Senior Contracts Specialist
About The Position
The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) has an outstanding opportunity for a Senior Contracts Specialist to join their team. The Senior Contracts Specialist supports the University of Washington’s Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), which facilitates more than 1.8 billion annually in sponsored project awards. This position is part of the Office of Sponsored Programs within the Office of Research and is responsible for reviewing, negotiating, and executing a wide range of sponsored research-related agreements on behalf of the University. Reporting to the Contracts Team Manager, the Senior Contracts Specialist independently manages complex agreements that enable UW faculty to conduct research while ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations, sponsor requirements, and University policies. The role is essential to advancing the University’s research mission by mitigating institutional risk and supporting productive collaborations with external sponsors. This position requires a high level of independent judgment and subject matter expertise in reviewing and negotiating complex research agreements, including industry sponsored clinical trials, government contracts, collaborative research agreements, and unfunded agreements. The Senior Contracts Specialist must assess legal, financial, and compliance risks; interpret and apply varied sponsor requirements; and negotiate acceptable terms that protect the University’s interests. The role demands the ability to prioritize and manage a dynamic workload in a deadline-driven environment while providing informed guidance to faculty and departmental partners. The incumbent must effectively balance competing priorities, navigate ambiguity, and adapt to evolving regulatory and sponsor landscapes with minimal supervision.
Requirements
- A bachelor's degree
- 6 or more years of increasingly responsible experience and development of expertise in grant and/or contract administration
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Knowledge of federal regulations concerning management of federal assistance funding, including the Uniform Guidance
- Understanding of compliance requirements
- Understanding of roles and responsibilities at a large, research university
- Working knowledge of non-fiscal compliance areas such as conflict of interest, research security, export controls, human subjects and animal care policies and regulations
- Understanding of copyright law, publication policy, intellectual property rights, and data ownership
- Knowledge of sponsor types and the differences in sponsor requirements
- Knowledge of federal acquisition processes and Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR)
- Ability to interpret, explain and apply complicated rules, regulations and policies
- Strong interpersonal and customer service skills
- A demonstrated capacity to work with and within a diverse community
Nice To Haves
- JD or Master’s Degree in related discipline, such as Business Administration, Research Administration, or Public Administration.
Responsibilities
- Review, analyze, and evaluate award terms and conditions for individual agreements
- Independently negotiate agreement terms with sponsors to ensure compliance with federal and state law, University policy, and sponsor requirements
- Collaborate with faculty and departmental representatives throughout the negotiation process
- Assess institutional risk and document negotiated outcomes
- Maintain complete, current and accurate agreement files as official records in the system of record
- Stay abreast of the changing regulatory landscape
- Maintain awareness of changes in sponsor policies and practices
- Evaluate and make recommendations for changes to policies and processes; needed because of changes in regulations or overall funder policies and practices
- Recommend classes, courses or webinars that may be beneficial to the team or the office
- Prepare and present material for staff enrichment and professional development
- Prepare and lead outreach efforts to campus units
- Represent the office in interdepartmental workgroups, contributing expertise in matters with broad implications to the University mission
Benefits
- Benefits: For information about benefits for this position, visit https://www.washington.edu/jobs/benefits-for-uw-staff/
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
