Grants & Contracts Admin II

University of Rochester•Rochester, NY

About The Position

As a community, the University of Rochester is defined by a deep commitment to Meliora - Ever Better. Embedded in that ideal are the values we share: equity, leadership, integrity, openness, respect, and accountability. Together, we will set the highest standards for how we treat each other to ensure our community is welcoming to all and is a place where all can thrive. The Grants & Contracts Admin II will serve in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and report to Dean under the direction of the Director of the TRaCE-bMPS. The individual will lead the administration and management of the Center, and works closely with the TRaCE-bMPS Executive Committee, the faculty and administrators of affiliated departments, centers, and institutes, and with external partners in both industry and academia. The position requires strong leadership, management, and analytical skills, and the motivation to continue the growth of the Center in support of its mission. The individual should have experience in research and grants administration and daily monitoring of grants and contracts and with the administration of an organization the size of academic department or larger. The individual will also serve as a university expert and resource in research policy and administration, for example by serving on the Integrated Online Research Administrators Group, the River Campus Research Administrators Group, and the Medical Center Administrators Group. The Translational Center for Barrier Microphysiological Systems (TRaCE-bMPS) is a funded research center focused on the development of technologies to model human tissues ‘on-chip’ as more effective alternatives to animal testing. The Center emerged from research collaborations between the Department of Biomedical Engineering, the Center for Musculoskeletal Research (CMSR), and the Department of Dermatology, and was created in partnership with the Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI). The multidisciplinary work in the TRaCE- bMPS is supported through collaborations with many UR departments and an international team of partners in academia, industry, and government. The center is seeking an experienced and talented Grants & Contracts Admin II to help continue to grow the center in collaboration with the faculty and their departments. The Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Rochester (UR) brings together the technical expertise of the Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences with the clinical expertise of the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC). The department has established a cooperative environment that fosters innovations in medicine, health care, device design, and research. The Grants & Contracts Admin II will serve in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and report to Dean Wendi Heinzelman under the direction of the Director of the TRaCE-bMPS, Jim McGrath. The individual will lead the administration and management of the Center, and works closely with the TRaCE-bMPS Executive Committee, the faculty and administrators of affiliated departments, centers, and institutes, and with external partners in both industry and academia. The position requires strong leadership, management, and analytical skills, and the motivation to continue the growth of the Center in support of its mission. The individual should have experience in research and grants administration and daily monitoring of grants and contracts and with the administration of an organization the size of academic department or larger. The individual will also serve as a university expert and resource in research policy and administration, for example by serving on the Integrated Online Research Administrators Group, the River Campus Research Administrators Group, and the Medical Center Administrators Group. Under the general direction of the Center Director and TRaCE-bMPS Executive Committee but with latitude to exercise independent judgement, the Grants & Contracts Admin II will manage the daily operations of the center including its core research enterprise grants and contracts. This will require pre-award and post-award grants management activities such as proposal and budget preparation and coordination with numerous internal University offices including the Office of Research and Project Administration (ORPA), Office of Research Accounting and Costing Standards (ORACS), University Audit, and the Hajim Deans Office, and ensuring compliance with sponsor terms. Maintaining positive and effective working relationships is paramount for this role. The Grants and Contracts Admin II for the TRaCE- bMPSmust be willing to perform both large and small tasks in support of the Center’s daily monitoring and growth. Examples of small tasks will include day-to- day purchasing, accounting, invoicing, payments and reimbursements, organizing meetings, managing schedules, arranging travel and visits, etc. The Grants & Contracts Admin II will work closely with two Grants Management Specialist II in the Department of Biomedical Engineering to manage financial accounts associated with the Center and the Director. These activities will include developing financial reports, budgeting, and projections for the Center and other assigned accounts, coordinating salary allocations, and overseeing accounting and transaction approvals including purchase orders and supply agreements.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree
2 Years relevant experience or equivalent combination of education and experience
Extensive knowledge, experience, and skills in research policies, grants and contracts administration
Strong interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills, both verbal and written.
Strong skills and experience with funding policies and procedures from a wide range of international, federal, state, and industrial funding sources
Willingness to meet continuous learning requirements by attending regular monthly meetings, electives and Annual CLASP Update as well as the following UR Systems: UR Financials URGEMS (Encumbrance Accounting System) Procure to Pay (P2P) Purchasing system HRMS IORA Cognos
Willingness to participate in on-going training to stay abreast of compliance issues related to sponsored research and attends these meetings as appropriate.
Ability to monitor and produce financial reports for principal investigators and sponsors.
Experience coordinating and managing multiple research projects.
Strong proficiency with Windows and Mac OS, Microsoft Office and Excel spreadsheets

