Lifecycle Grants & Contracts Professional (Open Rank)

University of Colorado•Hybrid, CO

2d•$50,160 - $77,093•Hybrid

About The Position

The University of Colorado Anschutz College of Nursing’s Office of Research and Scholarship is seeking an open-rank Lifecycle Grants & Contracts Professional, from Entry Professional through Principal Professional, to support sponsored research administration. The position provides expertise across the research grant and contract lifecycle, with primary responsibility in either pre-award or post-award administration based on organizational needs and the candidate’s experience. The role works with faculty, Principal Investigators, Research Service Professionals, postdoctoral fellows, students, and administrative partners to support effective and compliant research administration. Depending on assigned responsibilities, work includes proposal preparation and submission, budget development and monitoring, award setup, financial management, reporting, procurement, subaward administration, and project closeout. The position collaborates with the Lifecycle Grants and Contracts Program Manager and Office of Research and Scholarship staff to provide coordinated administrative services and contribute to training, knowledge sharing, and process improvement. Scope, portfolio size, and independence vary by rank. Entry and Intermediate Professionals work with guidance; Senior Professionals work independently; Principal Professionals lead work or serve as subject matter experts. Senior and Principal Professionals also provide advanced expertise, advice, training, mentoring, data analysis, committee support, and leadership on policy, process improvement, and compliance initiatives. This role is eligible for a hybrid schedule, with three days per week on campus and additional in-person attendance as needed. The position requires legal authorization to work in the United States without present or future employer sponsorship.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in public health, public administration, social or behavioral sciences, physical sciences, nursing, healthcare, finance, accounting, business administration, business, or a directly related field; a combination of education and related technical/paraprofessional experience may substitute year-for-year.
Intermediate level: one year of professional-level experience.
Senior Professional level: two years of professional-level experience.
Principal Professional level: three years of professional-level experience.
Applicants must meet minimum qualifications at the time of hire.
Legally authorized to work in the United States without requiring employer sponsorship now or in the future.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with faculty, staff, students, and other stakeholders.
Strong customer service orientation, professionalism, and commitment to the mission of the Office of Research and Scholarship within CU Nursing.
Ability to manage competing priorities, meet deadlines, exercise sound judgment, and maintain composure in challenging situations.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Access, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint) and Adobe Acrobat.
Knowledge of sponsored research administration, including grant applications and award management, sponsor requirements, University policies and procedures, and applicable regulatory requirements such as HIPAA and human subjects protections.
Ability to analyze financial and administrative information, develop recommendations, and maintain accurate grant submission and post-award records and documentation.
Ability to work independently at a level appropriate to the position rank, recognize when guidance or escalation is needed, and collaborate effectively within a team.
Senior and Principal Professionals must demonstrate the ability to work independently with minimal supervision; Principal Professionals must also be able to lead, train, and mentor others.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a professional grants and contracts setting, such as an institution of higher education or academic medical campus.
Experience interfacing with faculty in a professional research setting.
For Senior and Principal Professional ranks, experience in both pre-award and post-award research administration.
For Principal Professional rank, experience serving as a work lead, trainer, or subject matter expert in research administration.
Certified Research Administrator (CRA) or Certified Pre-Award Research Administrator (CPRA) credential.

Responsibilities

Manage the pre-award lifecycle for an assigned portfolio, including funding opportunity review, proposal planning, budget development, administrative compliance, internal routing, sponsor communication, and timely proposal submission.
Coordinate with the Anschutz Medical Campus Office of Grants and Contracts, CU Nursing Finance, and other University partners to obtain approvals and documentation and facilitate proposal submission.
Coordinate the transition from funded proposal to award, including award acceptance, account setup, subaward execution, requests for pre-award spending, Just in Time activities, and other post-submission work.
Manage post-award grants and contracts, including award setup, budget oversight, compliance, reporting, subawards, extensions, and closeout.
Monitor expenditures, projections, and compliance; identify risks and advise Principal Investigators on award management.
Coordinate with University offices to resolve award, financial, and administrative issues.
Support sponsor reporting, including RPPRs, NCEs, and FFRs, and reconcile award, subaward, and financial records.
Support research financial activities, including funding distributions, effort management, HCM transactions, PETs, procurement, and gift card programs.
Use University and sponsor systems, including HCM, InfoEd, CU Marketplace, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, and SAM.gov.
Assist faculty with effort reporting, funding tracking, purchasing, invoicing, and compliance requirements.
Manage procurement card reconciliation and research-funded incentive programs.
Serve as a resource to faculty and research teams on research administration policies, systems, and sponsor requirements; maintain expertise and communicate regulatory, policy, and process updates.
Collaborate with Finance, HR, Academic Affairs, IT, and other University partners to support research operations and compliance.
Identify process improvement opportunities in assigned areas and share recommendations with the Program Manager.
Maintain accurate and accessible grant and contract documentation and contribute to CU Nursing research archives.
Contribute to special projects and initiatives, potentially including the annual research symposium, research committee activities, hiring committees, intramural award administration, and other Office of Research and Scholarship initiatives.
Maintain professionalism, discretion, responsiveness, and accountability in interactions with faculty, staff, students, sponsors, and University partners.
Take ownership of assigned portfolios, projects, and issues and follow them through to resolution.
Communicate proactively about deadlines, potential risks, unresolved issues, and changes affecting faculty or research projects.
At Senior and Principal levels, serve as a lead expert in pre- and post-award research administration and advise stakeholders on grants, contracts, compliance, proposal development, funding opportunities, and award management.
At Senior and Principal levels, lead, train, and mentor research administration staff and stakeholders and provide guidance on award negotiations, contract setup, external agreements (JPA/IPA), and University research systems.
At Senior and Principal levels, analyze and report grant data for institutional reporting and rankings, coordinate administrative support for research review committees, foster cross-institutional collaborations, and lead policy, process improvement, and compliance initiatives.