Senior Contracts and Grant Specialist
- Employer
- Lehigh University
- Location
- Bethlehem, PA
View more
- Administrative Jobs
- Academic Affairs, Sponsored Programs, Grants & Contracts
- Institution Type
- Four-Year Institution
Job Details
A Senior Contracts and Grant Specialist in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs plays a key role in the University's goal of excellence in research by providing a supportive environment for proposal review and submission; providing oversight, management and appropriate stewardship of sponsored funding; maintaining a broad interface with sponsors and the research and educational communities; and interpreting, implementing and monitoring government and sponsor mandates as they affect the management of grants and contracts. Functions with broad latitude using individual judgment and independent action and requires continuous education in the field. A Senior Contracts and Grant Specialist serves as an Authorized Institutional Representative for the University for all proposals, research and training contracts, subcontracts, cooperative agreements, grants, representations and certifications, or other agreements with a dollar value up to and including $1,000,000.
Accountabilities:- Administers, coordinates and facilitates proposal preparation and submission through direct counsel with researchers, Authorized Institutional Representatives and sponsors
- Directs budget development for single-investigator and large multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary project proposals
- Serves as liaison with subcontractors to secure proposal subcontractor budgets, certifications and statements of work
- Develops comprehensive budget justifications
- Reviews sponsor guidelines for specific submission requirements, including cost sharing, and counsels faculty
- Coordinates and documents cost sharing commitments with faculty and internal/external sources
- Coordinates with other University administrative offices to facilitate decisions regarding indirect cost rates (overhead) and any other deviation or exception from University policies
- Edits and proofreads proposals
- Responds to requests for research-related data
- Coordinates with investigator and authorized institutional officials to ensure proposal submission is in compliance with sponsor guidelines and submitted on time
- Tracks proposal status and provides additional information requested by sponsors
- Trains Contract and Grant Specialists
- Coordinates with Environmental Health and Safety and Risk Management to comply with University policies and government mandates
- Recommends standardized agreements, including materials transfer and confidentiality agreements to faculty
- Develops and maintains relationships with external personnel such as government administrators, subcontractors and collaborator representatives
- Authorized to approve and sign as a Lehigh Authorized Institutional Representative for proposals requesting up to $1,000,000 in direct costs
- Assist faculty members in interpreting and meeting the sponsor guidelines for specific submission requirements; including cost sharing
- Operates autonomously to collaborate with sponsor officials, subcontracting officials and collaborator representatives to identify, direct and implement effective procedures for cooperative research programs
- Performs duties with the highest level of confidentiality and propriety
- Creates, negotiates and manages grants, contracts and agreements for sponsored research and research/testing projects in academic departments, centers or institutes
- Serves as liaison with outside consultants, sponsor representatives and partner organizations
- Negotiates with sponsors to determine final terms and conditions
- Negotiates revised budgets with sponsor in collaboration with faculty and the research community
- Confirms and secures cost sharing commitments from internal and external sources
- Counsels faculty and the research community with respect to the terms and conditions regulating funded projects
- Advises personnel of collaborating organizations on subcontract requirements
- Finalizes and executes subcontract agreements
- Coordinates with Environmental Health and Safety and Risk Management to comply with University policies and government mandates
- Directs and advises authorized institutional representatives regarding legally binding documents
- Authorized to approve and sign as a Lehigh Authorized Institutional Representative for awards of $1,000,000 in direct costs
- Stays abreast of federal and state regulations, circulars and guidelines to ensure negotiated awards and contracts and University policies are in compliance and advises faculty and the research community
- Reviews requests for proposals and other solicitations with respect to research program and project guidelines
- Provides guidance and counsel to faculty, departmental and center administrators regarding research compliance issues, policies and procedures from project inception through audit
- Authorizes and produces source documents to establish new project accounts
- Counsels faculty and research community with respect to the implementation of the terms and conditions regulating funded projects, including allowable use of research funds and prior approval requirements
- Communicates sponsor financial requirements to research accounting and assists with accounts receivable resolution as needed
- Monitors and documents cost-sharing commitments from internal and external sources
- Reviews and approves payroll, purchases, proposals and research agreements submitted by the department administrators or administrators in research centers and institutes and reallocations for validity and availability of funds
- Reviews and analyzes current and projected budgetary needs, makes recommendations for changes and prepares reports
- Reviews and resolves research fund deficits, discrepancies and problems
- Maintains project files to comply with record retention requirements
- Directs and coordinates closeout of research projects
- Provides information to internal and external auditors
- Assists in and provides documentation for resolution of cases involving alleged misconduct in science
- Develops and maintains relationships with external personnel, such as government administrators, subcontractors and collaborator representatives
- Interprets University regulations and government mandates and advises faculty and the research community
- Proposes updates to University policies accordingly
- Maintains broad interface with federal/state sponsors, industry and the research and educational community at large
- Serves as liaison with outside consultants, sponsor representatives and partner organizations
- Assists investigators in interpreting the University's accounting system.
