Contracts and Grants Specialist (Contracts and Grants Assistant Manager, 0079125)

University of Hawaii•Honolulu, HI

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Contracts & Grants Specialist (Assistant Manager) works in the Contracts & Grants Administration Section of the University of Hawaiʻi Office of Research Services (ORS), within the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation. ORS is responsible systemwide for stewardship and administration of externally funded research, training, and other sponsored activities. The Assistant Manager provides day-to-day supervision and guidance to Contracts & Grants Specialists, manages workload and priorities, supports consistent and timely service to the UH research community, and assists the Contracts & Grants Manager and ORS Director in improving sponsored-program administration across the UH System. The position supports proposal preparation and review, award acceptance and negotiation, and interpretation and application of sponsor requirements and University policies. It may act as UH’s authorized organizational representative under delegated authority from the ORS Director, and reviews and authorizes post-award modifications. The role also provides staff and campus training, advises leadership on critical issues, maintains project records and reports, and participates in research-enterprise software implementation and testing.

Requirements

A baccalaureate degree and four years of progressively responsible professional experience involving technical knowledge, critical thinking, communication, and interpersonal skills related to grants management, or equivalent education, training, or experience.
Considerable working knowledge of principles, practices, and techniques in extramural proposal and award administration, including standard and evolving concepts, principles, and methodologies.
Considerable working knowledge and understanding of applicable federal and state laws, rules, regulations, theories, and systems associated with extramural proposal and award administration.
Ability to resolve a broad range of complex problems using creative reasoning and logic to identify causes and develop effective, innovative, and timely resolutions.
Ability to interpret and clearly and accurately communicate information and ideas in writing and verbally, and to prepare reports and other materials.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external organizations, groups, team leaders and members, and individuals.
Ability to operate a personal computer and use word-processing software.
For supervisory work, ability to lead subordinates, manage work priorities and projects, and manage employee relations.
Equivalent combinations of education and/or professional work experience may qualify if they provide the required education, knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in business administration, public administration, social sciences, or a related field.
Juris Doctor degree with coursework in contracts, contract drafting, alternative dispute resolution, and higher education law.
Direct experience leading extramurally sponsored research and training projects as a principal investigator, project director, or other key personnel.
Functional knowledge of research-enterprise software such as myGRANT, the University of Hawaiʻi proposal-submission and extramural-award-management system.
Considerable experience using electronic research-administration systems, including Grants.gov, NSF Research.gov, and eRA Commons.
Experience working with researchers, faculty, and/or staff from more than one academic discipline.
Knowledge of university-wide goals relating to curricula, including graduate, undergraduate, and community colleges.
Knowledge of methods, procedures, and techniques involved in extramural proposal writing and submission.
Proposal-writing experience resulting in grant funding and experience managing development of large, multidisciplinary grant proposals.
Specialized knowledge of state and federal laws and University of Hawaiʻi policies and procedures applicable to extramural agreements.
Knowledge of cost principles, procurement rules, and University policies and procedures governing sponsored grants, contracts, and other agreements.
Experience with legal issues facing higher-education institutions, including contract administration, intellectual property, copyrights, and disclosure of information.

Responsibilities

Prioritize and assign section workload and ensure assignments are completed accurately, efficiently, and on time in accordance with priorities set by the ORS Contracts and Grants Manager and ORS Director.
Establish performance expectations, monitor staff performance, provide training, help resolve issues, and conduct written performance evaluations.
Provide and coordinate training for Contracts & Grants Administration staff and UH faculty and staff as requested by the ORS Contracts & Grants Manager and/or ORS Director.
Brief the ORS Contracts and Grants Manager and ORS Director on critical issues affecting Contracts & Grants Administration.
Assist faculty and staff with preparing sponsored-program proposals to extramural sponsors, including collaborative, multi-institution, limited-submission, and other complex proposals.
Review proposal budgets, including procurement and personnel aspects, for compliance with applicable laws, regulations, sponsor requirements, and UH policies.
Under delegated authority from the ORS Director, act as UH’s authorized organizational representative, sign and submit proposals, and review and authorize post-award modifications.
Review conformance with funding-agency certifications and sign certifications as delegated by the ORS Director.
Consult with principal investigators, fiscal administrators, and other UH personnel about program needs and questions or issues concerning sponsored-agreement terms and conditions.
Assess financial, technical, and legal agreement terms for compliance and acceptability to UH; draft or propose alternate provisions and negotiate terms with funding agencies, including reviewing and drafting outgoing subawards as applicable.
Ensure relevant UH personnel understand terms deemed unacceptable to UH but non-negotiable by a funding agency.
Keep current with policies, procedures, regulations, directives, and federal and state statutory requirements.
Recommend and implement improvements to contracts and grants policies and procedures.
Interpret federal, state, and UH rules and regulations for sponsored awards, including Federal Demonstration Partnership requirements, Federal Acquisition Regulation provisions, and OMB Uniform Guidance.
Maintain current proposal, award, and post-award project records and preserve files for required periods after project termination.
Provide periodic award-status and progress reports to the supervisor for administrative and institutional use.
Participate in research-enterprise software module implementation and functional testing, providing input, recommendations, and feedback.
Perform other duties as assigned.