Lead Subaward Officer

About the role

The Lead Subaward Officer, reporting to the Director of Contracts and Subawards within the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) and the Office of Research & Innovation (ORI), provides leadership in grants and contracts administration. This role involves processing, negotiating, issuing, and tracking various types of outgoing subawards—including Cost Reimbursement, Fixed Fee, Fixed Fee Clinical Trials, and Subcontracts—to U.S. and non-U.S. based organizations for externally funded grants and contracts. The position collaborates with university partners such as Principal Investigators, Department Administrators, external collaborators, OSP Staff, the Office of General Counsel, Risk Management, Applied Innovation, and Research Compliance to manage, draft, and issue subawards, including modifications to active subawards.

Responsibilities

• Identify, define, and resolve issues related to sponsored project subcontracting activities.
• Support Drexel's research community in the administration of subawards under externally and internally funded sponsored projects, providing expertise and customer service.
• Utilize and maintain systems and procedures related to subawards processing.
• Consult with the Director of Contracts and Subawards regarding issues and solutions.
• Comprehend and apply policies, procedures, and guidelines established by the University, regulatory principles (e.g., OMB Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200, FARs, DFARs, EDGARs), and best practices.
• Serve as a university resource for principal investigators, study personnel, and other officials, providing expertise on regulatory and policy issues related to outgoing subawards.
• Advise, assist, and train faculty and study personnel on policies, procedures, forms, laws, and regulations related to subaward agreements.
• Advise, assist, and train Subaward Officers within OSP.
• Conduct risk assessments as prescribed by 2 CFR 200.206.
• Independently draft, negotiate, and execute subaward agreements.
• Maintain a database to communicate the status of outgoing subawards and amendments.
• Process monthly FFATA reports.
• Perform special projects and other responsibilities as required.

Requirements

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent combination of education and work experience (see Equivalency Chart for details). Additional experience may substitute for a bachelor’s degree.
• Minimum of 5-7 years’ experience managing and monitoring subaward agreements in a university setting.
• Ability to comprehend federal, state, and local regulations, restrictions, and sponsor and university guidelines.
• Knowledge of current developments in policy, laws, regulations, and best practices governing sponsored program agreements.
• Contract negotiation skills.
• Excellent computer skills in MS 365 applications.
• Demonstrated ability to work under tight and conflicting deadlines, meet deadlines, and process large amounts of information.
• Ability to interact professionally and effectively with investigators, sponsors, and cross-functional teams both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to work as part of a large, complex support team.
• Ability to respond quickly and effectively in negotiations and resolve issues with positive outcomes.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.