Work in Washington Veterans Jobs

Req #: 227002

Department: INFORMATION SCHOOL

Posting Date: 01/10/2024

Closing Info: Open Until Filled

Salary: $6,167 - $7,167 per month

Shift: First Shift

Notes: As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs. For a complete description of our benefits for this position, please visit our website, click here. (https://hr.uw.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/02/benefits-professional-staff-librarians-academic-staff-20230119_a11y.pdf) Please note that this position has been re-posted. If you have already submitted your application, you need not submit it again, as it has already been received.

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

The University of Washington’s Information School is seeking a third Grants and Contracts Specialist to provide effective, timely, and compliant analysis and administration of research grants and contracts. This individual will work with principal investigators, research partners, sponsors, and University research support offices to manage the full lifecycle of grants and contracts.

Researchers in the Information School work to solve information problems from many disciplinary perspectives with funding from many different sponsors. The range and complexity of the research enterprise in the school requires high-quality, professional grants management support for novice and experienced researchers; continual monitoring, analysis, and improvement of procedures, policies, and resources for the conduct of research in the Information School; and regular engagement with professionals in other units in the Information School and the UW.

The Grants and Contracts Specialist works independently to design, develop, manage, and ensure timely submission of complex grant and contract proposals. They ensure effective receipt, budgeting, and expenditure of awards, in compliance with federal, state, funding agency, and University of Washington regulations, policies and procedures. In collaboration with the Director of Research Administration, they are responsible for post-award procedures, record keeping, analysis, monitoring and reporting systems.

There is an expectation that the person in this position will step up where they see an opportunity to apply their special expertise or talents, speak up when they identify opportunities or concerns, and lead by taking actions that exemplify the Information School’s core values. This leadership may be expressed in diverse ways, reflecting the variety of styles and cultures that are represented by Information School faculty and staff.

What You’ll Be Doing

The Grants and Contracts Specialist provides overall management of proposals and awards for approximately half of the active researchers in the school.

Pre-award proposal analysis and support: Manage the preparation of competitive and non-competitive grant and contract proposals for submission to sponsoring agencies. Provide review and analysis of proposals to ensure complete and successful submissions. Responsibilities and areas of oversight include: • Manage preparation and submission of complex proposal budgets, including cost sharing documentation. • Manage preparation and submission of all other administrative and compliance components, including those related to narrative portions of proposals. • Advise researchers on sponsor guidelines and University and funding agency policies and procedures. • Establish timelines for and administer submission of grant and contract proposals in accordance with school, UW, and sponsor requirements and deadlines. • Assist and act on behalf of principal investigators in negotiating terms of research grants, contracts, and subcontracts. • Act on behalf of investigators in communicating with research partners, sponsors, and UW offices of research administration.

Post-Award financial analysis and support: Manage research awards, ensuring compliance with budget and fiscal policies, procedures, monitoring, reconciliation, and reporting for research grants and contracts. Responsibilities and areas of oversight include: In collaboration with/on behalf of principal investigators: • Research, interpret, and implement funding agency fiscal guidelines and rules. • Provide financial planning and award administration support, including complex budget management, complicated expenditure transactions, and preparation of fiscal documents for external purposes. • Initiate and monitor sub-budget allocations and sub-contract accounts; coordinate with other UW departments and external partners. • Monitor financial activity on grants and contracts, gifts, and internal funding allocations; provide regular budget projections; determine the need for revision of fiscal plans; respond to budget variances. • Perform complicated expenditure transactions; review UW systems used to track award activity for compliance and accuracy. Troubleshoot and prepare expenditure corrections as necessary. • Prepare, analyze, and distribute monthly budget management and compliance monitoring reports for research grants, contracts, and gifts - including review and reconciliation of monthly transactions and actual expenditures in comparison to budget plans. • Analyze, verify, and coordinate salary certification report approvals (FECs and GCCRs). • Oversee all sponsor reporting requirements including managing and timely submission of all reports (RPPR, etc.). • Monitor, track, and document cost share commitments. • Prepare just-in-time documents as required by sponsor. • Communicate and coordinate with iSchool Human Resources staff on payroll additions or changes for research project personnel as indicated by budget plans approved by principal investigators. • Communicate and coordinate with iSchool Finance staff on internal reporting, policy and procedure development, travel expenditures, and internal budget transfers.

In collaboration with the Director of Research Services: • Design and develop complex budget and expenditure monitoring and management reports, including compliance and audit reporting. • Develop, revise, and administer policies and procedures for grant and contract financial management, record keeping, monitoring and reporting. • Assist in the design, preparation, and interpretation of analytical reports on school-wide research funding and expenditure trends and projections for iSchool administrative leaders (primarily Associate Dean for Research, Assistant Dean for Planning & Administration, and Dean). • Respond to compliance and other fiscal information requests from iSchool management, UW central administration, and other external partners, including reviewing and approving eGC1’s, business elements of proposals, no cost extensions, travel and expense reimbursements.

Other: • Coordinate and prepare documents for audits or other special external reviews. • Special projects as assigned. • Attend monthly MRAM and other research administrative-related campus presentations, workshops and trainings. • Participate in professional development opportunities. • Attend meetings and participate in committee and iSchool events and activities as appropriate. • Perform other related duties as needed.

Minimum Qualifications • Bachelor’s degree in Business, related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience. • Minimum of three years’ experience in pre- and post-award grants and contracts management. • Proficient with complex budget development, analysis, and reporting. • Skilled in using MS Office, including creating and using complex MS Excel spreadsheets and workbooks. • Experience using databases for queries and reports. • Experience and commitment to providing accurate, detailed work products. • Ability to work and problem-solve independently. • Excellent written and oral communication skills. • Ability to work effectively with faculty, researchers, and staff. • Problem-solving skills, including active listening, planning and organizing, and teamwork. • Ability to leverage experience while exercising expertise and informed professional judgment. • Strong commitment to excellence in grants and fiscal services. • Demonstrated ability to manage time and priorities among competing demands. • Ability to adapt to change and adopt new procedures and systems and contribute to process improvement. • Demonstrated success working with diverse populations.

Desired Qualifications • Knowledge of University of Washington fiscal policies and procedures, including those related to grants and contracts. • Experience with federal grants and contracts policies and procedures. • Working knowledge of UW Systems, particularly SAGE eGC1, GrantTracker, MyResearch, eProcurement/ARIBA (including BPO preparation), and MyFinancial.desktop (MyFD); working knowledge of other applications including NSF FastLane, Research.gov, and other sponsor systems. • Project management experience. • Ability to assess and lead improvements in processes and work products.

What’s in it for you • Full benefits, including medical and dental insurance and retirement plan. • Paid vacation and sick leave, as well as 11 paid holidays a year and one personal day. • Fully subsidized transit pass. • Work for an exciting, cutting-edge school within the University of Washington.

Conditions of Employment A satisfactory outcome of a reference check of previous employment. In light of the evolving landscape of work dynamics and our commitment to an inclusive and adaptable work environment, we are open to discussing the possibility of a fully remote work arrangement for the right candidate.

Application Process: The application process may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process.These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment, you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.

University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, among other things, race, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.