Grants Specialist

Working Title: Grants Specialist

State Role Title:Financial Services Specialist I

Position Type:Full-time Staff (Classified)

Position Status: Full-Time

College/Division: Vice Provost - REDI

Department: 539001 - Sponsored Program Accounting

Pay Rate:Maximum Starting

Specify Range or Amount: $44,000

Is this a JMU only position?No

Is this a grant-funded position?Yes. This is a grant-funded position and is contingent upon continued funding.

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position?No

Beginning Review Date:9/2/2024

About JMU:

James Madison University is a publicly funded university with a beautiful campus and a supportive community that is committed to preparing students for the future. The university offers excellent comprehensive benefits which include paid vacation, sick, parental, and community service leave in addition to 19 paid holidays a year; affordable health insurance; retirement through the Virginia Retirement System. We also offer a work-life balance and integration program, Balanced Dukes, that is designed to support the overall wellbeing of our employees and a Tuition Waiver Program that allows employees to have tuition waived for undergraduate and graduate level courses taken at JMU.

Visit our Prospective Employee site to learn more about what makes JMU a great place to work: bit.ly/JMUEmployment

General Information:

The Grants Specialist in the Office of Sponsored Programs -Administrative Services at James Madison University plays a pivotal role in facilitating the growth of external funding by providing expert administrative support to faculty and staff in submitting proposals and administering grants and subawards for research, scholarship, and creative pursuits. The Grants Specialist ensures compliance with state, federal, and university regulations; assists with budget development; coordinates approvals, aids with the preparation and submission of proposal materials, and assists with post-award administrative activities. This position requires exceptional adaptability, effective communication, and a commitment to customer service to meet the needs of various stakeholders in a deadline-driven environment. This position focuses on administrative support and is not a grant-writing position.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Proposal Development and Submission:
• Review funding solicitations and guidelines, identifying areas of compliance, problematic eligibility requirements, cost sharing, and other items of special concern.
• Participate in planning meetings and one-on-one sessions with clients.
• Explain regulatory and compliance requirements to faculty, staff, and external collaborators.
• Create precise project budgets aligned with financial standards.
• Prepare and review funding application forms and proposal components with institutional information, checking against sponsors' formatting requirements.
• Submit proposals in electronic research administration systems or by hardcopy

Funding Notification Processes:
• Review incoming award documents to ensure acceptability and promptly flags any problematic clauses for Director, Associate Director, or legal counsel review.
• Facilitate prior approval requests (no-cost extensions, scope and personnel changes, budget revisions, etc.)
• Collaborate with the Office of Research Integrity to ensure all compliance requirements are met for project personnel and subawardees prior to award release.
• Assist the Principal Investigator (Pl) with preparing pre-award budget revisions/reallocations.

Post-Award Administrative Functions:
• Facilitate prior approval requests by reviewing sponsor procedures, collecting materials from Pis and OSP-FS, and preparing submissions.
• Submit project correspondence to sponsors and process sponsor notifications promptly while updating records and notifying pertinent parties.
• Draft subaward agreements and amendments and coordinate the execution with subrecipient.
• Track all subaward activity to share with the Finance division.
• Track technical reporting requirements, send out report reminders to Pis, and collect and archive technical reports.
• Maintain project file documentation, ensuring that all records are auditable within an electronic records environment and adheres to university records retention policies.

Other Administrative Activities:
• Run and distribute monthly and quarterly reports.
• Monitor departmental email, distribute mail, maintain website content, and process student timesheets.
• Maintain access to research administration systems and assist faculty and staff with user access.
• Provide newsletters of current regulations, reminders, and sponsor news to a distribution list.
• Prepare, distribute, and track funding announcements and sponsor deadlines, including limited submissions.
• Process Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs), Data Use Agreements, Nondisclosure Agreements (NDAs), Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), Entity Agreements, etc., for university signature approval.
• Ensure meticulous maintenance of files, ensuring all documentation is organized and readily accessible.

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications:
• Proficiency with the Microsoft Office software suite, including Access, and solid Excel skills
• Demonstrated superior oral and written communication skills and commitment to professional customer service
• Applicants must be able to work autonomously within a collaborative network of professionals and prioritize large volumes of work on stringent deadlines
• The successful candidate must be self-motivated and possess exceptional time management, problem-resolution, and organizational skills with meticulous attention to detail

Additional Considerations:
• Experience and knowledge of federal, state, and sponsor rules and regulations related to grants and contracts
• Experience in public speaking or enthusiasm for outreach
• Grants management or university experience is desired
• Certified Research Administrator (CRA) and/or Certified Pre-Award Research Administrator (CPRA) certification, or willingness to obtain certification once eligible
• Experience with JMU systems and processes, including Cascade, HRMS, Payroll, and AiM

Additional Posting Information:

Conditions of Employment:

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check and an acceptable MVR.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

EEO Statement:

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or jobs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.