"Contracts and Grants Professional"

Job Description

The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), Department of Medicine, is currently recruiting for a Contracts and Grants Professional. The selected candidate will establish and maintain effective working relationships with faculty, administrators, and staff to provide the highest level of pre-award and post-award management for sponsor-related funds. The incumbent will prepare and record journal entries and reconcile balance sheet accounts. The position will prepare monthly financial statements and variance explanations for the Department.

The position is responsible for hands on oversight and management of research portfolios. This includes managing the grant process from development, review, and submission through the post-award stage. Identifying, developing, and implementing procedures/practices to ensure research administration goals and objectives are met while complying with University, federal, state, and sponsor rules and regulations. Candidates will be considered for either a Contracts and Grants Coordinator or Specialist. Level of the position will be determined by the selected candidate's qualifications. This position may allow for a partial telework schedule.

Benefits (Exempt Regular):

UMB offers a comprehensive benefits package that prioritizes wellness, work/life balance, and professional development, along with additional exciting perks that employees can take advantage of. This position participates in a retirement program (pension or optional retirement plan/ORP) that must be selected and is effective on your date of hire. Exempt regular staff receive a generous PAID leave package that includes over 4 weeks of vacation accrued each year, 15 paid holidays, 3 personal leave, unlimited accrual of sick time, and comprehensive health insurance; professional learning and development programs; tuition remission for employees and their dependents at any University System of Maryland school; and flexible work schedules and teleworking options (if applicable per job).

Primary Duties for Contracts and Grants Coordinator:

• Maintains and ensures comprehension of current Federal, State, and sponsors guidelines and requirements. Reviews RFA for administrative requirements.
• Reviews terms and conditions of simple grants/contracts and seeks clarifying questions, as necessary. Develops and prepares close out checklist for faculty and staff based on terms and conditions of an award.
• Obtains approval from principal investigator (PI) and accurately enters requisition requests into financial system. Maintains sponsored program systems are in line with Notice of Awards and Sub Awards. Ensures all results are completed and submitted to sponsor under prescribed timelines and deadlines. Tracks and follows up for the completion of purchase orders for subcontracts.
• Acts as point of contact and advises PI on all financial transactions, such as travel, purchasing, or subcontracting. Provides current and historical budget data to project expenditures.
• Prepares account reconciliations and financial statements to include actual to budget variance explanations.
• Prepares and track clinical trial invoices, sponsor payments and participant payments.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Primary Duties for Contracts and Grants Specialist:

• Acts as point of contact and develop relationships with UMB parties, sponsors, and sub-contractors to ensure the contract or grant short- and long-term milestones are met. Safeguards the integrity of the grant or contract administration.
• Navigates the Subcontract process through university systems and provides groundwork to partners to ensure partnership is in compliance with University standards.
• Reconciles budget based on approved budget by sponsor. Provides current and historical budget data to project expenditures and forecasts income. Works with staff on identified potential ledger variances.
• Prepares and reviews financial status reports and invoices. Organizes the close out procedures with Faculty. Sets timelines to have the documents complete. Reviews final closeout.
• Ensure all results are completed and submitted to sponsor. Identifies and assists in issue resolution and escalates as needed.
• Acts as point of contact and advises PI on all financial transactions, such as travel, purchasing, or subcontracting.
• Prepares and track clinical trial invoices, sponsor payments and participant payments.
• Interprets and applies Federal, State, and sponsors guidelines and requirements.
• Maintains and tracks required training documents and ensures all parties are in compliance with regulations.
• Prepares account reconciliations and financial statements to include actual to budget variance explanations to the practice/department with accuracy.
• Proactively identifies errors and issues and resolves them independently.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Contracts and Grants Coordinator:

Bachelor's degree and one (1) year of directly related accounting, budget, contract, grant, or research administration or coordination. Related experience may be substituted for education. Completion of a 12 credit Research Administration graduate certificate program can be considered for the equivalent of one (1) year of relevant research administration work experience. Financial disclosure reporting required by State of Maryland Ethics Commission.

Specialist, Contracts and Grants:

Bachelor's degree and three (3) years of accounting, budget, contract, grant, or research administration experience. Related experience may be substituted for education. Completion of a 12 credit Research Administration graduate certificate program can be considered for the equivalent of one (1) year of relevant research administration work experience. Financial disclosure reporting required by State of Maryland Ethics Commission.