Contract Manager, Office of Research Administration

Mines Office of Research Administration is seeking a Contract Manager to lead the management of research and other sponsored agreements. This key leadership position serves as a resource to faculty and a liaison between Mines and sponsoring research organizations, operating in a hybrid work environment with weekly campus presence required in Golden, Colorado.

About the role

The Contract Manager oversees a team of Contract Administrators and is responsible for interpreting and negotiating sponsored projects, maintaining an accurate database of research agreements, and ensuring compliance with federal, state, and institutional regulations. This role requires critical thinking to review terms, policies, and sponsor expectations, determining when agreements are ready for execution.

Responsibilities

• Contract and Grant Review and Negotiation
  • Identify issues and present solutions for complex contract matters.
  • Review and analyze sponsored agreements and modifications for compliance with federal and state regulations.
  • Negotiate unacceptable terms with sponsors, suggesting alternative language or deletions.
  • Determine if additional Mines personnel need to approve award terms.
  • Review and evaluate intellectual property (IP) terms, working with faculty to protect institutional and sponsor interests.
  • Assist with special projects tied to Mines’ large-scale and strategic initiatives.
• Contract and Grant Management
  • Determine if changes to a research project require prior sponsor approval and coordinate submissions.
  • Submit and approve requests for no-cost time extensions, budget deviations, and pre-award spending.
  • Perform initial reviews of deficit spending requests to assess financial risk under Mines’ policies.
  • Address issues arising during research projects by collaborating with faculty, ORA staff, other departments, and/or sponsors.
• Subcontracts
  • Initiate, negotiate, and manage research subcontracts, including proposal review, template selection, and flow-down terms.
  • Maintain subcontract documentation to meet audit requirements and conduct annual subrecipient reviews.
  • Work with departments to establish payment mechanisms for subcontractor invoices.
• Contract Team Management
  • Supervise the Contract Administration unit (4-8 FTEs), including hiring, performance evaluation, and resolving personnel concerns.
  • Determine work prioritization based on deadlines, complexity, policy, and staff resources.
  • Build standard and ad hoc reports to provide performance metric data.
  • Foster a collaborative, respectful, and people-oriented work environment.
  • Resolve complex administrative or legal issues, escalating to leadership as needed.
  • Create and maintain efficient policies and procedures for the Contracting unit, including process evaluation and risk assessment.
  • Provide expertise on regulatory and policy issues to ORA staff, administrators, and faculty.
  • Stay current on federal regulations, OMB Circulars, Federal Acquisition Regulations, state regulations, and school policies.
  • Assist in maintaining ORA’s Research Management software and the School’s financial system, ensuring adequate training materials and process coordination.
• Institutional Data Repository
  • Work with the data repository team to implement and maintain software for the contracts unit.
  • Ensure accurate data entry into the repository, uploading executed agreements, modifications, and sponsor approvals.
• Communication & Outreach
  • Maintain communication with faculty to outline sponsored research agreement processes and negotiation steps.
  • Interpret and explain federal, state, and Mines regulations to faculty and personnel.
  • Engage with sponsoring agencies and external personnel for agreement negotiation and management.
• Training & Process Improvement
  • Provide formal and informal training to faculty and staff on school policies, procedures, and sponsor regulations.
  • Support the Contract Administration unit on university initiatives and special projects.
  • Participate in office-wide process evaluation and reengineering to improve efficiency and resource utilization.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business or a related field.
• 8+ years of research administration experience.
• Working knowledge of federal and state regulations related to research administration.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to discuss complex contract issues with diverse stakeholders.
• Proven problem-solving and analytical skills to make independent decisions.
• Demonstrated customer service skills and ability to work effectively with multiple constituencies in a campus community.
• Ability to meet multiple, competing deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate (J.D.) degree.
• 10+ years of contract negotiation experience.
• Experience with data analysis.
• Thorough knowledge of federal regulations governing sponsored research.
• Familiarity with university policies on contracting, procurement, or research funding.

Pay

$96,400 - $107,200 annually. Salary is determined based on candidate’s education, training, experience, the position’s scope and complexity, discretion required, work location, and external market/internal value.

Benefits

• Flexible health and dental care options.
• 13 paid holidays per year, including a week-long winter break.
• Fully vested retirement plan on the first day of employment, with generous employer contribution.
• Tuition benefits: 6 credits per year for employees, 50% discount for dependents.
• Free RTD Ecopass for public transportation.
• Access to discount programs through the State of Colorado and free tickets for Mines Athletics home games.
• Access to the state-of-the-art Recreation Center (fitness classes, swimming pool, equipment rentals).
• On-campus daycare center.