Nice To Haves

Continuous Learning for Administrators of Sponsored Programs (CLASP) certification.
Experience with grant programs, such as ASSIST, Grants.gov, NSF eBRAP and Research.gov is preferred

Responsibilities

Provide the administrative leadership for the grant cycle of development, review, submission, and renewal of various types of sponsored projects to the TRaCE-bMPS by working in partnership with the TRaCE-bMPS Executive Committee, its founding organizations at the University of Rochester (the BME and Dermatology Departments, The Center for Musculoskeletal Research, and The Clinical and Translational Science Institute), and other stakeholders within and outside the University.
Lead the Center’s HR Personnel Administration by overseeing hiring, appointments, and payroll for staff and students, Build a strong administrative support staff as the Center continues to grow.
Ensure the Center’s compliance with all University policies and procedures.
Lead outreach and communication collaboration efforts for the Center.
Manage the day-to-day activities of the Center including scheduling, team meetings, visitors, seminars, conferences and workshops, travel, schedules, purchasing, reimbursements, etc.
Facilitate contracts, agreements, invoicing, payments, and other transactions between TraCe-bMPS and outside parties.
Oversee management of TraCe-bMPS services, a business unit
Works with the Center Director and TRaCE-bMPS Executive Committee to analyze research activity and strategically plan the focused growth and advancement of the Center’s research portfolio.
Works with the Director and TRaCE-bMPS Executive Committee to manage the Center’s interactions, collaborations, and partnerships, both on campus and externally.
Administer all research grants, provide reports on research activity, coordinate salary allocations, and manages research-based finances and accounts of the TRaCE-bMPS Center
Track research grant submissions and funding and provides analysis summaries for guiding project and Center management.
Provides guidance and mentoring of Center-affiliated faculty, research staff, and students on grants submission and management processes.
Manage pre-award administrative and financial activities related to research projects for the TRaCE-bMPS Center
Develop and oversee subcontract paperwork for submission, including budgets, letters of intent and other documentation needed for TRaCE-bMPS Center subcontracts
Maintain liaison with Sponsored Programs accounting, Research and Project Administration, Audit, and the Dean’s office.
Handle TRaCE-bMPS Center financial questions from the Grants Management Officer at NIH, NSF, DOD and other sponsors
Assist in applying for renewal or supplemental grants for funding for TRaCE-bMPS Center.
Review award and contract terms and conditions. Interprets these conditions and other sponsor policies and communicates to TRaCE-bMPS Executive Director and PI
Using University Financial reports, perform accounting activities and reconcile federal research accounts (FAO GR5s), including subcontracts. Monitor all account balances and expenditures. Analyze accounts and use judgment to determine whether the account balances are reasonable. Ensure that financial data relative to research grants is accurate and reliable for all TRaCE-bMPS Center grants, contracts, and subawards.
Work with ORACS to report on the grant spending and finalize invoices to comply with sponsor policies and ensure accurate reporting of expenditures and work done using sponsor funds for all TRaCE-bMPS Center grants
Work with PI and TRaCE-bMPS Executive Director to verify accuracy of reporting and keep current on any special circumstances pertaining to grant funding for all TRaCE-bMPS Center grants
Create routine reports and design special reports as requested by faculty showing current status of funds and reflecting projections and anticipated outcomes for life of grant. Provide reports to faculty and offer recommendations for action. Identify possible problems, spending patterns, appropriateness of purchases.
Act as a university expert and resource in research policy and grants administration.
Work with BME administrators and faculty on BME-related activities and initiatives.
Manage select department financial accounts.