"Grants Coordinator"

Job Description

Position Category:

Staff (Non-Exempt)
FLSA: Non-exempt
FTE: 1.0
Location: Thousand Oaks

University Background:

The mission of California Lutheran University is to educate leaders for a global society who are strong in character and judgment, confident in their identity and vocation, and committed to service and justice. Founded in 1959 in beautiful Ventura County, the university has an enrollment of about 4,000 undergraduate and graduate students who come from across the nation and around the world from a diversity of backgrounds, cultures and faiths. As a federally recognized Hispanic-Serving Institution, Cal Lutheran is looking for candidates with a dedication to and success in working in diverse communities. The university is committed to an inclusive learning and work environment that values individual differences and respects each person's dignity.

Basic Function:

Reporting to the Executive Director for Office of Sponsored Research & Projects, the Grant Coordinator position provides administrative support to the Office of Sponsored Research and Projects (OSRP). The function of OSRP is to guide faculty and staff to secure funds from external agencies and government sources for: faculty and student research, mission-driven initiatives, federally-funded K-12 outreach and student services programs (e.g. TRIO); equipment; and other academic and learning services functions of the university. The Grants Coordinator will assist both the OSRP Executive Director and Assistant Director, and will also be available to faculty and staff who are in the process of applying for a grant or who are currently managing a grant. This position reports to the Executive Director of the Office of Sponsored Research & Projects.

Representative Duties:

Pre-award and Proposal Development:

• Reads and researches new and continuing "requests for proposals" available from federal and state agencies, and from corporate, private, and family foundations. Interprets sponsor guidelines and shares findings with interested parties on campus through a monthly electronic "Grants Bulletin" newsletter. E
• Assist the OSRP Executive Director and Assistant Director on tasks related to developing grant proposals to ensure a timely and accurate submission. (Sample tasks: writing assigned passages; compiling business documents; assisting with the development of a budget; refining ancillary documents like a resume/biographical sketch; proofreading documents for typographical errors). E
• Occasionally attend virtual information sessions held by funding agencies about specific grant competitions for which California Lutheran University may be eligible. E
• Occasionally submit proposals to funding agencies using the funder's electronic platforms. E
• Conduct quality control on submissions. E
• Obtain internal approvals for all grant submissions by routing a Dynamic Form to university leaders. E

Award and Post-award Phases:

• Liaison to Business Office and Advancement Services in order to set-up new grant awards (i.e., open a new General Ledger department for each new grant award). E
• Collaborate with internal departments such as the Research Protections Office for institutional and project director compliance with sponsor regulations such as Conflict of Interest training and disclosures, Export Control policies, Research Security training, and others. E
• Implement systems within OSRP for the maintenance of post-award, and closeout workflows. E
• Maintain OSRP's Effort Reporting system by collecting statements on a monthly and/or quarterly basis from project directors. E
• As directed by supervisor, provide guidance to project directors/principal investigators with issues related to project deliverables, award acceptance, and budget negotiation and revision. E
• Assist project directors/principal investigators in preparing interim and final financial and narrative reports to sponsors, including writing reports as assigned. E
• Participate in OSRP's closeout processes, at the end of grant terms. E

General:

• Collaborate with colleagues in University Advancement on administrative tasks related to solicitations to donors (including proposals to family foundations, preparation for meetings with prospective donors, etc.), or related to donor stewardship (including site visits or special on-campus events). E
• Make use of existing systems for the maintenance of records, including Raiser's Edge. E
• Maintain current knowledge of university policies, and that of grant-making agencies. E
• Work to increase visibility of grant-funded programs at California Lutheran University by preparing copy for internal newsletters, board reports, or by assisting on other targeted marketing efforts. E
• Collaborate with OSRP staff to host university-wide training sessions (approximately two per year) on various topics related to grant-seeking or the administration of grant-funded projects, for the benefit of California Lutheran University's faculty and staff. E
• Maintain the OSRP website, as needed. E
• Collaborate with Strategic University Events to execute an annual recognition reception to acknowledge grant holders. E

E=Essential Duties

Knowledge Of:

• Knowledge of best practices for contributing to a well functioning staff unit on a university campus.
• Knowledge of and commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.

Ability To:

• Strong writing skills.
• The ability to build relationships with people in a variety of roles in a higher education setting.
• The ability to troubleshoot conflicts in ways that preserve professional relationships.
• Strong analytic and data management skills.
• Proficiency in use of Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Google Docs, Google Sheets, and related programs.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage multiple, complex activities simultaneously.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and judgment.
• Excellent understanding of confidentiality, use of discretion in communications, reporting lines, and policy/procedure.
• Team-based collaborative approach.
• Ability to independently and proactively learn new content and techniques as needed.
• Ability to ensure timeliness and proactively anticipate and manage all timeline requirements.
• Integrity in all areas of responsibility.
• Ability to maintain open, welcoming, and responsive communications in all interactions.
• Reflect on ways to improve OSRP's functionality in formal methods such as program reviews, and also informally in staff meetings.
• Adapt to necessary changes to work processes in order to optimize the department's results.
• Commit to ongoing professional development.

Minimum Qualifications:

Any combination equivalent to: a Undergraduate degree required and one year of experience in pre-award and/or post-award sponsored programs administration and/or grant writing

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in or strong interest in learning administrative support duties (such as electronic project management, obtaining signatures from campus partners, drafting and sending formal correspondence to external clients (mailed letters), calendar maintenance, and other such duties).
• Interpersonal skills to establish/maintain effective relationships with campus stakeholders.
• Strong computer skills.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Strong computer skills in cloud-based collaboration platforms such as Google Docs, Asana, or Trello, and in Microsoft Word, Power Point, Excel.
• Skills with basic website maintenance.
• Comfort with virtual meeting platforms such as Zoom or Teams.
• Graphic design skills.

Licenses and Other Requirements:

None

Physical Abilities:

Detect to understand appropriate written correspondence; operate a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine, and computer printer; communicate to exchange information in person, in writing, on the telephone and by email; stationary position for extended periods of time; move or transport light objects; position self to store and/or retrieve files.

Working Environment:

Busy office environment; subject to frequent interruptions.

Hiring Range

$33.65 - $36.05
Posting Number: Staff004902022
Open Date: 03/17/2026
Close Date: 4/1/2026