Research Administrator III

University of Florida•Gainesville, FL

4d•$61,000 - $99,000

About The Position

This position works closely with stakeholders in connection with the management of research grants and grant-related funds. The role involves partnering with the CVM Research office to ensure grant proposals meet administrative and budgetary requirements, monitoring grant fiscal records using UF and VetMed systems (myUFL and UFIRST), and reviewing grant transactions for accuracy. The administrator will also monitor and adjust grant encumbrances, analyze grant accounts, and reconcile them at each milestone. Additionally, the role serves as a liaison between CVM Faculty PIs, their support staff, the Department of Sponsored Programs, the Contracts and Grants Office, and the College Research office. This includes assisting PIs with submissions, budget preparation, award modifications, and reporting. The position requires providing regular communication and support, ensuring compliance with University policies, Federal Uniform Administrative Requirements (2.CFR 200), and sponsor requirements. The administrator will maintain knowledge of Uniform Guidance and other grant regulatory requirements, resolve compliance-related issues, and act as a resource for other staff. The role also involves reviewing and consulting on cost share and budget items. Furthermore, the position monitors projects for appropriate purchases, personnel distributions, expiration dates, remaining balances, and IACUC/IRB protocols, ensuring payroll and cost sharing commitments are properly recorded. This includes providing support for effort tracking, overseeing research-related payroll distributions, and having signing authority for payroll distribution-retro requests and payroll cost transfer forms. The administrator will also assist with budget submissions, revisions, and no-cost extensions, provide grant accounting, track financial activity, and offer basic accounts payable, human resource/payroll support. Effort reporting and preparation of reports to sponsoring agencies are also key responsibilities. Finally, the role involves working with various stakeholders to resolve grant-related issues, advising on guidelines governing expenditures, providing financial reports, and assisting with project close-out procedures.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree and three years of experience in grant and contract administration; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Nice To Haves

Experience with PeopleSoft, MS Office, UFIRST, myInvestigator, Enterprise Analytics, e-RA Commons (NIH) and UF fund accounting experience.
Strong customer service and team-centric skills, experience working with diverse personalities.
Ability to communicate effectively and courteously, both written and verbally and work with the public in a tactful and courteous manner.
Extensive knowledge of Uniform Guidance, and all other policies and procedures related to sponsored programs including all state, national, and international partners.
Strong problem-solving ability and attention to detail.
Ability to plan, organize and coordinate work assignments.
Ability to operate Windows-based and character-driven programs.
Knowledge of State, UF and College of Veterinary Medicine rules and procedures.
Certified Research Administrator

Responsibilities

Works closely with stakeholders in connection with management of research grants and grant-related funds.
Works in partnership with CVM Research office to ensure grant proposals meet appropriate administrative and budgetary requirements.
Monitors grant fiscal records through the use of UF and VetMed systems, including but not limited to myUFL and UFIRST.
Reviews grant transactions for accuracy and process correcting journal entries as needed.
Monitors and adjust grant encumbrances frequently to maintain accurate balances.
Analyzes grant accounts during their life cycle and reconcile as needed at each milestone.
Serves as liaison between CVM Faculty PIs, their support staff, the Department of Sponsored Programs, the Contracts and Grants Office, and the College Research office.
Assists principal investigators with submissions, budget preparation and revisions, award modifications in UFIRST and other reporting documents.
Provides regular communication and support for PI’s, PI support staff, and PI department staff by preparing reports and meeting regularly to review the status of projects.
Support compliance by reviewing budgets and other submission documents and providing guidance and counsel for the stewardship of sponsored research funds and ensuring University policies and processes, Federal Uniform Administrative Requirements (2.CFR 200), and sponsor requirements and expectations are met.
Support compliance in all other areas related to grant and contract management, including compliance registrations, safety and environmental health issues, internal protocols, conflicts of interest, etc., as related to proposal submission.
Maintain authoritative knowledge of Uniform Guidance and other relevant grant regulatory requirements.
Resolve mid-size compliance-related proposal issues and work with leadership on larger issues, as well as act as a resource for other staff.
Review and consult on cost share and budget items requiring CAS exemptions.
Monitors projects for appropriate purchases, personnel distributions, expiration dates, remaining balances, and IACUC/IRB protocols.
Make sure all payroll and cost sharing commitments are properly recorded.
Consults with college stakeholders to provide appropriate support for effort tracking and serves as knowledge leader for effort related training.
Oversees all aspects of research-related payroll distributions.
Has signing authority for payroll distribution-retro requests (PDRR) and payroll cost transfer forms.
Assists PI’s and college stakeholders with budget submissions, revisions, and no-cost extensions as necessary.
Provides grant accounting for CVM departments, principal investigators, and University core offices to ensure compliance.
Tracks all financial activity on award and provides basic accounts payable human resource/payroll support.
Review and monitor effort and communicate with department and PI to accurately record and verify effort reporting.
Assists PIs with monitoring and preparation of reports to sponsoring agencies.
Works with stakeholders including vendors, purchasing, disbursements, sponsored research, contracts and grants, faculty and staff to resolve grant-related issues.
Advises principal investigators and college stakeholders on university, state and federal guidelines governing expenditures and other award activities; provide financial reports to investigators and departments to assist in award oversight.
Works with UF Contracts and Grants to close-out projects, including but not limited to residual account transfers, maintaining payment records from sponsors, assisting with data requests and reports, and maintaining subcontract records.