administration of faculty research portfolios. Reporting to the Director of Campus Research Services, this role supervises a team of Award Liaisons and ensures consistent, compliant, and high-quality post-award financial management services under a service level agreement (SLA) with client unit(s).

The Manager serves as a senior subject matter expert, overseeing complex and high-risk research portfolios, establishing financial management standards, and advising faculty and leadership on financial projections, risk mitigation, and resource allocation. The position develops operational work plans, coordinates logistics, and secures resources necessary to support designated research programs and unit objectives in alignment with institutional priorities.

As the primary escalation point for financial, compliance, and operational issues, this role works closely with academic departments, leadership, and administrative partners to ensure adherence to institutional and sponsor requirements. The Manager is responsible for training and developing staff in research administration logistics and compliance requirements to strengthen team competencies and promote best practices. The position manages staff in the execution of unit operations, oversees workload distribution and performance, and fosters a culture of continuous improvement and service excellence.

Key responsibilities include team leadership and development; oversight and approval of unit expenditures; auditing budgets, accounting systems, and reporting activities to ensure compliance with established guidelines; oversight of financial transactions and reporting; management of complex post-award actions; compliance monitoring; support for audits and reviews; and communication and change management related to research administration policies and practices within the college. Success is demonstrated through strong financial stewardship, effective team leadership, operational excellence, consistent adherence to the SLA, regulatory compliance, and high stakeholder satisfaction.

Regular, reliable, and non-disruptive attendance is an essential job duty, as is the ability to create and maintain collegial, harmonious working relationships with others.