Assistant Manager / Senior Assistant Manager (Research Grant Management)

The Assistant Manager / Senior Assistant Manager is responsible for overseeing and coordinating the end-to-end administration, governance, and operational management of research grants and funded programmes across the grant lifecycle effectively.

This role serves as a key liaison between Principal Investigators (PIs), research teams, internal and external stakeholders to oversee pre-award and post-award grant activities, monitor grant utilization and reporting requirements, manpower management and ensure timely resolution of operational and compliance matters, for smooth coordination, accountability, and delivery of funded research initiatives.

A strong foundation in scientific concepts is preferred, as the role requires reviewing research proposals and related documents to support administrative processes effectively. The incumbent may be assigned additional responsibilities by the supervisor where necessary.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

1. Pre-Award Grant Administration

• Assist in the preparation, submission, and tracking of research grant applications.
• Ensure compliance with funding requirements, institutional policies, and deadlines.
• Liaise with PIs and research teams to gather necessary documentation.
• Maintain accurate records of grant-related documents and communications.
• Review scientific proposals to ensure administrative completeness and compliance

2. Post-Award Grant Management and Compliance

• Manage post-award grant administration, including grant activation, budget tracking, and project monitoring.
• Monitor grant utilization, milestones, and project timelines.
• Track grant lifecycle for clear visibility.
• Manage grant variations and extensions where required.
• Ensure proper documentation and maintenance of grant records.
• Identify operational risks and escalate issues where necessary.

3. Financial Management and Budget Oversight

• Oversee and manage financial aspects of grants, including budgeting, expenditure monitoring and forecasting
• Verify claim statements
• Support research-related procurement and financial tracking where necessary

4. Stakeholder Management and Support

• Serve as key point of contact for internal and external stakeholders on grant-related matters.
• Ensure clear and accurate documentation of research activities and administrative processes.
• Support audit and compliance checks as required.

5. Manpower Management and Administrative Coordination

• Coordinate manpower-related processes for grant-funded projects including recruitment, onboarding, contract renewals, and staff appointments.
• Monitor and forecast staffing timelines, manpower allocations and funding support in accordance with approved budgets and institutional policies.
• Maintain up-to-date manpower records for staff and clinical fellows

6. Contracts and Agreements Management

• Draft, review and negotiate research contracts, collaboration agreements, material transfer agreements etc., while liasing with legal teams.
• Monitor compliance with contractual obligations and funding terms.
• Contract lifecycle management.
• Study and understand relevant IRB protocols to advise research teams about study feasibility.

7. Research Infrastructure/Programme Development and Strategic Support

• Manage and contribute to the planning and implementation of new research initiatives, platforms, of foundational capabilities.
• Support the establishment, implementation, and operationalization of research and grant management infrastructure to support research programmes and strategic initiatives.
• Coordinate processes, workflows and governance frameworks required to support the research programme operations.
• Support onboarding and coordination of research programme resources, stakeholders and operational requirements.

Key Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Biomedical Sciences, Life Science, or a related field.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including preparation of grant documentation reports and correspondence.
• Experience in grant administration, research management or research operations.
• Demonstrated experience in budget preparation, financial tracking for research grants.
• Experience in contract management of research agreements (i.e. work plan creation/amendment, facilitating contract discussions).
• Good critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Possess an understanding of medical and clinical research terminology.
• Candidate should preferably have background in cancer biology and/or genomics and data science.
• Self-motivated and team player.
• Ability to complete tasks independently with minimal supervision.
• Ability to work on multiple projects involving multiple stakeholders concurrently.
• Adaptability and able to navigate within an evolving research and regulatory landscape.
• Good organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Attention to detail with strong documentation and record-keeping skills.