Grants & Contracts Specialist (Office of Research & Translation)

The Office of Research & Translation (ORT) is seeking a Grants & Contracts Specialist who will work directly with project PIs, Co-PI’s/Co-I’s and finance/administrative staff. Supporting task such as procurement (processing shopping carts/purchase orders and p-card transactions), processing reimbursements, online payment transactions, allocations, initiation of journal entries, cost transfers, reconciling reports and financial data, preparation of quarterly budget meetings, and financial status reporting processes.

The Grants & Contracts Specialist will provide entry level sponsored funds management for more than 80% of time with specific responsibility for pre-award and post-award functions that includes, but may not be limited to: proposal preparation, budget development, account maintenance and oversight, billing/invoicing, reporting, and closeout. This role may manage less complex grants through the submission stage, with some oversight and direction. The primary goal of this position is to support the timely, effective and efficient management of sponsored funding; this role may also assist with aspects of non-sponsored funds (general funds and gifts) management.

The specialist works independently on less complex grants and contracts, using general proficiency with grant/contract preparation and management. The specialist has some involvement with more complex grant management under the direction and oversight of a more senior member of the team.

Types of sponsored awards for which the position is responsible range from simple to moderately complex grants/contracts, including those from NIH, NSF, DOD and NASA. Awards may involve moderate budgets, foundation grants and subawards from other institutions on their federal pass-through grants.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Partner with departmental faculty and/or budgetary staff on the planning and development of application submissions to various federal offices, private agencies/foundations and commercial companies.
• May work with representatives from ORA, under the guidance of more senior members on the departmental research team.
• Understand and utilize institutional policies for pre-award grant process and sponsor guidelines.
• Review sponsored project proposals for assigned grants of moderate complexity, prior to them being forwarded to the Grants & Contracts Manager and ORA for signature. Review involves accuracy, content, and adherence to relevant guidelines.
• Provide instruction, preparation assistance and support related to application procedures, at the direction of the Sr. Grants & Contracts Analyst and/or Grants & Contracts Manager.
• Serve as liaison between research units, central offices and funding agencies for grants of moderate complexity.
• Review budgets and related justification for appropriateness and completeness of content. Ensure that all applicable and indirect costs have been applied.
• Ensure compliance in areas related to grant and contract management, including sponsoring organization guidelines, internal protocols, accurate protocol information within documents, conflicts of interest, etc.
• Coordinate related details for all assigned grant submissions to ensure timeliness and accuracy.
• Maintain ongoing updates and communications related to current grants and contracts, including regular auditing and reporting to principal investigators and research management.
• May assist with closeouts as needed.
• Assist with award setup details after grant number is assigned.
• Support all relevant post-award responsibilities, as requested by senior members of the grants & contracts team, including account reconciliation, effort reporting, cost transfers, paying invoices, closeouts and related faculty support.
• Other duties as assigned.
  
  

In addition to the duties described above

• Assist in processing and reporting of subaward & consultant/vendor invoices.
• Assist with processing new awards and modifications in JAWS/SWIFT.
• Monitor shared finance inbox and triage appropriately.
• Communicate with Accounts Payable, Supply Chain, Accounts Receivable, Sponsored Projects, Research Projects Administration, and other JHU departments on a routine basis
• Process timecards for hourly student employees.
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond a high school diploma/graduation equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• One year of administrative/budgeting experience.
• General knowledge and understanding of The Johns Hopkins University accounting system and related fiscal offices preferred.
  
  

On Call Or Non-standard Work Hour Requirements

• Attend annual conference and Annual grant meeting, 1-5 days a year which could impede a weekend travel request
  
  

Technical Qualifications & Specialized Certifications

• General knowledge of accounting and budgeting theory and practices.
• General understanding of external Federal Guidelines and procedures regarding grants and contracts.
• Experience with Excel
  
  

Technical Skills & Expected Level Of Proficiency

• Analytical Skills - Developing
• Attention to Detail - Developing
• Grant Closeout Procedures - Developing
• Grant Proposal Preparation - Developing
• Grant Regulations - Developing
• Grants and Contracts Management - Developing
• Oral and Written Communications - Developing
• Record Keeping - Developing
• Regulatory Compliance - Developing
• Relationship Management - Developing
  
  

The core technical skills listed are most essential; additional technical skills may be required based on specific division or department needs.

Classified Title: Grants & Contracts Specialist

Role/Level/Range: ATP/03/PB

Starting Salary Range: $23.69 - $41.43 HRLY (Commensurate w/exp.)

Employee group: Full Time

Schedule: M-F, 37.5 hrs wkly

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Location: Hybrid/Homewood Campus

Department name: WSE Office of Research

Personnel area: Whiting School of Engineering