Grant Manager
- Employer
- The University of Kansas
- Location
- University of Kansas Lawrence Campus
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- Employment Type
- Full Time
- Institution Type
- Four-Year Institution
Job Details
This position ensures that award management Grant Officers and Grant Coordinators provide timely and professional services that support and enhance the research goals of the units served. The Grant Manager is expected to maintain successful relationships and frequent communication with Directors, Chairs and PIs of academic or research units. The Grant Manager makes decisions on duty assignments to ensure that the method of processing post-award research administration transactions is compliant with University, State and Federal Guidelines. This position is also responsible for establishing and monitoring internal control procedures.
This position reports to the Associate Director, Award Management. It is the Grant Manager’s duty to work with the Associate Director and Director, Research Administration to implement strategic plans for improving processes and services. The Grant Manager is accountable for ensuring the implementation of research administration policies and processes and that staff are adequately trained and provided with mentoring and coaching as necessary.
This position is designated as fully remote, meaning most activities will be performed from an agreed- upon off-campus location. Some in-person activities will be required on occasion.
Due to complex state employment laws, the University of Kansas may be unable to hire fully remote workers for this position outside of Kansas. Specifically, we cannot currently offer employment to candidates residing in the following states: California, Delaware, Idaho & Minnesota. We appreciate your understanding and invite interested individuals from eligible states to apply.Job Description50% - Grants Administration Leadership and Post Award Oversight and Approval
- Guides and directs activities for assigned Grant Coordinators and Grant Officers.
- Manages cross-functional activities of research administration staff, including oversight of all compliance related functions.
- Trains staff in research administration, including compliance and allowability, functional accounting, and financial management skills, including optimizing the use of systems and reporting.
- Works with staff to maintain compliance with all appropriate sponsored project guidelines.
- Evaluates opportunities to enhance existing processes and provide improved service to client units.
- Coordinate with and ensure resources are available to support Sponsor subject matter expert (SME) to support excellent sponsor relations.
- Coordinates with leaders of academic departments or research centers.
- Ensures service needs are met or exceeded, based on established performance metrics, and regular assessment of team workload assignments.
- Meets with assigned departments and centers on a quarterly and as-needed basis.
- Addresses unique concerns or needs of assigned departments and centers.
- Resolves disputes and takes corrective action.
- May perform research administration transactional and analytical work for the units served, including approval of staff-initiated actions. May serve as a back-up as needed to evaluate and adjust employee workloads based on needs of unit and serve as a resource for staff.
- Oversees staff work and ensures procedures are consistent with policy, monitors relationships with assigned departments and centers to ensure award post-award project management complies with federal, state and university guidelines. Provide final review of budget and matching fund information for accuracy and compliance. In general, a beginning level employee is not able to engage in complex financial approvals that have been reviewed or prepared by him or her without the Grant Officer's secondary review for a period of at least one year. Highly complex or sensitive interactions with sponsoring agencies require the Grant Officer's approval in all cases.
- Addresses personnel needs of the staff by working with central units to promote post- award research administration training and hires new employees.
- Addresses audit findings to improve compliance and accuracy of transaction processing.
- Works with additional research administration and fiscal staff, as necessary, on all external compliance audits.
- Shares progress reports and status updates with the Associate Director, Award Management as needed or requested.
- Informs Associate Director of service or staff issues and necessary steps needed or taken to address them.
- Prepares narratives and statistical reports.
- Answers post-award-related questions for the areas served to assist customers, colleagues and staff. Assists with questions escalated from Grant Coordinators or Grant Officers.
- Escalates questions and problems as appropriate to the Associate Director or other research administration or central offices.
- Leads, implements or serves on workgroups to identify and improve processes for AMS, KU Office of Research and KU as a whole. This may include the following:
- Working with AMS Process Improvement and Training Committees as needed to implement process design changes or system updates.
- Collaborations with units beyond AMS for process improvement, training, ongoing campus-wide process support or other projects.
- Policy Development and Dissemination/Training:
- Partners with KUCR staff to develop and present information and training sessions on post- award policies and procedures and award management techniques. Provides information in a variety of formats, including individual training, workshop type sessions, and seminars to PIs and other interested staff as requested.
- Coordinates with KUCR on the interpretation and communication of post- award policies, systems, procedures, and programs.
- Conducts 1:1 and team meetings, supports and provides professional development opportunities, creates a collaborative, welcoming team culture, etc.
- Resolves disputes escalated by Grant Officers and Coordinators.
- Provides meaningful annual reviews of assigned staff and takes responsibility for all work produced, training, and development of assigned staff during the life of their employment.
- Provides training, mentoring and coaching as needed to ensure staff success or to correct staff performance issues. In conjunction with Human Resources Management (HRM), identifies and implements appropriate performance improvement actions if necessary.
- Bachelor's degree and three years of related experience or high school diploma and seven years of related experience.
- One year or more of supervisory experience.
- Experience writing training materials, creating PowerPoint presentations, or drafting policy as demonstrated by application materials.
- Experience working within the PC/Windows environment including MS Word and MS Excel as evidenced by application materials.
- Previous experience that required analytical and problem-solving skills, as outlined in application materials.
- Excellent written communication skills and attention to detail as demonstrated by application materials.
- Master’s or bachelor’s degree in business, accounting, or related field.
- People and team management experience as evidenced in application materials.
- Prior experience in post-award research administration at an institute of higher education, as shown in application materials.
- Previous experience that required knowledge of applicable federal, state, and other sponsor regulations related to sponsored projects, including Uniform Guidance as evidenced in application materials.
- Experience working with research administration software applications as shown in application materials.
- Experience with process mapping and process improvement as evidenced in application materials.
- Experience that required analytical and problem-solving skills to research and analyze complex data to develop accurate reports, identify valid solutions, forecast consequences of proposed action, and implement a course of action as shown in application materials.
- Previous experience working independently in a team environment and consistently meeting deadlines as outlined by application materials.
Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Application review begins Monday, November 9, 2026, and will continue until a qualified pool of applicants is identified.Contact Information to ApplicantsJessica Johnson Webb
jeslea@ku.eduAdvertised Salary Range$75,000Application Review BeginsMonday November 9, 2026Anticipated Start DateMonday January 4, 2027Apply to Job
Organization
Working at the University of Kansas
Join the University of Kansas, and you’ll become part of a Jayhawk family that spans the globe. Wear your KU shirt in London, Istanbul, Buenos Aires, Nairobi or anywhere else, and you will likely hear a resounding “Rock Chalk!” from a stranger. Of course, the appropriate response is an enthusiastic “Jayhawk!” Because, after all, they’re not really strangers, they’re family.
The Jayhawk community is united by more than 150 years of tradition and by our commitment to pushing the boundaries of knowledge, transforming the academic experience, and creating solutions through innovative research. KU’s mission is to lift students and society by educating leaders, building healthy communities and making discoveries that change the world.
The University of Kansas is the state’s flagship university and one of just 66 invited members of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU). We consistently earn high rankings for academics and recognition as a premier research university.
KU faculty and staff embrace our role as the state’s flagship university, AAU member and R1 institution that serves the state, nation and world. We celebrate the energy and compassion that infuse the Jayhawk spirit; and, we remain true to KU’s historic values: the elevating force of education, the transformative power of research and the healing power of service.
Instruction
KU offers a broad array of undergraduate and graduate study programs, and we fulfill our mission through academic and research programs of international distinction, coupled with outstanding libraries, teaching museums and information technology. These resources enrich the academic experience for students from all 50 states and 112 countries, and provide enrichment resources for KU faculty and staff.
Research
The university attains high levels of research productivity and recognizes that faculty are part of a network of scholars and academicians that shape a discipline as well as teach it. KU staff are integral to our research success, participating in and supporting discoveries that expand knowledge and improve lives.
Service
The university and our employees serve society through research, teaching and the preservation and dissemination of knowledge. KU's academic programs, arts facilities and public programs provide cultural enrichment opportunities for the larger community. And, KU offers educational, research and service programs throughout the state. KU employees are encouraged to participate in and serve the campus and surrounding communities in a way that is meaningful to them.
International Dimension
KU offers more than 100 programs of international study and cooperative research for KU students and faculty at sites around the world. The university offers teaching and research that draw upon and contribute to the most advanced developments throughout the United States and abroad. At the same time, KU's extensive international ties support economic development in Kansas.
Values
The University of Kansas, our students and employees are committed to excellence. We foster a multicultural, inclusive environment in which the dignity and rights of individuals are respected. Intellectual diversity, integrity and disciplined inquiry in the search for knowledge are of paramount importance.
Our City and State
KU sits atop Mt. Oread in the center of Lawrence, a town full of natural beauty and culture. In fact, Rolling Stone magazine named Lawrence one of the best college towns in the United States. Lawrence is home to more than 100,000 people, and has a charming, Midwestern friendliness that welcomes visitors and celebrates diversity. In addition to KU, Lawrence is home to Haskell Indian Nations University, the premiere tribal university in the United States.
Lawrence’s historic and thriving downtown features restaurants, nightlife and local shops offering unique finds that you won’t find anywhere else. The town has more than 50 parks, an encompassing mixed-use trail, and quick access to biking/hiking trails along the Kansas River and around Clinton Lake. A five-minute drive from Lawrence, Clinton Lake offers fishing, boating, beaches, camping and other outdoor activities.
Located just 40 minutes west of Kansas City, Lawrence offers the appeal of a mid-size, suburban town with quick access to the amenities of a large city, including an international airport. The Kansas City metro area is home to world-class museums and cultural activities, Jazz clubs and other nightlife venues, expansive shopping options, and exciting professional sports with the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals and Sporting KC.
Kansas is in the center of the country, making it convenient and cost effective to fly or drive to destinations throughout the United States. Far from flat, the Flint Hills, just 90 minutes from Lawrence, offer panoramic vistas that showcase the breathtaking beauty of America.
Making KU Your Home
Something about Lawrence is magnetic. Long-time residents are never surprised when a KU student or employee from out of state decides to make Lawrence their permanent home. And, even those who do leave often find themselves returning to “the nest” at some point in the future. In fact, Lawrence has been named by several publications as one of the best places to retire.
At the University of Kansas, you’ll join a global Jayhawk family and find a place to call home.
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