Senior Grants Specialist (Remote) - Neurosurgery

Washington University in St. Louis

1d • Remote

About The Position

The Taylor Family Department of Neurosurgery is seeking a Senior Grant Specialist to join its Research Administration team. This collaborative professional will have demonstrated experience in complex pre-award grant processes and a strong commitment to supporting investigators in securing funding to advance their research initiatives. Grant Specialists play a critical role in the sponsored project lifecycle by ensuring that proposals comply with sponsor guidelines and are submitted accurately and on time. The Grant Specialist will partner with faculty, leadership, and staff throughout the pre-award phase, providing comprehensive support in proposal development and submission, managing just-in-time requests, and ensuring adherence to institutional and sponsor compliance requirements. This position is primarily remote with occasional on-campus requirements.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or combination of education and/or experience may substitute for minimum education.
• Relevant Experience (3 Years)

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of S2S, Research Management System (RMS and SUBS system).
• Knowledge agency guidelines.
• Accounting Processes
• Adobe Acrobat
• Analytical Thinking
• Computerized Accounting
• Computer Literacy
• Deadline Management
• Grant Administration
• IBM Cognos Analytics
• Interpersonal Communication
• Learning New Technologies
• Maintaining Composure
• Microsoft Office
• Oral Communications
• Supervisory Management
• Workday Software
• Written Communication

Responsibilities

• Performs pre-award job duties in response to specific proposal guidelines and terms and conditions for more complex proposals, such as program projects, ARPA-H, DOD, DOE applications with minimal guidance.
• Works with faculty in proposal preparation and submission.
• Manages budgeting, analysis, justifications for proposals; gathers information for protocols and non-technical proposal components as needed.
• Serves as a liaison between the Chair, Faculty, and Department Administrators.
• Stays current on federal and university developments regarding research administration and complex regulations.
• May coordinate the submission, work with PI to prepare budget, obtain pricing quotes from other Departments.
• Compiles and ensures accurate regulatory compliance of necessary data collected from various sources.
• Works with Principal Investigator to compile and submit the entire grant according to established agency/university guidelines.
• Prepares and reviews all agency forms for submission.
• Enters grant budgeting documents online, as needed.
• Obtains PI and institutional signatures for proposal submissions.
• Initiates subaward setup through SUBS system (new process/system).
• Uploads pre-award documents and hands it off to Post-award to enter fund number.
• Coordinates with the Post-award unit and OSRS to ensure timely implementation of contracts and subcontracts by examining and supplying the necessary requirements in the SUBS system.
• Manages reviews of more complex notice of award (NOA), including sponsor award documents, to SPA and PI, noting any special terms and conditions as well as committed effort.
• Monitors and works with PI to submit annual agency reports (e.g., Research Performance Progress Reports/RPPRs).
• Oversees and coordinates the proper transfer of PI grants and contracts into WashU.
• Coordinates the necessary support with internal and external requests for complex grant-related information (i.e. current biosketches, trainee information, and human/animal protocol approvals, other support).
• Assists with analysis of online database of grants submitted, awarded, rejected, etc. metrics and funding trends.
• Organizes and determines proper action plans including the oversight for advanced alerts to PIs of upcoming deadlines for continuation, competitive renewals, progress reports, etc.
• Serves as responsible for closure of complex sponsored projects accounts.
• Submits final progress report and invention statement (if applicable) to the appropriate agency.
• Follows up with PI and facilitates submission of delinquent final technical, outcomes, patent, and property reports.
• Manages and monitors complex sponsored projects budgets and ensures appropriate and timely expenditures and reconciliation of funds.
• Approves purchasing documents and provides guidance to purchasing staff on appropriate expenditures according to specific grant policies.
• Manages subawards, including, receiving the subaward invoice, reviewing and forwarding to PI for approval.
• Checks for accuracy and provides complex troubleshooting error resolutions/solutions for fund profile setups and financial reports.
• Creates, addresses, and processes correspondence of moderate complexity with granting agencies (i.e. inquiries, carry forward requests, change in effort requests, prior approvals, no cost extensions, equipment purchase, and budget reallocation requests).
• Serves as internal liaison and grant content representative with SPA to ensure that all funds are set up in a timely manner; prepare any necessary project advances, no-cost extensions, and ensure that funds are carried forward as appropriate.
• Ensures that human and animal study protocols are associated with the applicable proposal or award.
• Obtains documentation on participation of foreign nationals on research projects.
• Coordinates the necessary support with internal and external requests for grant-related information (i.e. audit inquiries, effort distribution, trainee information, and human/animal protocol approvals,).
• Stays in communication with the leadership on pre- and post-award activities to ensure the highest level of customer service to faculty.
• Tracks and maintains online database of grants submitted, awarded, rejected, etc.
• Prepares monthly financial reports on complex research accounts and distribute/discuss with PIs and senior leadership.
• Assists DA in reconciling funds and monitoring spending levels, overdrafts, and cost sharing commitments.
• Processes budget adjustments on expense categories as needed.
• Obtains signatures and forwards grant/contract financial status reports to PI and senior leadership.
• Works with PIs to provide fund management and make any necessary budgetary changes.
• Oversees and coordinates the proper transfer of PI grants and contracts from Wash U to new institutions or new departments.
• May prepare and submit invoices according to final executed contract, track receipt of checks from sponsor and ensure they are deposited in correct fund.
• Assists senior leadership with special projects as requested.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Up to 22 days of vacation, 10 recognized holidays, and sick time.
• Competitive health insurance packages with priority appointments and lower copays/coinsurance.
• Free Metro transit U-Pass for eligible employees.
• Defined contribution (403(b)) Retirement Savings Plan, which combines employee contributions and university contributions starting at 7%.
• Wellness challenges, annual health screenings, mental health resources, mindfulness programs and courses, employee assistance program (EAP), financial resources, access to dietitians, and more!
• 4 weeks of caregiver leave to bond with your new child.
• Family care resources are also available for your continued childcare needs.
• Adult care resources.
• Tuition coverage for you and your family, including dependent undergraduate-level college tuition up to 100% at WashU and 40% elsewhere after seven years with us.

What This Job Offers

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