4003 Grants and Contracts Specialist

CLASSIFICATION Exempt

IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR Dean or designee

MAJOR ADMINISTRATOR Provost

GENERAL FUNCTION

The Grants and Contracts Specialist provides assistance to the Budget Officer and/or Dean in managing various grants, contracts, and designated accounts within the college, assists college faculty and researchers in obtaining grants and contracts, serves as a liaison between college’s principal investigators (PIs), the Office of Sponsored Research and Programs (OSRP), and Financial Services’ Grants and Contracts Accountants, and oversees and coordinates the college’s compliance efforts with federal regulations and terms and conditions of awards. 

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS

Education: A Bachelor's degree is required. 

Experience: With a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance, no experience is required. With a Bachelors degree in fields other than those described above, two years of experience in an accounting, budgetary, or grants management position is required.   Experience working with grants management or grants accounting is preferred.

Skills: Strong computer skills, including the development of spreadsheets and reports using graphs and charts, are required. Good interpersonal, communication, organizational, and administrative skills required. The ability to initiate and follow through with work responsibilities and to meet deadlines with a minimum of supervision is required.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Assists college PI’s in obtaining grants and contracts by assisting in the development and submission of proposals for funding from federal agencies and industrial sources, preparing proposal documents, preparing and submitting proposal packages for University review, and coordinating with OSRP staff in mailing or electronically submitting proposals.

2. Oversees and coordinates compliance efforts by working with faculty and staff to review award documents to identify terms and conditions that require development and implementation of specific procedures to ensure compliance, serving as a liaison among PI’s, academic departments, OSRP, and funding agencies on compliance with terms and conditions of awards, providing timely response to inquiries requesting information on awards and current, pending, and planned projects, monitoring the progress of PI’s with project objectives and timelines, working with PI’s and procurement staff to develop and implement a plan to ensure University compliance with federal regulations related to participation of small businesses in purchases of equipment, supplies, and services for college grants and contracts, and developing, maintaining, and monitoring a database of awarded, pending, and planned grants and contracts to assure OSRP and college faculty are current on grant and contractual obligations.

3. Provides support to PI’s in developing draft subawards, requests for budget re-allocation, no-cost extensions for funded projects, draft affiliate agreements, and nondisclosure agreements.

4. Ensures the financial integrity of grant and designated budgets by monitoring balances and expenditures.

5. Provides assistance to the immediate supervisor by collecting, organizing, and analyzing financial and other statistical data for the preparation of financial and non-financial reports and utilizing the University systems to assist with financial management responsibilities.

6. Coordinates financial, budgetary, and other statistical data with other University offices, as directed.

7. Serves as a liaison between college’s principal investigators (PIs), the Office of Sponsored Research and Programs (OSRP), and Financial Services’ Grants and Contracts Accountants on reporting and policies and procedures, particularly relating to grants and contracts compliance.

8. Utilizes effective interpersonal, problem-solving, and decision-making skills to handle special administrative and trouble-shooting projects assigned by the immediate supervisor by gathering information, coordinating and communicating with various departments, and following through with projects to completion. 

9. Remains competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, attending professional development courses, and attending training and/or courses as required by the immediate supervisor.

10. Contributes to the overall success of the college by performing all other essential duties and responsibilities as assigned, maintaining high levels of accuracy, maintaining a professional demeanor and appropriate levels of confidentiality, and providing excellent customer service.

SUPERVISION

The Grants and Contracts Specialist is supervised by the Dean or designee and may exercise supervision of other employees as assigned.

OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES

NOVEMBER 2008

Factor 1: Professional Knowledge, Skill, and Technical Mastery

Level 3 - 1500 Points: Entry-level knowledge of the principles, concepts, practices, and methods of an administrative, managerial, technical, or professional specialty. Knowledge permits employee to carry out basic recurring tasks and routine portions of assignments or to carry out less demanding professional elements of assignments in professional or technical areas including accounting or auditing, financial management, business administration, human resources, law, engineering, science, or medicine, while gaining familiarity with the University's policies and goals, business practices, and/or accounting systems. This level of knowledge permits the employee to schedule and carry out the steps of a limited operation or project, or to complete stages of a multi-phase project. Alternatively, knowledge at this level might also permit the employee to carry out recurring tasks and routine assignments requiring moderate experience in specific areas within higher education. Knowledge at this level is typically acquired through a combination of formal education and/or training and experience that includes a requirement for a college degree in a specific technical or professional specialty. Knowledge requirements may also include a limited amount of related work experience. Alternatively, equivalent knowledge requirements at this level include a non-technical or general Bachelor's degree requirement with a moderate level of additional related work experience or a non-specific Master's degree requirement with some related work experience.

Factor 2: Supervisory Responsibility

Level 1 - 50 Points: Typically, little, if any, supervision of others is required. The job may require irregular but occasional responsibility to direct the work of student workers and/or temporary or part-time workers. The nature of supervision is largely confined to assigning tasks to others and does not include a full range of supervisory responsibilities. The amount of time spent on directing the work of others is normally a small portion of total work time.

Factor 3: Interactions with Others

Level 3 - 250 Points: The purpose of interactions is to advise or counsel others to solve recurring and structured problems, and/or to plan or coordinate work efforts with other employees who are working toward common goals in situations where relationships are generally cooperative. Interactions are moderately structured and routine and may involve employees in different functions, students, and/or the general public. These types of interactions require normal interpersonal skills.

Factor 4: Job Controls and Guidelines

Level 2 - 250 Points: The employee carries out a group of procedures using the general methods and desired results indicated by the supervisor. Typically, standard operating procedures, handbooks, and/or reference manuals exist for most procedures, but the employee must select from the most appropriate of several guidelines and make minor adjustments to methods. Unforeseen situations are normally referred to others for resolution. Assignments are related in function and objective, but processes, procedures, or software varies from one assignment to another. Based on the assignment, the employee uses diverse, but conventional, methods, techniques, or approaches. Employees in jobs at this level may perform work that is moderately complex, but normally performed within a fairly narrow and specific functional area.

Factor 5: Managerial Responsibility

Level 2 - 400 Points: Work involves services including collecting, processing, and disseminating information and providing advice to others. Work activities may be complex and likely affect the accuracy, reliability, or acceptability of further processes or services to the extent that others rely on the advice given in order to make decisions. Work activities typically affect the efficiency of the department but have relatively minor effects on operations within the cost center. Individuals in jobs at this level are often responsible for actively documenting, monitoring, and controlling expenditures. Incumbents may recommend minor expenditures, but have no substantive authority over budgets.