Grants Analyst I, College of Earth, Ocean and Environment

About the role

The Grants Analyst I manages the pre-award and post-award administration for contracts and grants as part of a team managing the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment research expenditures of approximately $50M.

Responsibilities

• Provide in-depth guidance to PI, in developing competitive proposals to secure independent funding for projects; review the solicitation information and sponsor requirements to guide the process including observation of potentially difficult clauses, match requirements, etc.; recommend budget, certifications, effort committed and match funding requests; verify accuracy prior to submission to the University Research Office.
• Create, compile and review complex proposal information including budget, budget justification, and proposal documents for submission to appropriate funding agencies.
• Interface with subrecipient and collaborator participants to ensure completion of subrecipient proposal inputs including budgets, effort commitments, statement of work and other sponsor and Research Office required documents.
• Act as liaison between Research Office and faculty member on all award set-up issues/questions e.g., recommendations on contract/agreement terms and conditions.
• Analyze and evaluate awarded grants, contracts, and subcontracts and advise principal investigator of sponsors' requirements during the life of award to maintain consistency with terms and conditions to reduce the chance of an audit finding.
• Facilitate sponsored and non-sponsored management: on a monthly basis, ensure that expenditures on budgeted grants and contracts are monitored, and that reports are prepared to maintain balanced accounts in preparation for distribution to faculty.
• Reviews financial data for legitimacy, accuracy and allowability of charges in compliance with Uniform Guidance; analyzes budgetary line items for material deviation; and provide relevant expenditure projections; advise faculty on budgetary spending.
• Allocate salaries through the Labor Allocation Module for all College personnel (faculty, staff, and students) to reflect appropriate distributions according to planned budgets, faculty workload and mandatory match commitments, and coordinate all sponsored activity reporting for the College.
• Anticipate and proactively resolve complex issues as they relate to all restricted and non-restricted financial or contract personnel activity in the College.
• Proactively monitors reporting deadlines, cost share commitments and other award terms and conditions.
• Maintain productive relationships with constituencies related to research administration in the College.
• Independently resolve administrative and/or procedural problems in all research categories including matters of compliance.
• Assist in completion of special financial management projects, to include report generation using a variety of data sources and techniques.
• Exercises independent judgment and discretion about matters of significance within the Research Administration realm of responsibility.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance or a related field with two years job-related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ability to work independently, as well as the ability to work in a cross-functional, agile, collaborative team.
• Skill in budget preparation and management of contracts and grants.
• Ability to use advanced cost analysis techniques in spreadsheet and database management (Excel/Access).
• Effective analytical and technical skills are required.
• Strong organizational and problem solving skills, and attention to detail.
• Knowledge of 2 CFR 200 Uniform Guidance and OMB Circulars A-21, A-110, A-133 and other pertinent external regulations preferred.
• Ability to interpret, adapt and apply guidelines and procedures.
• Experience with financial and budget planning.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Ability to interact well with people of all ages and diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of constituents on a variety of research management topics.
• A high level of independent judgment is required.
• Ability to gather and analyze statistical data and generate ad-hoc reports that are meaningful and understandable to those not familiar with the data being reported.
• Ability to adjust to a changing environment.
• Skills to quantify and illustrate complex reports, comparisons, impacts, and/or projections.
• Ability to balance and reconcile accounts.
• Knowledge of standard and/or fund accounting principles, methods and applications.
• Experience operating in a research intensive, higher education environment preferred.