"Contracting Officer"

Job Details

Department: Office of Sponsored Programs-621100

Career Area: Research Professionals

Posting Open Date: 08/29/2025

Application Deadline: 09/12/2025

Open Until Filled: No

Position Type: Permanent Staff (EHRA NF)

Working Title: Contracting Officer

Appointment Type: EHRA Non-Faculty

Position Number: 00060646

Vacancy ID: NF0009263

Full Time/Part Time: Full-Time Permanent

FTE: 1

Hours per week: 40

Position Location: North Carolina, US

Hiring Range: Dependent on Qualifications

Proposed Start Date: 09/29/2025

The Contracting Officer is responsible for supporting Principal Investigators (PIs) and sponsors in a fast-paced, high-volume team environment for administrative, financial, and compliance aspects on all sponsored programs award negotiations/setups on behalf of UNC. Duties include, but are not limited to, the following: negotiating and/or drafting funded contracts, agreements, subcontracts and amendments with both industry and non-industry partners/sponsors as well as other unfunded sponsored project agreements, and actively participating in negotiation of complex contracts and agreements with other institutions of Higher Education (IHE), non-profit organizations, federal sponsors, foreign entities, industry partners, and various other types of entities; drafting technical contract language in regards to intellectual property rights, cost sharing, fiscal/procedural constraints, data use, material transfer and other complex terms and conditions; negotiating terms and conditions that impact all financial aspects, including the budget, payment schedules, financial resources in the event of breach, and financial/compliance audits; financial review of allowability and compliance with state, federal, and sponsor specific requirements; and providing thorough explanations to diverse customer inquiries.

The Contracting Officer will be the central point of contact for all assigned contracts, agreements, subcontracts, amendments, or unfunded agreements for UNC-Chapel Hill. This position also interacts with departmental administrators, external sponsor personnel, sponsor research administration staff or legal teams, and PIs to ensure timely and compliant processing of all agreements types.

The principal function of this position is to facilitate the negotiations of various sponsored projects at UNC with an emphasis on providing the highest level of customer service to campus and sponsors while considering all applicable federal regulations and state laws, and University guidelines and policies. The Contracting Officer will have knowledge of award management and be able to be a source of guidance for a variety of sponsors as well as knowledge of standard templates and other contract formats; appropriate flow-down of award terms and conditions when required, including changes to contract format during the negotiations stage; and working knowledge of the various sponsor requirements for all types of sponsors.

The Contracting Officer works independently to conduct risk assessments for all assigned contracts/subcontracts, including consulting with PIs and department staff regarding the nature of each project and the impact of unique aspects of the project on the legal language contained in the contracts/subcontracts, representing the best interests of the University and the PI. For incoming funded contracts and agreements, this position will review the scope of the work or protocol and compliance considerations to appropriately draft and/or review funding mechanism accurately. The Contracting Officer must keep abreast of new developments in research administration policies and requirements to serve as an up-to-date source of information, guidance, and training for the campus and research community.

The Contracting Officer will provide accurate and timely documentation of the status of contract negotiations in the appropriate document tracking systems throughout the lifecycle of the drafting process, negotiation, and final execution until such time as the executed document is set up in our financial system. The position will monitor for accuracy as amendments are issued throughout the award life cycle to ensure continued programmatic correctness and 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 and sponsors, which includes supporting OSP’s target times for task turnaround.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements: Mid- to late-career with Masters and 2-4 yrs experience; Bachelors and 3-5 yrs experience

Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience: The selected candidate must demonstrate the following: Ability to utilize critical thinking skills, assess risk, make independent decisions based on risk assessment, and collaborate with others to problem solve and facilitate timely execution of agreements. Ability to work effectively as part of a team. Ability to interpret, explain, and apply complicated rules, regulations, and policies. Ability to prioritize and balance a shifting workload in a deadline-driven work environment. Strong communication, interpersonal, and customer service skills. Strong analytical skills and ability to work with a consistent degree of accuracy.

Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience: JD, MBA, or experience negotiating contracts in a university setting. Understanding of non-fiscal compliance areas such as conflict of interest regulations, human subjects, and animal care policies. Understanding of copyright law, publication policy, intellectual property rights, data ownership, material transfer, and other legal terms and conditions.