Post-Award Grant Specialist (Senior or Principal Professional)

University of Colorado • Hybrid, CO

2d • $59,012 - $90,937 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Department of Ophthalmology is seeking a Post-Award Grant Specialist to support the financial and administrative management of its sponsored research portfolio, including federal, foundation, industry, and other externally funded projects. Reporting to the Program Manager of Research Finance and Administration, this position partners closely with Principal Investigators (PIs), research staff, and university offices to manage awards from award setup through closeout. The position is responsible for budget monitoring and forecasting, financial reconciliation, expenditure review, payroll, and funding transactions, subaward administration, sponsor invoicing and reporting support, award modifications, and maintaining accurate and compliant award records.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration, public administration, healthcare administration, research administration, or a directly related field.
• Two (2) years of professional experience in finance, accounting, budgeting, business operations, grant/research administration, contract management, clinical trial finance, or a related field (for Senior Professional).
• Three (3) years of professional experience in finance, accounting, budgeting, business operations, grant/research administration, contract management, clinical trial finance, or a related field (for Principal Professional).
• Substitution: A combination of education and related technical, military, or paraprofessional experience may be substituted for the bachelor's degree on a year-for-year basis.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including the ability to independently analyze, reconcile, and validate complex financial data; build PivotTables; formulas such as XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP and SUMIFS; identify variances and discrepancies; and develop clear financial reports, projections, and tracking tools.
• Demonstrated ability to independently interpret financial, administrative, and regulatory requirements and manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both in writing and orally.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees at all levels throughout the institution.
• Outstanding customer service skills.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with post-award sponsored research administration in an academic, healthcare, or research environment.
• Experience managing federal grants, including NIH-funded awards.
• Experience with award setup, budget monitoring, financial reconciliation, forecasting, sponsor invoicing, progress reporting, award modifications, and closeout.
• Experience with subawards and subrecipient monitoring.
• Experience interpreting sponsor requirements and Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200).
• Experience with University or comparable financial, reporting, and research administration systems such as InfoEd, CU Data/m-Fin, A2E, PeopleSoft Finance/HCM, CU Marketplace, Concur, ePERS, Power BI, or Smartsheet.
• Certified Research Administrator (CRA) credential, progress toward certification, or interest in pursuing certification.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of sponsored projects from award setup through closeout in collaboration with the Program Manager and PIs.
• Monitor award budgets, expenditures, revenue, commitments, and projected balances; prepare financial reconciliations, forecasts, and budget variance analyses.
• Review expenditures for allowability, allocability, reasonableness, and compliance with sponsor requirements, University policies, and applicable federal regulations.
• Process and monitor financial transactions including funding distributions, Journal Entries (JEs), Payroll Expense Transfers (PETs), procurement, travel, invoices, and other award-related expenditures.
• Coordinate award actions including rebudgeting, carryforward, no-cost extensions, amendments, funding changes, and closeout activities.
• Maintain accurate, complete, and audit-ready award documentation.
• Provide responsive, solutions-oriented support to the Program Manager and research teams regarding sponsored project financial management.
• Extract, analyze, and validate financial and award information using institutional research administration and financial systems.
• Support Pre-Award and other research administration activities as needed, including troubleshooting SciENcv, Biosketch, Other Support, and Just-in-Time documentation, along with other submission requests.
• Independently manage complex or higher-risk sponsored project portfolios and resolve financial and compliance issues with limited supervision.
• Provide advanced financial forecasting, budget analysis, and recommendations in consult with the Program Manager of Research Finance and Administration to PIs and research leadership.
• Interpret and apply complex sponsor, University, and federal requirements.
• Develop and improve procedures, reporting tools, and operational workflows.
• Serve as a resource and mentor to colleagues on research administration practices, financial management, compliance, and institutional systems.

Benefits

• Medical: Multiple plan options
• Dental: Multiple plan options
• Additional Insurance: Disability, Life, Vision
• Retirement 401(a) Plan: Employer contributes 10%25 of your gross pay
• Paid Time Off: Accruals over the year
• Vacation Days: 22/year (maximum accrual 352 hours)
• Sick Days: 15/year (unlimited maximum accrual)
• Holiday Days: 15/year
• Tuition Benefit: Employees have access to this benefit on all CU campuses
• ECO Pass: Reduced rate RTD Bus and light rail service

What This Job Offers

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