Director, Contracts & Grants (Post-Award Services)

Overview

The Director, Contracts and Grants (Post-Award Services) serves as the central coordination point for managing all sponsored grants and contracts at PVAMU. The Director reports directly to the Executive Director in the Division of Research and Innovation. Under general guidance, the Director provides leadership and oversight for a full range of contract and grant administration services including, but not limited to: Collaborate with Pre-Award Services team for negotiation, and execution of grants, contracts, sub-awards; award setups; award management and accounting; expenditure projections; financial reporting and reconciliations; account close-outs and data integrity/internal control; interpretation of sponsor rules and guidelines; policy making and implementation; continuous improvement of processes for enhanced customer service; and support of audit requirements.

The Director is responsible for increasing the sponsored grant and contract expenditures by working with faculty, staff and administration and continuously improving the operational efficiency and customer service. The Director is expected to be organized, able to execute tenacious follow-up, and handle all the challenges of working on transaction-heavy grants/project management. The Director serves as a liaison between the University PIs and granting agencies to ensure effective execution of grants, reporting and compliance with grant requirements. The Director possesses extensive knowledge of grant administration and agency rules and regulations applied to effective compliance. The Director is responsible for creating and maintaining highest level of customer service to the university research community by reducing administrative burdens on researchers and improving internal operational efficiencies, while balancing institutional obligations to comply with federal, state, sponsor, university and TAMUS regulations and policies.

Responsibilities:

  • Provides leadership and oversight for the post-award services  project and financial administration team in effective management of post-award operations through high degree of ingenuity, creativity, and in-depth working knowledge of Maestro and FAMIS. Oversees effectiveness of contract execution, new award setup, costing allocations, no-cost extensions, account payables/ receivables and invoice processing, financial reporting to sponsors and state agencies and boards (THECB), and time and effort certifications. Interfaces with auditors and follows up on audit findings. Responsible for increasing the sponsored grant and contract expenditures by working with faculty, staff and administration, ensuring highest level of customer service, reducing administrative burdens on researchers and improving internal operational efficiencies.

  • Collaborates and works closely with the pre-award services team in monitoring the timeliness and effectiveness of contract negotiations, and award-setups. Coordinates with PI’s to resolve grant management issues and provides information as requested. Responsible for increasing the sponsored grant and contract expenditures by working with faculty, staff and administration, ensuring highest level of customer service, reducing administrative burdens on researchers, improving internal operational efficiencies.

  • Serves as a liaison between the University PI’s and granting agencies to ensure effective execution of awards, reporting and compliance with grant requirements. Provides input on strategic planning. Serves as a liaison with leadership and coordinates working relationships with academic and non-academic units of the University, and foster university relationships with sponsoring agencies.

  • Develops, implements and improves policies and procedures for post-award research administration and collaborates and develops improved processes between all Research Administration and Business Affairs units. Balances institutional obligations to comply with federal, state, sponsor, university and TAMUS regulations and policies. Ensures regulatory compliance by maintaining contact with sponsoring contracting agents to communicate changes of sponsored requirements. Supervises and provides training and mentoring to the contracts and grants staff.

  • Creates and maintains monthly exception reports between the financial system and databases to ensure data quality to effectively manage the sponsored project portfolio. Submits adhoc, monthly, quarterly and annual reports on project administration for university administration and for agency requests/requirements

  • Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience:

  • Bachelor's degree

  • Five years of progressive and successful administrative experience in sponsored grants and contracts administration in a university, industry, or government environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Masters or a terminal degree in relevant discipline is preferred.

  • Seven or more years of progressive and successful administrative experience in sponsored grants and contracts administration in a university, industry, or government environment preferably working with the post-award process.

  • Knowledge of federal grants and contract regulations and practical application of current research administration issues.

  • Proven skills in administering programs, managing professional staff, planning, problem solving and interpersonal relations.

  • Excellent communication and advocacy skills, equally effective with both internal and external constituents.

  • Ability to be responsive and follow-through for project/task completion.

  • Ability to bring together cross-functional teams to develop processes.

  • Ability to work with sensitive information and maintain confidentiality.

  • Thoughtful risk-taking which relies on data and input from others to foresee possible threats or unintended consequences from decisions.

  • Participatory management and leadership styles that model the values of service, initiative, openness and collaboration.

Job Posting Close Date:

  • 12/22/22

Required Attachments:

Please attach all required documents listed below in the attachment box labeled as either “Resume/CV or Resume/Cover Letter” on the application. Multiple attachments may be included in the “Resume/CV” or Resume/Cover Letter” attachment box.  Any additional attachments provided outside of the required documents listed below are considered optional.

  • Resume or Curriculum Vitae
  • Cover Letter

Application Submission Guidelines:

All applicants are required to apply via our Career Site on or before the closing date indicated on the job posting. Applicant inquiries received via email and websites such as Indeed, HigherEdJobs, etc. will not be considered unless the individual has applied to the available position via the PVAMU Career site.

The required documents listed in the above "Required Attachments" section must be attached to the application prior to the job closing date indicated to ensure full consideration for the application submitted. Please contact the Office of Human Resource on or before the closing date indicated above at 936-261-1730 or jobs@pvamu.edu should you need assistance with the online application process.

Background Check Requirements:

All positions are security sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer committed to diversity.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer committed to diversity.

Contact Information

Company
Prairie View A&M University
First Name
Bobby
Last Name
Melvin
Address
Phone
936-261-1556
Contact Email
bdmelvin@pvamu.edu
Contact URL
https://www.pvamu.edu/research/

Background Information

Education
4-Year Degree
Years of Experience
Required: Five year
Industries
  • College/University
Categories
  • Sponsored Projects/Programs
  • Research Administrator/Manager
  • Grants and Contracts
  • Finance, Operations
  • Administrator or Administrative
Work Authorization
Authorized to work in the US
Security Clearance
None

Target Job Information

Salary
Commensura
Job Type
  • Full Time