Post-Award Grants Manager, VSEC/Institute of National Security

The Grant Manager is part of the Vanderbilt Center for Sustainability, Energy and Climate and the Institute of National Security within the School of Engineering (VUSE) at Vanderbilt University. The position requires a working knowledge and understanding of pre- and post-award grants management to serve the work unit. It involves exercising independent judgment, initiative, and the ability to make decisions and follow internal procedures related to the department’s operations, as well as other assigned tasks.

The position will function with a high degree of understanding of university life, policies, and procedures.

This Grant Manager position is post-award focused, but some pre-award responsibilities might be required with this position.

About the Work Unit:
The Vanderbilt Center for Sustainability, Energy and Climate (VSEC) advances rigorous, high-level research, educational opportunities, entrepreneurship, and partnerships in sustainability, energy and climate. It brings together Vanderbilt University’s expertise in engineering, science, law, policy, education and other disciplines to investigate major challenges such as energy integration; resource sustainability; climate change mitigation and adaptation; and systems risk, reliability and resilience

VSEC embodies Vanderbilt’s “radical collaboration” approach to create solutions that make real impact.

The Vanderbilt Institute of National Security is an academic proving ground for future national security leaders and a hub for innovation and pragmatic solutions—advancing national security and making the nation safer today. We offer the national security community access to top student talent and fresh thinking from a university rooted in open debate, radical collaboration, and real-world impact The Institute also provides a trusted space to convene leaders, experts, and students for conversations about the pressing challenges facing our nation and the world.

Key Functions and Expected Performance:
Post-award responsibilities may include:
Analyzes and interprets complex grants and contract specifications, guidelines, and regulations. 

Monitors, analyzes and manages budgets and expenditures along with all aspects of the grants to ensure that compliance with sponsor terms and conditions, Uniform Guidelines, and University policies is maintained.

Creates budget reconciliation and forecasting reports and uses these reports to meet regularly with faculty to review effort and their financial situations.

Ensures compliance with requirements such as effort reporting, financial & progress reporting.

Collaborate with sponsors for appropriate prior approval requests, extensions, budget revisions, and general questions.

Human Capital Management (HCM) Costing Specialist

Completes timely journal entries as necessary, grant closeouts, etc. Assisting with rate setting/implementation for PI/Faculty Service Center(s) Performs other duties as assigned

Pre-award responsibilities may include:
Provides policy guidance and assistance with all aspects of proposal development, administrative forms, sponsor-required certifications and representations, and compliance requirements.

Develops an appropriate budget

Works directly with the Principal Investigators & collaborators, and will interface with central administrative offices to ensure that the applications meet all university, school and sponsor requirements

Assists with JIT

Assists with C&P and Other Support documents Responds to sponsor requests and questions

Supervisory Relationships:
This position does not have supervisory responsibility, this position reports administratively and functionally to the Sr. Administrative Officer of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Education and Certifications:
Bachelor’s degree – preference in finance, accounting, or business is strongly preferred

Experience and Skills:
3+ years of experience in pre- and post-award management experience (both federal and non- federal), required; a combination of education and experience may be considered

Financial Unit Manager (FUM) and Procurement training is preferred

Strong administrative support skills

Excellent organizational and time management skills Excellent written and verbal skills

Outstanding attention to detail

Problem-solving skills and the ability to be flexible required

Experience working with investigators on the management of complex research awards and working with a variety of sponsors

Intermediate Excel skills

Advanced working knowledge of research compliance issues & key fede