Research Administration Crisis Manager, Solution Pioneer
Solving The Problem
Academic Medical Centers, University hospitals and professional staffing firms are facing an unprecedented shortage of qualified staff to manage sponsored research portfolios. That, combined with prolonged vacancies and an increase in funding has led to a crisis, where neglected grant accounts are in dire need of clean-up to be compliant. With over 2 decades of experience in cradle to grave grants management, compliance, financial analysis and crisis management, I help organizations clean-up their grant portfolios to be audit ready. I work directly with organizations, and also have collaborated on projects with large firms who find their in-house resources tapped out. My aggressive, 360-degree approach to grant reconciliation and clean-up is effective, efficient, and sets organizations up to sustain systems and maintain compliance in the future. It’s never too late to start!
The issue.
Why are so many organizations feeling the mounting pressure of research accounting and falling behind? Why does it feel like everyone is always in reaction mode; constantly putting out fires and jumping from one crisis to the next? Survey results show that overall, research administrators are burnt out! Of those surveyed, an overwhelming majority feel the workloads are unsustainable, and clean-up feels like an insurmountable task. Hiring experienced consultants can help bring portfolios into compliance and get your staff on the right track for sustained success.
By the numbers, what RAs have to say
Bring order to the chaos
There are very few problems that don’t have solutions, but untangling prolonged financial neglect requires skill and deep experience. Specialized consultants, like me, take emotion out of the equation and focus on solving the problem. I will help your staff get caught up, and help build infrastructure and hygienic business processes that support staying caught up.
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Keep reading to see how we can help get you from where you are now, to where you need to be!
Grants Crisis Management
I often joke that research accounting is accounting, in 3D. Those familiar with grant accounting know that nothing is ever as it seems. Every change when cleaning up an account has a cascading impact on other accounts. Resolving a research financial crisis means looking at the big picture, while understanding how the granular details fit into that picture. It requires a knowledge of how, when and where every transaction connects to another. I excel at seeing the complexities, and understanding the actions needed to bring even the most catastrophic accounts into pristine, audit ready condition. I have decades of experience in account clean-up and it has become a real passion of mine!
In addition to finding problems, I have experience in multiple finance systems such as Peoplesoft, Banner and Workday. I have experience doing comp and non comp journal entries, updating salary and effort reporting, rate negotiation and PMS/FFR reconciliation to the general ledger. Grant clean-up isn’t just about moving expenses around where money is available, it’s about making sure expenses follow the work, and are reallocated following sponsor guidelines for expending research dollars. Don’t let your clean-up effort turn into a another mess by trying to move through this process in a hurry!
Process Streamlining & Improvement
No one ever wants to be in a situation where grants have to be cleaned up. The ideal state is proactively managing expenses so accounts are compliant from day 1 till the end. But, that’s not the reality in our industry. In doing deep dive clean-ups, I have the unique opportunity to see the business processes and inefficiencies that lead to suboptimal grants management. I take what I learn in the clean-up phase to empower clients to set up best practices, procedures and SOPs to be in the driver’s seat of their research accounting.
Training & Education
This is a high burn out job. If you find your staff is lethargic, unmotivated or unproductive, I can inject new energy and enthusiasm so you have a more productive and happy workforce. Over the past 20 years working in Research administration, I have had the pleasure of training dozens of RAs at various stages in their careers be more deliberate, and in control of their portfolios. I have run a number of pipeline programs to train inexperienced candidates with transferable skills understand the RA role with a rigorous curriculum covering both per and post award. Many of my former students have gone on to senior roles within academia. I have also taught at NCURA and smaller intimate trainings on a variety of topics impacting our field. My goal in every training is to excite my audience about the work, inspire them to strive for excellence in their daily tasks, and provide real world tools and resources to help them achieve mastery over their accounts.
TESTIMONIALS
Straight from the Source
I received NIH funding to conduct a large multi-center, international, clinical trial. The task was too big for my research administrator and we began to encounter numerous difficulties with the administration of the grant. Then, Saira came to the rescue. Our institution hired Saira as a consultant to “clean a significant and tangled mess” spanning multiple budgets, deadlines, compliance requirements, and communication across several institutions in multiple countries. Within a few weeks, Saira was able to grasp and resolve complex and urgent administrative issues to get us back on the right track. She did it with grace, professionalism, remarkable calmness, persistence, self-confidence, strategic thinking, excellent communication skills, and collaborative spirit. What could easily have become a long-term setback for our research program was instead handled swiftly, accurately, and with a level of organization that exceeded all expectations. Saira's ability to break down the problem, chart a path forward, and execute each step with precision was invaluable. Thanks to her efforts, we were able to restore order to a process that had previously felt unmanageable. It has been my great pleasure to work with Saira. She is by far my favorite research administrator throughout my career. Her work ethics, personal attributes, and willingness to go above and beyond when challenges arise make her an asset to any organization fortunate enough to have her.
Magdy Selim, MD, PhD
I have found Saira to be unfalteringly pleasant and enthusiastic. She has an uncanny talent for being able to dissect large, complex problems and provide workable solutions. In our time working together she has helped to resolve issues that had been at a stalemate for months. Her approach to problem resolution is a breath of fresh air. Her knowledge seems to span the continuum of research. I would wholeheartedly work with Saira again and hope that our paths cross in the future as I’ve found her to be an excellent colleague.
Marina Rodriguez
Executive Director Research Administration,Lewis Katz School of Medicine
I am writing to give you the best possible recommendation for Saira, an exceptional consultant over the past two years. Her outstanding performance, strategic insights, and unwavering professionalism have been instrumental to our success.
Throughout her tenure, Saira has consistently demonstrated remarkable expertise and commitment. Her ability to analyze complex challenges and develop innovative solutions has set her apart as an extraordinary professional. She has not just met our expectations—she has far exceeded them, bringing a level of excellence that has allowed us to manage an overwhelming backlog of old awards and move forward with confidence that this will not reoccur.
What truly distinguishes Saira is her exceptional blend of technical skills, strategic thinking, and interpersonal excellence. She communicates complex ideas with clarity, collaborates seamlessly with teams at all levels, and approaches challenges with creativity and resilience.
Her work ethic is unparalleled. She consistently goes above and beyond, demonstrating a genuine commitment to our organization's success.
I would recommend Saira without any reservation. She would be an extraordinary asset to any organization fortunate enough to work with her.
