Grants Manager

University of Washington•Tacoma, WA

1d•$82,680 - $87,600

About The Position

The University of Washington Tacoma is an anchor institution that is deeply invested in its local communities and in student success. As one of three campuses of a world-class university, UW Tacoma is dedicated to interdisciplinary and innovative teaching and scholarship and to engaging the community in mutually beneficial partnerships. UW Tacoma’s commitment to access and diversity is central to an environment where students, staff, faculty and South Sound residents find abundant opportunities for intellectual, personal and professional growth. More information about UW Tacoma and its strategic plan can be found here . The School of Engineering and Technology has an outstanding opportunity for a Grants Manager to join their team. The Grants Manager provides independent, high-level grant and contract expertise and fiscal management within the School of Engineering and Technology (SET). This position reports directly to the Director of Operations and will be the expert and authority on grants and contracts for SET. They will independently develop, interpret and implement policies to meet the needs of the programs and PIs. The Grants Manager will be the direct SET liaison with the UW Tacoma (UWT) Office of Research, the Office Sponsored Projects (OSP) and Grants and Contracts Accounting and can commit Department resources. They will be the primary individual responsible for ensuring compliance with sponsoring agency rules and regulations around funding and expenditure of funds. The Grants Manager will supervise fiscal staff within the unit and will have budget and spending authority on all projects under their direction. This individual will be responsible for overseeing and ensuring adequate timelines, timely submissions, reporting to funding agencies and renewals and/or appropriate closing of projects. This position has responsibility for processes affecting the full life of research grants with a primary focus on post-award activities and oversight of other funds that make up a faculty member’s portfolio, including contracts, gifts and endowments. The position is responsible for accurate and timely management of research proposals compliant with sponsor policies; unit-based tracking and processing award receipt; and post-award financial management of research grants and contracts. The position collaborates with principal investigators (PIs), Fiscal Services and the UWT Office of Research. The position ensures funds are received, budgeted, tracked and expended efficiently in compliance with regulations, policies and procedures. The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to work independently but also be a strong team player. The position requires extensive knowledge of federal, state, university and sponsor policies and best practices around grant and contract management, expenditure monitoring and reconciliation. Advanced fiscal, project management, and supervisory skills are required. This position is responsible for thoroughly understanding the terms and conditions of the school’s programs and awards to effectively research and answer questions related to applications, sponsored awards, gifts, endowments and allowable costs. This position will also monitor and report on expenditures and escalate any concerns to senior management.

Requirements

Bachelors’ degree in Business Administration or a related field and a minimum of four years of relevant grant administration experience
Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.
Familiarity with post-award grant and contract processes for both Federal and non-Federal sources.
Experience working in research administration including oversight of complex budgets and subawards.
Experience with National Institute for Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Defense (DoD) and foundation grants.
Experience interacting with faculty, school and University leadership.
Demonstrated ability to manage priorities to meet deadlines while maintaining attention to detail.
Demonstrated problem-solving skills
Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Nice To Haves

Working knowledge of UW systems, including SAGE, Workday and Award Portal
Familiarity with UW policies and procedures, particularly grants and contracts
Experience in a leadership role or supervisory capacity
Familiarity in a research, technical and/or grant-funded environment

Responsibilities

Provide overall management of SET’s $7M research portfolio.
Lead SET’s collaboration with the UWT Office of Research for successful submission of proposals and receipt of awards which are all done centrally through the UWT Office of Research.
Ensure compliance with federal, state, and UW policies, procedures and regulations.
Serve as a liaison with SET administration, faculty, UWT Office of Research, UWT Finance and Administration, university-wide departments and program centers, outside researchers and collaborators, and subcontractors.
Coordinate and monitor administrative approval processes within SET.
Expert having primary accountability for oversight of post-award activities.
Manage and administer multiple complex budgets including state, federal, university/industry collaborations, industry contracts, subcontracts and endowments.
Collaborate with PIs to complete required sponsor reporting such as progress reports and final reports.
Interface directly with UW units, funding agencies and subcontractors to handle invoices, expenditures, reimbursements, supplements, extensions, fiscal reporting and effort compliance.
Reconcile grant expenditures, develop and maintain comprehensive monthly budget reports that include spending analyses, forecast future needs, and regularly communicate status and provide budgetary updates to SET principal investigators.
Develop long-range forecasts and spending plans.
Advise PIs on payroll compliance and budgetary requirements for employees supported by their grants and contracts.
Develop systems to track Employee Compensation Compliance (ECC) reports and oversee cost share compliance.
Directly supervise fiscal staff and collaborate with the Director of Operations to hire, onboard, review performance, and arrange for training of fiscal staff.
Initiate, review and recommend personnel actions including salary actions; counsel employees to resolve employee relations issues; recommend and follow through with progressive disciplinary actions when appropriate.