Grants & Contracts Specialist

Washington State University • Mount Vernon, WA

2d • $4,517 - $6,075 • Hybrid

About The Position

As a Grants & Contracts Specialist, you will provide professional fiscal and analytical support for sponsored programs at the Washington State University (WSU) Mount Vernon and Puyallup Research and Extension Centers and the Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources (CSANR) under general supervision. You will independently manage the financial aspects of grants and contracts, supporting faculty throughout the full award lifecycle, including budget development, financial monitoring, forecasting, and compliance oversight to ensure the effective and compliant use of sponsored funds. You will manage a high-volume, complex portfolio of sponsored projects across multiple principal investigators, including federal, state, and private funding sources with diverse regulatory and financial requirements. In this role, you will apply principles of accounting and grant management to analyze and interpret financial activity, identify trends, evaluate performance, and support decision-making. You will collaborate with faculty and administrative partners to develop spending plans, monitor financial performance, resolve issues, and ensure timely and accurate financial reporting. This position requires strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities while delivering accurate, timely, and customer-focused financial support in a complex regulatory environment.

Requirements

• A Bachelor’s degree or equivalent, which must include 18 quarter or 12 semester hours in accounting, auditing, or budgeting AND one (1) year experience working in grants and contracts.
• Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with the WSU myResearch and Workday.
• Experience with the WSU grants and contracts policies, procedures, forms, and systems.
• Office of Research Support and Operations (ORSO) Budget Certified.
• Demonstrated computer skills including proficiency with Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and in a team environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide professional fiscal and analytical support for sponsored programs.
• Independently manage the financial aspects of grants and contracts.
• Support faculty throughout the full award lifecycle, including budget development, financial monitoring, forecasting, and compliance oversight.
• Manage a high-volume, complex portfolio of sponsored projects across multiple principal investigators.
• Apply principles of accounting and grant management to analyze and interpret financial activity, identify trends, evaluate performance, and support decision-making.
• Collaborate with faculty and administrative partners to develop spending plans, monitor financial performance, resolve issues, and ensure timely and accurate financial reporting.

Benefits

• paid sick and vacation leave
• paid holidays
• medical, dental, life and disability insurance package for employees and dependents
• retirement
• deferred compensation
• optional supplemental retirement accounts
• training and development
• employee tuition waiver

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level