Post-Award Grants Specialist

University of Washington Medical Center • Tacoma, WA

1d • $69,720 - $86,400 • Onsite

About The Position

The UW Tacoma Office of Research has an outstanding opportunity for a Post-Award Grants Specialist to join their team. Reporting to the Director of the Office of Research, the Post-Award Grants Specialist will support the extramural funding at the University of Washington Tacoma (UWT). This position will independently aid in the management of a complex portfolio of funding while working with UWT faculty and staff across all UWT schools and units to provide aspects of proposal development, and a focus on post-award management with a variety of organizations, including federal sponsors, foundations, and industry partners.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and three years’ experience in a relevant field.
• Knowledge and understanding of research administration rules and procedures, sponsored project budget development, and sponsored project post-award procedures.
• Success working on multiple projects at a time with demonstrated strong management, organization, verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively and independently with a high degree of reliability, accuracy, and productivity.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment and work independently to resolve problems.
• Commitment to continuous process improvement.
• Demonstrated ability to manage priorities to meet deadlines while maintaining attention to detail.

Nice To Haves

• Workday Financial experience.
• Experience with an academic institution’s policies and procedures related to grant and contract management.
• Proficient in federal government grant systems such as eRA Commons, ASSIST.
• Proactive problem solver and communicator, with a desire to improve systems.
• Experience at managing grant post award fiscal activities.
• Experience working with a wide range of stakeholders with significantly different levels of knowledge and understanding in grant management.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Principal Investigators (PIs), unit administrators, and Fiscal Services staff, beginning at award kickoff, to implement and manage sponsored projects using Workday and other university systems, ensuring alignment with project aims and full compliance with university and sponsor requirements.
• Translate proposal budgets into compliant spending plans aligned with award aims; ensure all expenditures meet sponsor and institutional requirements; communicate the information to PIs and unit staffs.
• Monitor budgets, balances, and spend rates; ensure expenditures track with forecasts; identify and advise on needed adjustments, including planning for no-cost extensions.
• Conduct at least monthly reviews of expenditures for allowability with PIs; support salary and effort alignment to ensure correct charging to awards.
• Track, document, and report cost share commitments.
• Generate and analyze financial data for reporting, planning, and forecasting; support PIs in meeting sponsor reporting requirements.
• Serve as a primary liaison with PIs, Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), Grants and Contracts Accounting (GCA), and sponsor representatives to address inquiries and ensure accurate budget management.
• Navigate Workday Financials to analyze financial activities, and provide actionable insights to PIs, unit staff, and other stakeholders.
• Collaborate and work closely with PIs, unit staff, and Office of Research members to provide troubleshooting assistance, training, and back-up when needed on post award-related matters.
• Coordinate with units on service contract development to ensure scopes of work and budgets are allowable, compliant, and financially viable.
• Contribute to Office of Research communications, reporting, and outreach activities to support effective information exchange and grand management capacity building across the UWT campus.
• Contribute to development of the annual research report and development of website and other communications content.
• Facilitate clear and consistent information exchange with PIs, unit administrators, and campus partners through award kickoff meetings, written guidance, and targeted communications.
• Interpret and translate complex policy, fiscal, and compliance requirements into clear, actionable guidance for diverse audiences.
• Facilitate grant management training workshops for PIs and unit administrators.
• Support communication and community engagement activities associated with Office of Research events.
• Maintain current knowledge of evolving grant administration policies, regulations, and best practices through required training and professional development.
• Contribute to process improvement initiatives within the Office of Research by identifying inefficiencies, recommending solutions, and supporting the refinement of office workflows and practices.

Benefits

• For information about benefits for this position, visit https://www.washington.edu/jobs/benefits-for-uw-staff/

What This Job Offers

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