Senior Grant and Contract Administrator

The University of Arizona • Tucson, AZ

2d • Remote

About The Position

The University of Arizona is seeking a Senior Grant and Contract Administrator to manage the pre-award phase of the grants management lifecycle. The role prepares and submits proposals and works with principal investigators and research staff to develop budgets and ensure compliance with sponsor and institutional regulations, terms, and conditions. The position is eligible for remote work; visa sponsorship is not available.

The administrator supports faculty and research teams throughout proposal development, reviews applications for compliance, provides guidance on funding policies and procedures, and contributes to team planning and process improvement. This is a full-time, 40-hour-per-week position with full benefits. Compensation is salary-based and determined by experience and other relevant factors (DOE).

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent advanced learning attained through professional-level experience.
• Eight years of relevant work experience, or an equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• Ability to communicate effectively with multiple stakeholders.
• High attention to detail and ability to manage multiple complex submissions under strict deadlines.
• Ability to guide and advise faculty on proposal requirements and translate complex sponsor guidelines into actionable steps.
• Strong proficiency in budget creation, forecasting, and understanding cost principles, such as Uniform Guidance.
• Knowledge of policies and procedures of various funding agencies.
• Knowledge of major grant submission systems, including Research.gov, ASSIST, and Grants.gov.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office software and expert knowledge of Excel.

Nice To Haves

• Experience preparing and submitting high-volume, high-value grant proposals.
• Certified Research Administrator (CRA) professional certification.
• Experience with UAccess Research and Financials.

Responsibilities

• Work with faculty, research staff, administrators, and others to prepare proposals in accordance with university and sponsor policies, guidelines, and criteria.
• Advise principal investigators on administrative requirements for proposal submissions.
• Develop proposal budgets and associated justifications.
• Coordinate with principal investigators and pre-award staff at collaborating institutions to obtain required sub-award documents.
• Manage internal Sponsored Projects proposal routing, review, and approval.
• Assist with submitting proposal packages through external sponsor grant management portals.
• Update the central pre-award workflow system to support team workload management and reassignment.
• Review grant proposals involving CALES faculty to ensure compliance with agency and university regulations before submission.
• Coordinate and review proposal elements, including biosketches and facilities and resources, for consistency, accuracy, and completeness.
• Review proposals for compliance with sponsor budget, format, font-size, and page-limit guidelines, excluding narrative content.
• Interpret pre-award policies and procedures for academic departments, including complex funding regulations and spending guidelines.
• Contribute information and ideas as part of a cross-functional team.
• Plan, arrange, and participate in workshops and seminars to encourage faculty and staff participation in the proposal process.
• Collaborate with the team on the annual CALES pre-award strategic plan.

Benefits

• Health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• Life insurance and disability programs.
• Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
• University of Arizona, Arizona State University, and Northern Arizona University tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members.
• Retirement plans.
• Access to University of Arizona recreation and cultural activities.
• Work-life programs.

What This Job Offers

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