- Confers with individuals and groups on financial accounting topics.
- Organizes meetings/training with Departmental, Center and Institute administrators on research hot topics.
- Confers with General Counsel, Office of Technology Transfer regarding intellectual property, confidentiality and regulatory issues.
- Monitors, evaluates and disseminates changes in government regulations and analyzes impact on University policies
- Maintains broad knowledge and keeps current of the research administration field
- Interprets government mandates and University regulations
- On a continuous basis: monitors literature, reports and newsletters to maintain knowledge of the field of research administration and identifies areas needing improvement including policies, processes and procedures
- Maintains Certified Research Administrator status through continuing education credits as required by RACC
- Plans, presents, and/or facilitates informational and educational programs for research community, serves on assigned committees, fulfills other University administrative service roles, and performs other duties as assigned or self-initiated
- Provides training to individuals and groups
- Educates the research community through various means such as workshops, training sessions, newsletters and one-on-one interactions
- Develops and/or reviews content of departmental communications to ensure information accuracy and consistency with strategy, policies and procedures
- May serve on or lead project teams and/or committees
- May present or facilitate informational and/or workplace learning programs
- Contributes to the development and application of research administration policies and procedures
- Ensures University compliance with Uniform Guidance (200.330–332) Subrecipient Monitoring and Management
- Plans, performs and documents subrecipient risk assessments and monitoring; including follow-up of subrecipients with reported deficiencies pertaining to the Federal award provided to the subrecipient
- Responsible for monthly Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) reporting to be in compliance as recipients of federal funds and the responsibility to report first tier subawards that obligates $25,000 or more in federal funds to the subrecipient
- Responsible for the maintenance of subaward policies and procedures in accordance with federal and university requirements
- Bachelor's Degree or equivalent combination of education and experience
- Five years of Research Administration experience preferred
- Must be a Certified Research Administrator
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Excellent writing ability, organizational skills and attention to detail
- Solid analytical, decision making and problem solving skills
- Solid computer skills with experience using word processing and spreadsheet software
- Successful completion of standard background checks including but not limited to: social security verification, education verification, county and national criminal background checks, PATCH, FBI fingerprinting, Child Abuse Clearance. Based upon the requirements of the position Lehigh may also request credit history reports, motor vehicle checks and professional license/certification verification
- This position has fiscal or financial responsibilities other than employee expense activity, such as processing or approving transactions; monitoring or preparing budgets; or generating income for University
- Will work a variable shift
- Periods of high volume/workload may be required
- Minimum of 40 hours; extended hours are dependent upon workload/deadlines
Organization
Founded in 1865, Lehigh University is a premier coeducational, nondenominational, private residential research university that offers a distinctive academic environment for undergraduate and graduate students from across the globe. Lehigh University’s annual report from 2013 provides an overview of the intellectual activity across campus as well as a financial report. It is posted on our website at http://www.lehigh.edu/annualreport/ .
Lehigh offers more than 90 undergraduate programs and majors featuring more than 2,000 courses in four colleges: The College of Arts and Sciences, The College of Business and Economics, The College of Education and The P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science. Lehigh confers a total of 12 degrees at the undergraduate and advanced degree level. We have 482 full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty and approximately 200 adjunct faculty and lecturers and 10 full-time visiting faculty. With approximately 4700 undergraduate and 2,000 graduate students, a small student-to-faculty ratio allows students to work closely with professors. About 69% of all full-time faculty are tenured, and 99% of full-time tenure-track faculty hold a doctorate degree or the highest degree in their field. We have 1,215 staff members supporting the academic, research and administrative functions.
Located in Pennsylvania’s scenic Lehigh Valley, the campus is in close proximity to both New York City and Philadelphia. Lehigh is situated on over 2,300 acres on four campuses. The Asa Packer Campus, Mountaintop Campus, and Murray H. Goodman Campus are contiguous and feature more than 153 buildings with 4.3 million-plus square feet of classroom, laboratory, office and living space. The campus also has 180 acres of playing fields and half of the campus is preserved as open space.
- Website
- http://www.lehigh.edu/
- Telephone
- 610.758.3165
- Location
-
27 Memorial Drive West
Bethlehem
PA
18015
US
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