Contracts and Grants Specialist

Job Summary

The primary role of the Pre-Award Grants Manager will be to work with Principal Investigators (PI) in the coordination of all varieties of funding identification, reviewing/interpreting agency guidelines, proposal development, grant writing, and grant submissions.

Department Specific Responsibilities

• Becomes familiar current research activities within the Department, the incumbent will monitor the limited submission website for opportunities, notifies faculty and scientists of potential opportunities, and assists faculty, scientists, or assembles groups with submissions.
• Works closely with the Office of Research Administration to keep the department abreast of internal university deadlines, policies and procedures.
• Participates actively with faculty and staff to build the department's funding base for individual PI and collaborative projects.
• Counsels, directs, and assists faculty and staff in matters related to the preparation and submission of proposals and contracts.
• Develops proposal budgets and budget justifications in compliance with university, federal, and agency guidelines.
• Establishes timelines, coordinate proposal components, and manage the full proposal lifecycle from concept to submission.
• Organizes and leads proposal development activities, including convening collaborators and facilitating team meetings.
• Edits and reviews proposals for clarity, consistency, compliance, and competitiveness.
• Coordinates proposal routing and submission through institutional systems in collaboration with the Office of Research Administration.
• Identifies and analyzes funding opportunities from federal agencies, foundations, and other sponsors (e.g. Federal Register, NIH Guide, program guidelines).
• Monitos limited submission opportunities and communicate relevant opportunities to faculty and research staff.
• Conducts targeted funding searches aligned with faculty research interests and institutional priorities.
• Provides strategic guidance on positioning proposals relative to sponsor priorities and program criteria.
• Facilitates connections between investigators and internal/external collaborators to strengthen proposals.
• Maintains relationships with funding agencies and foundations to stay informed of current and emerging opportunities.
• Prepares complex proposal components including subawards, subcontract budgets, and small business plans.
• Coordinates with collaborating institutions, private foundations, and internal partners (e.g., IU Foundation, Beckman, and Lilly) to support proposal development and funding acquisition.
• Provides targeted support for large, interdisciplinary, or strategic proposals, including facilitating multi-institutional collaboration.
• Tracks proposal status, internal approvals, and compliance requirements; initiate actions to resolve issues as needed.
• Prepares financial projections, expense reports, and assist with effort reporting and grant-related financial adjustments.
• Ensures adherence to institutional policies, federal regulations, and sponsor guidelines throughout the grant lifecycle.
• Assists faculty and staff with documentation and administrative requirements for pending and funded projects.
• Initiates internal documents including KC proposal documents, salary transfers, and general accounting adjustments related to grant activities.
• Provides backup support for post-award functions, including monitoring progress report deadlines and submissions.
• Develops and delivers workshops, training materials, and educational resources related to funding opportunities and proposal development.
• Participates in process improvement initiatives related to research administration and reporting systems.

General Responsibilities

• Provides financial monitoring and analysis of contracts and grants and partners with Principal Investigator(s) to ensure expenses are being paid according to contract
• Consults on and completes pre-award applications and participates in contract closeouts.
• Performs post-award accounting of more complex grants; interprets regulations and guidelines of program funding for standard grants and prepares reports for grant agency.
• Evaluates contract compliance and advises others on contractual rights and obligations.
• Analyzes awards to determine reporting requirements and sending reports/invoices.
• Requests or approves amendments to contract terms or contract extensions.
• Prepares bids or requests for proposals (RFPs), including specifications and requirements; negotiates contract terms and participates in the determination of acceptable bids.
• Analyzes and determines cash needs for cost reimbursable grants to the various agencies and cash management.
• Closes out awards as appropriate.
• Provides policy and procedure interpretation to various stakeholders.
• Ensures compliance with sponsor terms, university policies/procedures, and federal/state regulations.