Contracts and Grants Specialist III

The Opportunity:
The Contracts and Grants Specialist III supports the pre-award activity for the Faculty Cluster Initiative's (FCI) paid and secondary joint appointed faculty. This position must perform timely, high-quality and coordinated research administrative and customer services to faculty and research staff within every cluster-involved College/Department/Unit; with the ability to manage high-volume, complex, multi-PI projects with an array of external sponsors. This position will be expected to hold delegated authority to endorse proposals & commitments on behalf of FCI.

Responsibilities:

• Assist FCI paid and secondary joint appointed faculty in interpretation and clarification of sponsor guidelines and FAQs; review required sponsor forms, assurances and certifications; collect all pertinent data for the compilation of proposal components for accuracy and compliance.

• Develop all non-technical documents including budget and budget narrative, responsible for uploading application package to various sponsor systems (e.g. NSF, NIH, NSPIRES, ProposalCentral, etc.) and HRS System to System. Endorse proposal commitments on behalf of FCI ensuring that proposals are accurate and in full compliance.

• Coordinate with research collaborators (e.g., internal team, subcontractors, consultants, evaluators, vendors, etc.) to ensure their commitment and eligibility, and that all proposed financial documents (e.g., subcontract budget, vendor quotes, etc.) are current, accurate and complete.

• Create condensed proposal checklist clearly outlining requirements as noted in the sponsor RFP. Maintain proposal task list forecasting current and upcoming submissions. Responsible for team communication needs including kick-off meetings, communication of: reminders, status report, timeline for proposal deadlines to faculty, staff and collaborators, as appropriate.

• Ensure that research proposals, related documents, HRS smart form, special consideration (e.g. budget, cost share, release time, space needs etc.) are reviewed and approved by appropriate University officials (e.g. Chair, Dean/Director, etc.). Develop and review any formalized grant/contract modification requiring re-budgeting or revised scope of works; including Just In Time requests.

• Maintain a reporting relationship to the Director, Research Initiatives and the Manager, Contracts & Grants. Execute with authority to act in place of the Manager for FCI C&G functions not requiring the expressed presence or approval of the Manager.

• Serve as backup support for other assigned FCI cluster assignments and/or the Pre-Award Shared Services unit as needed.

• Other duties and special projects as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's or Master's degree and 4+ years of relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience pursuant to Fla. Stat. 112.219. Click here for more information.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 5+ years of experience in research administration, grants management, or a related field.

• Experience with developing and submitting proposals to the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Energy (DOE), and/or National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, particularly for budget preparation and financial analysis.

• Proven experience in developing budgets for single and multiple projects, including subawards and cost share budgets.

• Experience with proposal preparation and submission processes, particularly in an academic or research setting.

• Proficiency in using research administration software (e.g., Huron) and sponsor systems (Research.gov, eRA Commons, EERE Exchange, NSPIRES, SciENcv).

• Certification in research administration (CRA, CPRA, and/or CFRA).

• Knowledge and experience with federal regulations including Uniform Guidance 2 CFR 200.

• Knowledge and experience with UCF policies and procedures.

The most successful candidates may possess the following qualities:

• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal skills and the ability to work with various populations in professional settings.

• Excellent problem-solving skills and critical analyses abilities, while maintaining high-volume and diverse portfolio.

• Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision, effectively managing time and resources to achieve goals.

• Strong ability to lead and mentor while working in a team.

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Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

The University of Central Florida is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer including Disabled/Vets. Click on UCF's Equal Opportunity Statement to view the President's Statement.

The UCF affirmative action plans for qualified individuals with disabilities and protected Veterans are available for inspection in the Office of Institutional Equity, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., upon request.

As a Florida public university, UCF makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request.

The University of Central Florida is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer.