Specialist, Grants & Contracts

Overview

Diversity and Inclusion Statement

Guided by an ethic of Vincentian personalism and professionalism, DePaul compassionately upholds the dignity of all members of its diverse, multi-faith, and inclusive community. We seek to hire collaborative, open-minded, and dedicated professionals who are committed to advancing our university mission to making education accessible to all, with special attention to including underserved and underrepresented communities. Successful candidates thrive in an environment where ideas and perspectives representing a wide variety of cultures, backgrounds and experiences are welcome and supported.

The Highlights
This position will guide and assist Principal Investigators, administrators, and staff across the University with all phases of the pre-award grant process, from identification of appropriate funding sources through proposal review and submission. Sponsored proposal activity averages $100 million per year. Position will also assist with dissemination of funding infornation in support of strategic funding priorities including those for student support, and targeted academic unit initiatives, as well as training faculty and staff on preaward processes/ procedures.

Is This You?

• Proposal Development: Supports proposal development, assisting faculty and staff with the technical aspects of preparing grant proposals: downloads/ reviews/accesses RFP/ RFA/Funding Opportunity Announcements and application packets and establishes a timeline with the PI for proposal development and submission; calculates personnel and other costs and/or develops the project budget, as needed; completes institutional grant forms and, as needed, supports PI in uploading required information into online application forms. Coordinates the collection of subcontract proposals and commitment letters from partners, as requested; contacts program/grants officers at funding agencies to resolve questions as they arise; involves other DePaul offices and experts, as needed, to resolve issues and facilitate proposal development; supports the PI in preparing budget revisions and just-in-time information, as requested by the sponsor. Position works with both public and private submissions.
• Proposal Review: Performs detailed review of proposals to identify those areas that need to be revised in order to conform to the RFP, university policy, and sponsor policies, including federal regulations. In consultation with the Principal Investigator, reworks proposals to address such concerns and to obtain optimum conditions for both the University and the PI. This activity requires a knowledge of federal costing policies, and grant application guidelines/procedures at a wide range of federal, state and private agencies, including methods of electronic proposal preparation and submission. After this review is completed, coordinates the process of administrative review and approval. Serves as institutional AOR approving and submitting select submissions. Establishes an electronic record of the submission in PeopleSoft Grants Module or future successor system.
   
• Funding Dissemination/Research Culture: Monitors, researches, and evaluates funding opportunities; implements an outreach strategy to market select opportunities to DePaul faculty, administrators, and students as appropriate. Meets with faculty /staff as necessary necessary to implement and maintain a program of opportunity identification, cultivation and solicitation. Orients faculty/ staff to ORS PreAward procedures. Offers 1:1 consultations and group training for faculty/staff as requested, on general topics in Research Administration such as funding searches and budgeting, as well as more specialized topics including electronic proposal management and submission systems such as FastLane and Grants.gov Work Space, Assist, etc. and on application packets such as the SF-424 (R&R). Participates in the development of publications/ website content / programs to acclimate and encourage faculty/ staff participation in sponsored research activities.
• Associate Provost for Research Support: This individual will help collect, organize, and process data for processes pertinent to the Associate Provost's responsibilities and prepare/present the information in various formats including presentations, reports, brochures, and webpages.
• Job Knowledge: Stays current with changes in grants policies and procedures --including federal and funding agency cost policies, proposal procedures and electronic submission systems necessary for proposal development and submission --at a wide range of federal, state, municipal and private agencies.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Your Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree required
• At least 2 years of relevant experience in program and records auditing/financial management-related tasks preferred; good organizational skills and experience coordinating a variety of activities in a timely prioritized manner required; excellent attention to detail required; good organizational, analytic, verbal and written communication skills required; knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (including Excel) required; budgeting experience helpful as is experience working in a university setting preferred.

Financial Responsibilities

• This position will ensure grant administrative and fiscal compliance with both external funding agencies and internal DePaul policies and procedures. Sponsored project proposal activity averages $100 million per year. Position is integral to insuring budgets for federal and private submissions are adequately costed and University sharing of costs for research, service and education projects is not under or overstated.

Other Skills & Abilities Required

• Knowledge of or ability to learn federal and non-federal funding agency policies and procedures (e.g., OMB Uniform Guidance, and NSF, NIH, ARI, AFOSR, ONR, NCPS and DED Grants Policy Manuals);
• Knowledge of or ability to learn research and financial compliance issues, including human subjects, animal care, conflict of interest, intellectual property, export controls, and cost sharing.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively and collegially in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment;
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion;
  Familiarity with select electronic proposal submission systems (Grants.gov, Research.gov, NIH Assist, Fastlane, etc).
• Demonstrated ability to conduct advanced database and internet searches and update website information prefered.
• Ability to creatively convey ideas through text and image design, specifically
• Ability to visually represent ideas with due consideration to aesthetics and perceptively
• Organization skills/ability to appropriately organize and accurately report data, and advanced level expertise with Windows and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Visio), general office equipment, and online systems (e.g. Google Drive, Google Docs, Box, and Zoom).

Additional Information

For consideration, please include a resume and cover letter that elaborates your experience working on PreAward activities in support of proposals.

• Position requires extended hours reading and imputing information at a computer, and ability to travel between DePaul's Loop and Lincoln Park campuses.
• Position activities are deadline driven and may necessitate additional hours beyond a standard work day on a regular basis .
• Position requires dependability: a person that is reliable, responsible and familiar with fulfilling obligations, with the demonstrated potential to develop expertise in the University's administrative practices and procedures.

Perks:

• Working for a stable and well-known University that values diversity and inclusion.
• Medical, dental, and vision benefits.
• Generous paid time off, sick time, holidays, floating holidays, and more!
• Matching retirement plan up to 10%.
• Tuition waivers for employees and dependents!
• Full-Time Benefits
• Part-Time Benefits

Required Background Check:
Employment at DePaul University is contingent on passing a background check. Only final candidates who are extended an offer of employment will undergo a background check.

Required COVID-19 Vaccination:
Employment at DePaul University is contingent upon receiving all recommended doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, including the booster, or having a valid religious or medical reason not to be vaccinated. To request a religious or medical exemption, please email employeerelations@depaul.edu.

Mandated Reporting of Child Abuse & Neglect:
Upon accepting an offer of employment with the university, you will also be required to sign an Acknowledgement of Mandated Reporter Status at the time of hire. A mandated reporter is required to make a report to the Illinois DCFS Hotline whenever there is reasonable cause to believe that a child known to them in their professional or official capacity may be abused or neglected. For more information, please visit the following pages:

Illinois Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS)
Illinois Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act

Title IX Contact Information
Federal Title IX policy requires that all colleges and universities make known the contact information for the person responsible for coordinating its efforts to comply with Title IX responsibilities. The Title IX Office is on the Lincoln Park campus on the 3rd floor of the Student Center, 2250 N. Sheffield Avenue. The Title IX Office can be reached at 312-362-8970 or titleixcoordinator@depaul.edu.

DePaul University is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, genetic information or any other legally protected status, in accordance with applicable federal, state and local EEO laws.

Apply Here

PI181304313