Job Abstract

The School of Medicine's Office of Grants and Contracts is seeking to hire a Grants and Contracts Administrator OR Grants and Contracts Specialist who can perform research administration tasks in support of and in collaboration with the Grants and Contracts Senior Administrative team. These positions aim to attract career-minded professionals who are interested in a research administration career pathway that supports academic biomedical research faculty and staff. The ideal candidate will be a motivated learner, excited by working with a high performing team in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

The candidate will be able to work with a large customer base by communicating clearly, professionally, and confidently in both written and oral communication. Critical thinking, multi-tasking, and practical decision-making are necessary skills.  A demonstrated ability to thrive in a team environment, but working independently with appropriate guidance and mentorship are highly valued.  Prior experience with Grants and Contracts administration in an academic setting is preferred, but related professional experience will be considered for the right candidate. 

This position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule involving two-three days in the Charlottesville office and two-three days of remote work.  The projected salary range for this position: starting at $50,000 for the Specialist role or starting at $60,000 for the Administrator role, commensurate with experience.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE

Grants and Contracts Administrators facilitate the proposal submission and award administration process. They understand sponsor requirements and interpret guidelines for the Principal Investigator. They are responsible for the processing of proposal or award transactions, communicating with sponsors as needed, and serving as the primary contact for internal and external subcontracts and sponsors. They may perform a range of other duties within their organizations, as needed, but are distinguished by their expertise in grants and contracts administration.

Administrators are expected to perform the following duties independently:

• Manage grant submission processes, complete forms, prepare letters, upload proposal documents into sponsor portals, and support the preparation of financial reports per sponsor guidelines
• Prepare, review, and revise grant budgets
• Review proposals for conformity with University, State, and Sponsor guidelines
• Resolve problems through contact with University administrators or faculty and recommend appropriate action
• Mentor new administrators and provide guidance
• Provide technical and administrative assistance to faculty and administrators
• Interpret sponsor regulations
• Maintain complete and accurate file and database information
• Organize files, documents, and communication
• Demonstrate understanding of proposal submissions including federal, State, commercial, other extramural, and intramural funding pathways
• Demonstrate understanding of an award life cycle including management of effort reporting, management of internal budget(s), unobligated balances, etc
• Demonstrate understanding of Residual Balance process for eligible awards via OSP process
• Demonstrate an understanding of Workday Finance related functions including entering of costing allocations, period pay adjustments and other financial tasks related to management of grant related finances
• Proactively review funded grants/trials for documentation, due dates for deliverables, financial tasks, and other assigned tasks
• Identify UVA resources required for funding proposals including data mining, statistics support, etc and communicate to PIs/researchers
• Provide training and support of Grants and Contracts Assistant under direction of Research/Department leadership
• Participate in collaborative competency checklist review for individuals in other School of Medicine Departments if asked
• Other duties as assigned

Required Training:

• Within first 12 months complete all assigned institutional research administration training modules as defined by supervisor
• Complete other assigned training

For positions in the School of Medicine’s Office of Grants and Contracts:

• The individual should have the ability to support a large portfolio of departments providing subject matter expertise on a wide variety of sponsors, transaction types, and institutional processes
• Act as the liaison between the institution and the external sponsors, communicating on behalf of the University and its faculty
• Serve as a mentor/trainer for research administrative roles in departments or other units 

Grants and Contracts Specialists manage the submission process for grant and contract proposals or the reconciliation and administration of the award, or both. In certain circumstances, they may assume a range of other duties on behalf of their organization, however they are distinguished by their specialized knowledge of the grants and contracts processes and their participation in the administration of grant and contract funding for the unit.

Specialists are expected to perform the following duties under supervision of a trainer/mentor or with minimal supervision:

• Prepare, manage, and/or review numerous proposal submissions, including completing forms, preparing letters, uploading proposal documents into sponsor portals, and interpreting guidelines for the Principal Investigator
• Prepare and review funding reports, final invention statements, and progress reports
• Provide guidance to researchers completing grant applications
• Prepare, review, and revise grant budgets
• Ensure compliance with terms and conditions of grants and contracts
• Provide information on policy and procedure interpretation, new regulations, and new processes to faculty, staff, and external sponsors
• Demonstrate understanding of federal award submission process through management of NIH research grants from initiation to submission
• Demonstrate understanding of clinical trial development process
• Demonstrate understanding of faculty effort and funding sources
• Demonstrate understanding of cost sharing and salary over the cap, including salary calculations according to federal guidelines and UVA processes
• Demonstrate understanding of UVA financial processes related to grant/clinical trial management
• Complete award lifecycle tasks in appropriate UVA systems in alignment with guidelines, including but not limited, to Non-Funded Agreements, Post-Award Management actions, etc
• Other duties as assigned

Required Training:

• Within first 12 months complete all assigned institutional research administration training modules as defined by supervisor
• Complete other assigned training

For positions in the School of Medicine’s Office of Grants and Contracts:

• The individual should have the ability to support a large portfolio of departments providing subject matter expertise on a wide variety of sponsors, transaction types, and institutional processes
• Act as the liaison between the institution and the external sponsors, communicating on behalf of the University and its faculty
• Serve as a mentor/trainer for research administrative roles in departments or other units 

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Grants & Contracts Administrator:

Education: Bachelor's degree
Experience: At least three years of grant and contract experience. Four additional years of experience may be accepted in lieu of degree.
Licensure: Certified Research Administrator (CRA) certification is preferred.

Grants & Contracts Specialist:
Education: Associate's degree
Experience: At least two years of grant and contract experience. Two additional years of experience may be accepted in lieu of degree.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

This is a restricted position and is dependent upon project need, availability of funding and performance. For more information on the benefits at UVA, visit https://hr.virginia.edu/benefits.   

This position will remain open until filled. The University will perform background checks on all new hires prior to employment. A completed pre-employment health screen is required for this position prior to employment.

TO APPLY

Please apply through Careers at UVA, and search for R0061090. Internal applicants must apply through their UVA Workday profile by searchinFind Jobs'. Complete an application online with the following documents:

• CV or Resume
• Cover letter

Applications that do not contain all required documents will not receive full consideration.

References will be completed via UVA’s standardized process Skill Survey during the final phase of the interview process. For questions about the application process, please contact Jeremy Brofft, Senior Recruiting Specialist at xmf9ad@virginia.edu.

For more information about UVA and the Charlottesville community please see http://www.virginia.edu/life/charlottesville and https://embarkcva.com/.

The University of Virginia, including the UVA Health System which represents the UVA Medical Center, Schools of Medicine and Nursing, UVA Physician’s Group and the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, are fundamentally committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff.  We believe diversity is excellence expressing itself through every person's perspectives and lived experiences.  We are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran status, and family medical or genetic information.