Sponsored Programs Specialist

UNC-Chapel Hill • Chapel Hill, NC

5d • Remote

About The Position

The Sponsored Programs Specialist (SPS) is responsible for supporting campus departments, sponsors, and subrecipients in a fast-paced, high volume team environment for the administrative, financial, and compliance aspects of sponsored program proposal reviews/submissions and award negotiations/setups on behalf of UNC. Duties include collaborating and assisting faculty and departmental administrators, acting as a subject-matter expert in research administration; pre-award review and application submissions ensuring compliance with policies, laws, and regulations, and agency guidelines; budget development/review for allowability and financial compliance with all sponsor specific requirements; post-award review and financial setup of incoming awards; negotiating all types of grants, contracts, and subcontracts, as well as amendments and unfunded contracts; actively reviewing budgets and negotiating contracts with various types of sponsors; negotiating terms and conditions that impact all financial aspects of a sponsored project, including the budget, payment schedules, financial recourse in the event of a breach, and financial/compliance for audits, post-award administration and support of sponsored projects for all fiscal and programmatic compliance such as extensive budget review, effort, expenditures, cost share, budget revisions and compliance reviews. The SPS will be the central point of contact for all assigned pre- and post-award activities for UNC-Chapel Hill. This position interacts with principal investigators (PIs) and departmental administrators, as well as various external sponsor personnel, subrecipient institutions’ sponsored research administration staff, and PIs to ensure timely and compliant processing of proposals and review, negotiation, and award setup of grants and contracts. The SPS will have knowledge of pre- and post-award management for a variety of prime sponsors including submission of proposals for a large portfolio of sponsors, reviewing flow-down of award terms and conditions in grants and contracts, and working knowledge of Uniform Guidance, contract review and negotiation, and the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR). The SPS is detail-oriented and independently performs pre-award activities. Reviewing grant applications, statements of work, budgets, budget justifications, indirect cost rates, fringe benefits, certifications and representations, Conflict of Interest (COI) policy implications, and any other proposal components required by guidelines and submit as an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR). The SPS will perform post-award activities including independent review of terms and conditions, review of scopes of work for compliance considerations, negotiation, and administration of incoming grants, contracts, and subcontracts. Post-award responsibilities also include review of COI policy implications, human (IRB) and animal subjects (IACUC) documentation, export control, research science and security, and other compliance considerations. This position will perform pre- and post-award tasks with accuracy to ensure compliance with the prime award terms and conditions, UNC-Chapel Hill OSP policies and procedures, and federal regulations. Errors resulting from failure to exercise required accuracy could have a negative financial impact on the University, including audit disallowances and impact on future awards. The SPS will document activities in the appropriate systems through the lifecycle of the award. The position will monitor projects throughout the award life cycle to ensure continued compliance with various regulatory requirements including OSP policies and procedures. The position will work to maintain OSP’s high customer service standards for service to faculty, internal and external customers. This position is a 100% remote work arrangement, consistent with System Office policy. UNC Chapel Hill employees are generally required to reside in North Carolina, within a reasonable commuting distance of their assigned duty station.

Requirements

• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Ability to be flexible and adaptable in a fast-paced environment
• Strong communication and customer service skills
• Strong organizational, time management, and prioritization skills
• Ability to perform work with a high degree of accuracy, efficiency, and timeliness
• Ability to work in a remote, team environment

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of government regulations, cost principles, and administrative requirements applicable to contracts and grants, including, but not limited to, FAR, CFR, and other research compliance requirements (e.g. Export Control, Conflict of Interest, Human Subjects, Animal Subjects, Research Science and Security, Ethics Training)
• Previous experience in research administration (either pre-award, post-award, or a combination) as a grant/research administrator in a university or nonprofit setting
• Previous experience in contract negotiations
• Certified Research Administrator (CRA) credentials

Responsibilities

• Pre-award review and application submissions ensuring compliance with policies, laws, and regulations, and agency guidelines
• Budget development/review for allowability and financial compliance with all sponsor specific requirements
• Post-award review and financial setup of incoming awards
• Negotiating all types of grants, contracts, and subcontracts, as well as amendments and unfunded contracts
• Actively reviewing budgets and negotiating contracts with various types of sponsors
• Negotiating terms and conditions that impact all financial aspects of a sponsored project, including the budget, payment schedules, financial recourse in the event of a breach, and financial/compliance for audits
• Post-award administration and support of sponsored projects for all fiscal and programmatic compliance such as extensive budget review, effort, expenditures, cost share, budget revisions and compliance reviews
• Central point of contact for all assigned pre- and post-award activities for UNC-Chapel Hill
• Interacts with principal investigators (PIs) and departmental administrators, as well as various external sponsor personnel, subrecipient institutions’ sponsored research administration staff, and PIs to ensure timely and compliant processing of proposals and review, negotiation, and award setup of grants and contracts
• Submission of proposals for a large portfolio of sponsors
• Reviewing flow-down of award terms and conditions in grants and contracts
• Reviewing grant applications, statements of work, budgets, budget justifications, indirect cost rates, fringe benefits, certifications and representations, Conflict of Interest (COI) policy implications, and any other proposal components required by guidelines and submit as an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR)
• Independent review of terms and conditions
• Review of scopes of work for compliance considerations, negotiation, and administration of incoming grants, contracts, and subcontracts
• Review of COI policy implications, human (IRB) and animal subjects (IACUC) documentation, export control, research science and security, and other compliance considerations
• Perform pre- and post-award tasks with accuracy to ensure compliance with the prime award terms and conditions, UNC-Chapel Hill OSP policies and procedures, and federal regulations
• Document activities in the appropriate systems through the lifecycle of the award
• Monitor projects throughout the award life cycle to ensure continued compliance with various regulatory requirements including OSP policies and procedures
• Work to maintain OSP’s high customer service standards for service to faculty, internal and external customers

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed