NORC at the University of Chicago seeks a Senior Contracts Administrator in our Chicago, IL or Bethesda, MD offices. This position is responsible for serving NORC senior staff, particularly Research Department Heads, in the development, negotiation, and administration of large, complex contracts and subcontracts, to include modifications, and closeouts of contracts. This position will also advise on and monitor issues related to oversight, control, and compliance with government accounting and financial management requirements, which requires a strong working knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), OMB Uniform Guidance, cost accounting standards and various reporting requirements.

The NORC Contracts and Grants department serves both internal NORC departments and external partners. Staff members work hard to stay current with changing federal regulations through ongoing training and are responsible for federal compliance and reporting.​​

• Knowledge of proposal formation and compliance regulations
• Prepare financial support documentation and administrative sections of proposals
• Negotiates and administers prime and sub-contracts
• Maintains official contractual communications between NORC and its clients
• Reviews financial status of contracts
• Advises research department heads and project managers in contractual issues
• Assists in organizational audits
• Assures contract compliance company-wide
• Troubleshoots and resolution of specific contract issues
• Other duties as assigned

• Bachelor's degree required (MBA or related advanced degree preferred) from accredited college or university
• 5 years direct contract administration experience
• Knowledge of Federal regulations, government cost accounting standards, OMB Uniform Guidance and federal regulations; strong familiarity with the full range of types; e.g. FFP, CPFF, CPAF, Time and Material and federal awards
• Ability to work with minimal oversight while drawing upon knowledge of FAR, OMB Uniform Guidance, agency regulations, contract law, accounting standards and principles to successfully develop proper response and position
• Strong interpersonal communication skills including superior writing skills
• Ability to meet deadlines while juggling competing demands for time and resources
• Deltek Costpoint experience a plus
• Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite 

The pay range for this position is $108,000 - $162,000. 

This position is classified as regular. Regular staff are eligible for NORC’s comprehensive benefits program. Benefits include, but are not limited to:

• Generously subsidized health insurance, effective on the first day of employment

• Dental and vision insurance

• A defined contribution retirement program, along with a separate voluntary 403(b) retirement program

• Group life insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance

• Benefits that promote work/life balance, including generous paid time off, holidays; paid parental leave, tuition assistance, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

NORC’s Approach to Equity and Transparency

Pay and benefits transparency helps to reduce wage gaps. As part of our commitment to pay equity and salary transparency, NORC includes a salary range for each job opening along with information about eligible benefit offerings. At NORC, we take a comprehensive approach to setting salary ranges and reviewing raises and promotions, which is overseen by a formal Salary Review Committee (SRC).

NORC is an objective, non-partisan research institution that delivers reliable data and rigorous analysis to guide critical programmatic, business, and policy decisions. Since 1941, our teams have conducted groundbreaking studies, created and applied innovative methods and tools, and advanced principles of scientific integrity and collaboration. Today, government, corporate, and nonprofit clients around the world partner with us to transform increasingly complex information into useful knowledge.

For over 75 years, NORC has evolved in many ways, moving the needle with research methods, technical applications and groundbreaking research findings. But our tradition of excellence, passion for innovation, and commitment to collegiality have remained constant components of who we are as a brand, and who each of us is as a member of the NORC team. With world-class benefits, a business casual environment, and an emphasis on continuous learning, NORC is a place where people join for the stellar research and analysis work for which we’re known, and stay for the relationships they form with their colleagues who take pride in the impact their work is making on a global scale.

NORC is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer that values and actively seeks diversity in the workforce. NORC evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and other legally- protected characteristics.