Subcontract Officer

UCSF•San Francisco, CA

About The Position

The Subcontract Officer provides analytical, financial, and training support for contract and grant proposal development, grant writing, funding, administration, and budget development. The work may include pre-award proposal initiatives, post-award fund management, and closeout activities for federal, state, local, and private sponsors. The role also supports analysis of research funding trends and sources, forecasting, planning, and management of research portfolios. The officer reviews, prepares, and negotiates subaward and subcontract agreements and amendments; identifies required award flow-down conditions; negotiates objectionable terms; and conducts annual and project-specific risk assessments. The position provides guidance on complex research administration and subaward compliance matters, develops relationships with sponsors and subrecipients, and delivers specialized training and workshops. It also reviews and negotiates complex research agreement and award terms, follows up on negotiations, supports audits as directed, and maintains electronic records while providing team coverage as needed. The position is part of the UCSF Office of Sponsored Research, which provides comprehensive pre-award services and is responsible for campus pre-award grant activity. The department is described as a $23 million operation with eleven shared service teams and 151 staff supporting more than 2,000 faculty.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in a related area and at least 3 years of experience, or equivalent experience, training, or a combination of education and experience demonstrating the required skills.
Thorough understanding of research administration guidelines for federal and non-federal sponsors supporting research and educational activities; university experience is preferred.
Ability to manage a significant volume of transactions and manage time independently.
Ability to perform complex financial and contract analysis and customized reporting.
Demonstrated competence using spreadsheet and database software for financial analysis, fiscal management, and financial reports.
Ability to provide high-quality customer service and maintain professional communication with faculty, campus administrators, and industry sponsor representatives, including timely correspondence and regular status updates.
Ability to exercise independent judgment, with strong organization and communication skills and a customer-service focus across diverse subject areas.
Demonstrated knowledge of effective grant funding processes, procedures, and techniques.
Strong writing skills across multiple styles, including drafting persuasive text for different audiences while following sponsor guidelines.

Nice To Haves

Thorough knowledge of compliance requirements related to human or animal research subjects, financial conflicts of interest, biosafety, and other research compliance areas.
Current knowledge of compliance regulations across research administration.
Demonstrated knowledge of generally accepted accounting, fiscal, and reporting principles.
Demonstrated knowledge of procurement systems and processes in a university setting as they relate to subcontracts and subcontract financial and regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities

Review, prepare, and negotiate subaward and subcontract agreements and amendment requests.
Review awards to identify required flow-down conditions and negotiate objectionable terms with subcontractors, including intellectual property and indemnity provisions.
Conduct annual and project-specific risk assessments, document findings, and present assessments to the central Risk Assessment Committee.
Provide guidance and counsel to principal investigators and department administrators on complex research administration matters, including subaward compliance regulations.
Assist with audits as directed by senior staff.
Review proposal subaward and subcontract information for compliance and processing matters before award issuance and proposal submission.
Develop professional relationships with sponsor and subrecipient representatives to support compliance with requirements.
Deliver specialized training and workshops in research administration, grant writing, and proposal development.
Maintain organized and consistent electronic records and provide cross-coverage for team members during absences or periods of heavy volume.
Review and negotiate terms and conditions of complex research agreements and awards from various sponsors.
Respond to questions, concerns, and feedback and follow up on negotiations of awards and modifications when responses are delayed.
Support proposal development, grant writing, funding, administration, budget development, post-award fund management, and closeout activities.