Grant Specialist
Position Overview
This position encompasses a wide range of sponsored project administration responsibilities from all aspects of the pre-award stage of sponsored awards through the notice of award. The primary responsibility is to serve as an administrative resource preparing and reviewing all proposals from university researchers and faculty that are submitted to external sponsors for consideration of funding. The incumbent for this position is expected to work congenially and cooperatively under extreme pressure and inflexible and tight deadlines. This position will be responsible for Proposal preparation and review.
Job Description
35% - Develop an adequate, accurate, and justifiable proposal budget in coordination with the Principal Investigator and in accordance with agency and university policies, including the determination of the appropriate facilities and administration (F&A) rate to include on the project in compliance with university and agency policies.
15% - Prepare all necessary agency application forms with correct institutional information including final consolidation of all required components of the proposal, review the written text, verify the correct format and appropriate number of proposal copies. Complete and transmit the approved proposal package via electronic or other systems to meet all agency-imposed deadlines and provide any necessary assistance to investigators with agency electronic systems that require direct interaction by the PI, such as NSF FastLane, Cayuse 424, etc.
10% - Analyze and interpret the agency's request for proposal (RFP), which includes eligibility requirements, instructions for proposal development and submission, budgeting requirements for allowable or unallowable costs, cost sharing requirements, and appropriate agency forms. Review all known contract terms/requirements noted at the proposal stage and obtain additional university approvals from appropriate departments as necessary, including facilitation of written responses related to future negotiations of terms and conditions through Contract Negotiations, the Vice Chancellor for Research, and other administrative offices at KU.
10% - Solve unique and time-sensitive problems and interact with Principal Investigators, agency officials, and university personnel in all departments/centers of the university at varying levels and maintain high responsiveness and stellar customer service in the face of unyielding deadlines and inflexible external schedules.
10% - Revise/review and establish an approved project budget for the expenditure of funds for new awards in compliance with university and agency regulations.
10% - Review and verify compliance with requirements for working with human subjects, animals, bio-hazards, recombinant DNA, radioactive substances, and potential implications of export control regulations at time of proposal submission. Confirm all necessary compliance regulations for sponsored projects at award initiation.
5% - Ensure inclusion and review/approve content of commitment letters to confirm financial needs, space needs, and collaboration necessary for successful implementation of the project if an award is made, including all internal parties as well as sub-recipients external to the university.
5% - Implement the university routing process.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree or GED/HS Diploma and three (3) or more years experience in accounting/auditing or sponsored project administration.
- One year of experience interpreting information from a variety of contracts, award documents, or similar items, as evidenced by work history.
- Strong written communication skills as demonstrated by application materials and previous work experience.
- Training and/or education or one year previous work experience with computer applications to create word processing documents, spreadsheets, and databases.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Business/Accounting or related field.
- Work experiences in sponsored projects administration.
- Extensive working knowledge of the Uniform Guidance.
- Familiarity with university business policies and procedures or similar systems
- Established work history in a time-sensitive, detail-oriented field.
- Excellent verbal communication skills and the ability to work cooperatively with research faculty, staff, and students.
- Previous knowledge of and experience in a university research environment.