Contract and Grants Specialist I, II, III or Senior

Position Function:

This position manages and provides support for pre and/or post-award activities within a department for extramural projects including proposal development assistance, accounting reconciliations and forecasts, contract and grant management. Rankings and qualifications within levels (I, II, III, Senior) are based on education and experience.

Salary Grade:  Salary grades 13-15, depending on level

Please see Staff Compensation Structure for salary ranges. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

•Assists Principal Investigators (PIs) in the development, preparation, and submission of
grant and contract proposals.
• Ensures all applications comply with agency and university guidelines.
• Assists PI with adherence to funding agency requirements (budget requirements, bio
sketches, current & pending support, other required forms, cost sharing obligations, etc.)
for consistency, accuracy, and completeness.
• Coordinates with PI and pre-award and/or post-award support staff at collaborating
institutions to secure necessary subaward documents for proposals.
• Ensures proposals are entered and routed in a timely manner for further review.
• Provides monthly sponsored account reports and balances, reviews expenditures for
compliance, resolves accounting issues, and prepares spending projections for awards.
• Monitors proposal and award (non-financial/financial) status and advises PI on
requirements and deadlines associated with reports, research protection and protocols.
• Advises the PI and assists with budget adjustments, modifications, and revisions
necessary to meet the sponsor requirements.
• Assists PI with navigating search tools and communicates funding opportunities and
proposals.
• Stays informed of sponsor updates and changes relative to grants administration.
• Knows policies and procedures applicable to assigned duties.
• Provides guidance, training, and support for departmental staff.
• Performs similar or related duties as assigned or required.

Minimum Qualifications:

Contract & Grant Specialist I - Bachelor’s Degree in a related field and one year of relevant experience.
Contract & Grant Specialist II - Bachelor’s Degree in a related field and three years of relevant experience.
Contract & Grant Specialist III - Bachelor’s Degree in a related field and five years of relevant experience.
Senior Contract & Grants Specialist - Master’s Degree and a Professional Certification related to Research Administration (CRA, CPRA, CFRA, or PMP) and five years of relevant experience.

Substitution for Education: Two years of experience may be substituted for a master’s degree at the senior level.
Substitution for Experience: None.

Preferred Qualifications:

Three years’ experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified.

Knowledge of the Uniform Guidance (OMB Circulars) and standard cost accounting.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to analyze budgetary line items for compliance with budget guidelines.
• Ability to perform complex tasks and to prioritize multiple projects.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Information research skills.
• Database management skills.
• Organizing and coordinating skills.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a
wide range of constituencies in the community.
• Spreadsheet, database, and word processing skills mandatory.
• Knowledge of mathematics.
• Ability to provide technical advice and information to faculty and staff in area of expertise.
• Knowledge of federal, state and/or community funding sources and mechanisms.
• Records maintenance skills.
• Knowledge of grant funding policies and procedures and applicable local, state, federal
and university regulations.
• Knowledge of the Uniform Guidance (OMB Circulars) and standard cost accounting.
• Ability to make administrative/procedural decisions and judgments.
• Attention to detail.

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

1. No unusual physical requirements.
2. Requires no heavy lifting, and nearly all work is performed in a comfortable indoor facility.
3. Frequent - Externally imposed deadlines; set and revised beyond one’s control;
interruptions influence priorities; difficult to anticipate nature or volume of work