Research Administrator on Leave: How to Manage Portfolio Coverage
Research administrators play a vital role in supporting the research missions of their institutions. They manage a wide range of tasks including grant submission, financial management, and compliance. When a research administrator goes on leave, it can be disruptive to the research portfolio. However, there are steps that can be taken to minimize the impact and ensure that research activities continue to move forward smoothly.
Identify the critical tasks and responsibilities of the research administrator on leave.
This is the first step in developing a plan to manage portfolio coverage. Once you have identified the critical tasks and responsibilities, you can assess which ones can be reassigned to other staff members and which ones will require additional support.
Reassign tasks and responsibilities to other staff members whenever possible.
If you have other staff members with the necessary skills and experience, you can reassign some of the research administrator's tasks and responsibilities to them. This may require some cross-training and coordination, but it can be a good way to minimize the impact of the administrator's absence. You should also consider temporary pay adjustments to incentivize portfolio coverage with your staff.
Identify and secure additional support.
If you cannot reassign all of the research administrator's tasks and responsibilities to other staff members, you may need to secure additional support. This could involve hiring a temporary employee, contracting with a consultant, or delegating tasks to faculty members.
Develop a communication plan.
It is important to communicate with faculty and other staff members about the research administrator's absence and how portfolio coverage will be managed. This will help to minimize uncertainty and disruption. The communication plan should include the following information:
- The start and end dates of the research administrator's leave
- Who will be responsible for each of the research administrator's tasks and responsibilities
- How to contact the staff members who will be providing coverage
Monitor the portfolio closely and provide support as needed.
Once the research administrator is on leave, it is important to monitor the portfolio closely and provide support to the staff members who are providing coverage. This may involve meeting with staff members regularly to discuss their workload, providing guidance on specific tasks, and helping to resolve any issues that arise.
Here are some additional tips for managing portfolio coverage when a research administrator is on leave:
- Be proactive. Don't wait until the research administrator is on leave to start planning for portfolio coverage. Begin planning as soon as possible to ensure that there is a smooth transition.
- Be flexible. Things don't always go according to plan, so be prepared to adjust as needed. If a staff member who is providing coverage becomes overwhelmed or unable to continue, be prepared to reassign tasks or secure additional support.
- Be communicative. Keep faculty and other staff members informed about the research administrator's absence and how portfolio coverage is being managed. This will help to minimize uncertainty and disruption.
When it is time for your research administrator to return to work, create transition plans for the employee’s re-entry to the work. Some tips to make this easier:
- Do not schedule meetings for the first few days to allow research administrators to get through their email inbox.
- Create transition plans to slowly transition the work back to the research administrator.
- Make sure to highlight any important federal or state updates that occurred during the leave.
Authored by Sabrina Heisey, Program Manager, Psychiatry Research
Boston Children’s Hospital
#December2023