Pre Award Administrator, YSPH

Overview

Reporting to the Pre‑Award Manager, the Pre‑Award Administrator exercises substantial discretion and independent judgment while providing professional support and guidance in the administration of grants, contracts, and related funding. This role manages an assigned portfolio of departmental faculty and ensures effective oversight of all Pre‑Award activities.

• Advise and guide faculty seeking external funding for research and other sponsored programs through the complex process of proposal preparation and submission. Serve as the primary source of expertise to ensure proposals meet sponsor requirements, regulatory compliance, University, State and Federal policies. Ensure proposals are submitted accurately and according to appropriate deadlines.
• Cultivate and maintain strong working partnerships and effective communications with faculty, Principal Investigators, external sponsors, the Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP), international collaborators and other key stakeholders. Advise faculty and staff through the navigation of changes in sponsor requirements.
• Provide direction, training and assistance to Principal Investigators and department staff in the development of proposals, including but not limited to budgeting, interpretation of sponsor terms and policies and University policies and procedures. Obtain all necessary clearances prior to obtaining authorization for submission.
• Review grant/contract proposals, progress reports as well as NIH Just-In-Time submissions; consult with appropriate managerial staff on any exceptions to University policy, including indirect rates, etc. Ensure required information is entered into the appropriate data/tracking systems.
• Review terms and conditions on proposal solicitations and award documents. Analyze and evaluate awarded proposals, contracts, and subcontracts for compliance with specific funding agencies, meeting federal, state and university requirements, prepare acceptance documentation prior to Award phase. Collaborate with OSP to negotiate terms as necessary for interdisciplinary, complex and non-standard proposals and partner with OSP to facilitate agreements, including complex international subcontracts.
• Analyze and understand complex information from multiple sources including international subcontractors, funding opportunity announcements, funding interest matches and submission procedures in order to transmit proposals to OSP. Obtain and communicate information/advise on sponsor electronic research processes and procedures.
• Keep abreast of laws, regulations, external and internal policies and procedures governing the administration of grants and contracts. Ensure that key personnel are compliant with regulatory, University and other training mandates.
• May perform other duties as assigned.

Required Skills and Abilities

1. Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with demonstrated organizational skills.
2. Demonstrated superior customer service ability.
3. Ability to work well under deadline pressures without sacrificing accuracy or customer service.
4. Ability to handle a complex portfolio of work in an intensive multi-tasking, entrepreneurial environment. Knowledge of accounting principles, budgeting federal and non-federal grants.
5. Knowledge of accounting principles and exceptional attention to detail. Well-developed analytical and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Experience and Skills

1. Knowledge of Yale financial & administrative policies as well as Federal grant & contract procedures.
2. Familiarity with electronic proposal systems (IRES).
3. Proven experience creating complex budgets & working with international collaborators.
4. Knowledge of one of the following: federal, state & sponsor regulations & guidelines pertaining to contract & grant administration.

Principal Responsibilities

1. Advise and guide faculty and administrators seeking external funding for research and other sponsored programs through the complex process of proposal preparation and submission. The Grants Administrator is the primary source of expertise to ensure that proposals meet sponsor requirements, regulatory compliance requirements, University, School, Federal and State policies and regulations governing sponsored research, and that proposals are submitted correctly and according to appropriate deadlines.
2. Cultivate and maintain strong working partnerships and effective communications with faculty, Principal Investigators, sponsors, OSP, and other key stakeholders. Guide faculty and staff through changes in sponsor requirements.
3. Play a key role in the development and continuous improvement of the grants management process. Review and analyze client interactions, current processes and submission quality. Make recommendations for and participate in the implementation of changes as appropriate.
4. Provide direction, training and assistance to Principal Investigators and department staff in the development of proposals, including but not limited to budgeting, interpretation of sponsor terms and policies, and University policies and procedures. Obtain all necessary clearances prior to obtaining authorization for submission. Facilitate an effective transfer of grants and contracts when Principal Investigators start at Yale.
5. Review and prepare grant and contract proposals; consult with appropriate managerial staff on any exceptions to University policy, including program matching commitments, indirect rates, etc. Ensure all required information is entered into the appropriate data systems.
6. Review terms and conditions on proposal solicitations and award documents. Collaborate with OSP to negotiate terms as necessary for interdisciplinary, complex and non-standard proposals and partner with OSP to facilitate agreements, including subcontracts, clinical trials and State agreements to ensure conformity with University policies. Approves and submits grant proposals in accordance with delegated authority.
7. Analyze and understand complex information from multiple sources including funding opportunity announcements, funding interest matches, and submission procedures in order to transmit proposals to OSP that result in a high first pass rate. Obtain and communicate information on sponsor electronic research processes and procedures.
8. Keep abreast of laws, regulations, external and internal policies and procedures governing the administration of grants and contracts. Ensure that key personnel are compliant with regulatory, University and other training mandates.
9. Partner with OSP in working with sponsors on matters of proposal submission.
10. Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

Bachelor’s Degree and three related professional/managerial work experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.