Sr. Grants & Contracts Analyst

We are seeking a Sr. Grants & Contracts Analyst who will support the Laboratory for Computational Sensing & Robotics (LCSR) as part of the LCSR finance team within the Whiting School of Engineering. This will be a fast-paced, multi-tasking and visible position that is part of a dynamic team of administrative, financial, academic, communications, and programmatic staff that work together in teams and working groups to provide support to the faculty, and students, of the center. This position will include extensive internal and external interaction with faculty, staff, students, and other collaborators of LCSR through written correspondence, face-to-face interaction.

The position is expected to maintain a high degree of professionalism and trust on the telephone, in person, on zoom, and via electronic communication, and must be able to prioritize and multitask based on changing needs and deadlines. Inter- and intra-office communication and teamwork skills are critical. This position will perform duties of a sensitive and highly detailed, technical nature, exercising administrative judgment and maintaining responsibility for quality of service and discretion.

The Sr. Grants and Contracts Analyst will provide dedicated professional-level sponsored funds management for more than 80% of time with specific responsibility for pre-award and post-award functions that includes, but may not be limited to: proposal preparation, submission, budget development, account maintenance and oversight, billing/invoicing, reporting, compliance, and closeout. Works independently on a variety of grants/contracts that range from simple to highly complex. While this role will assist with some aspects of non-sponsored funds, the primary goal of this position is to ensure the timely, effective and efficient functioning of sponsored funding activities.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Partner with and act as final point of contact with departmental faculty and/or budgetary staff and the Office of Research Administration toward the planning and development of
• application submissions to various federal offices, private agencies/foundations and commercial companies.
• Understand and utilize institutional policies for pre-award grant process and sponsor guidelines.
• Review all sponsored project proposals for assigned faculty prior to them being forwarded to the Grants & Contracts Manager and ORA for signature. Review involves accuracy, content, adherence to all relevant guidelines.
• Responsible for the timely preparation of proposal budget for principal investigator review. Provide instruction, preparation assistance and support related to grant application procedures.
• Serve as liaison between research units, central offices and funding agencies. Review budgets and related justification for appropriateness and completeness of content. Provide groundwork for subcontract negotiations.
• Ensure compliance in all other areas related to grant and contract management, including sponsoring organization guidelines, internal protocols, accurate protocol information within grant documents, conflicts of interest, etc.
• Manage all assigned grant submissions to ensure timeliness and accuracy.
• Maintain ongoing updates and communications related to current grants and contracts, this includes regular auditing and reporting to principal investigators on financial status of grants, contracts and discretionary accounts. Also provide relevant updates and reports to departmental leadership, as needed.
• Manage related post-award processes, including award setup, review, account setup verification, and ensuring that staff is setup appropriately.
• Ensure that post-award responsibilities are completed, including budget distribution, account reconciliation, e-form setup, effort reporting, cost transfers, paying invoices, paperwork finalization related to subcontract setup, Procurement card and reimbursement approvals.
• Oversee and direct all aspects of complex award management activities and provide oversight to other employees, including monitoring and managing accounts, audits, evaluations and reporting.
• Provide information and direct assistance required to complete contract and grant closeouts, as needed. Ensure that all closeouts handled by other members of the grants & contracts team have been handled appropriately.

Job Scope/Complexity

• Will provide broad/in-depth professional administrative level guidance on protocols, regulations and guidelines to PI and other scientific/research professionals, both within the University and with other associated research/administrative professionals outside of the University.
• This position offers guidance and learning support to Grants & Contracts Analysts, Specialists and Coordinators within