Jobs at UMass Dartmouth

OFFICIAL JOB TITLE: Pre/Post Award Grant Manager

DIVISION: Academic Affairs    

DEPARTMENT: Office of Research Administration

BARGAINING UNIT: ESU Cat. 13                

EEO STATUS: 3.1                  

JOB CODE:    080

FLSA STATUS: Exempt

REPORTS TO: Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation

SUPERVISES: Provides indirect supervision to Research Development staff as projects dictate.  May oversee students and administrative staff in duties pertaining to pre-award and subrecipient monitoring, such as data input, file maintenance and filing.

SUMMARY PURPOSE OF POSITION: This position will serve as the primary coordinator of Pre-award business processes for select departments with an emphasis on the Subrecipient Monitoring, Subaward & Subcontract Preparation, review and submission procedures and award negotiations. 

Serves as post award management contact for research faculty within select departments.  The incumbent is responsible for post award management including review and approval of expenditures of sponsored projects in the Office of Research Administration and for handling PeopleSoft administrative functions in the Office of Research Administration. Reinforces policies and maintains compliance with federal, state, university, and sponsor policies, procedures and guidelines.

Follows the University’s best practices to build and/or support student academic success and retention, and assist in meeting strategic objectives for persistence and timely graduation of all the student population.

EXAMPLES OF PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Responsible for electronic grants management including review, submission and authorized signatory of proposals and subawards in the absence of Director.
• Provides pre-award assistance to faculty and staff in the development and submission of proposals to federal and non-federal sponsors.
• Serves as primary contact to UMassD faculty and staff and external organizations in UMassD subcontracting activities.
• Prepares, reviews and negotiates new subawards and subcontracts and subaward/subcontract amendments and modifications from federal and non-federal sponsors and to lower-tier sub-recipients.
• Monitors subcontracts to ensure compliance with subcontract terms and federal, state and university laws, policies and procedures.
• Responsible for UMassD Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) reporting
• Responsible for processing of subaward invoices, including obtaining PI approvals and coordination of submission of invoices to UPST for payments.
• Prepares and maintains subcontract records in electronic and hard copy format.
• Performs subcontract closeout.
• Assists in proposal review and submission process utilizing electronic submission systems, such as, but not limited to Research.gov, Grants.gov, FedConnect, NASA NSPIRES, NOAA, DARPA and ARPA-E. 
• Utilizes Cayuse 424 or other similar System-to-System interface with Grants.Gov.
• Works closely with PIs to review and develop budgets and justifications, current and pending support information, application cover pages, certifications, assurances, and other required proposal components.
• Pre-award compliance monitoring: Performs initial and final reviews of proposals to be submitted to external sponsors, as assigned, to determine that all proposals are completed in accordance with University policies and sponsor guidelines.
• Provides important feedback and advice to faculty and staff on various aspects of proposal development and submission.
• Completes the final review of the proposal and submits on behalf of the Institution to external sponsors.
• Coordinates final submission notices with faculty and other ORA staff.
• Assists faculty members and maintains close working relationships with Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, Pre and Post-award staff, Compliance Office, Research Development Manager in connection with Pre and Post-award administrative activities, including but not limited to award generation, reporting requirements, no-cost extensions, re-budgeting actions, and award closeout.
• Required to maintain working knowledge of and interpret and apply current federal, state, sponsor and university policies and regulations to management of awards, and for applying sound fiscal policies in the management of grants.
• Provides resource information and guidance to research faculty and staff by explaining, interpreting and ensuring compliance with federal, university, and state policies and requirements.
• Conducts detailed review of executed award notices and contracts to determine specific terms, conditions, and reporting requirements.
• Analyzes and evaluates grant budgets for correct calculations. 
• Ensures the integrity of award and project data, enters award and project data, including budgets, and corrects data in PeopleSoft as needed.
• Monitors accounts for financial compliance, expenditures are allowable and within budget, that exception reports and other award management reports (deficit reports, budget errors, F&A etc.) are run as scheduled and that appropriate follow-up action is taken.
• Resolves issues as needed, serves as a resource to grant accountants, other ORA staff and faculty and their staff to coordinate and resolve issues such as account overdrafts and underspending.
• Reviews and approves purchases, salaries and other expenditures on sponsored projects in compliance with federal, state and university regulations as needed, reviews and approves cost transfers, re-budgets, and forwards re-budgets for sponsor approval as needed.
• Monitors account closeout process, ensures that accounts are closed with both the sponsor and in PeopleSoft on a timely basis, works with Principal Investigator to ensure all expenditures are properly coded in PeopleSoft, prepares final report of expenditures and other sponsor closing reports, such as invention /patent reports, property/equipment reports, etc., as needed.
• Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned and/or the job description changed periodically to reflect changing organizational needs.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree    
• EXPERIENCE:
  • Demonstrated experience (over three years) in grants management or proposal preparation.
  • Experience dealing with Federal and State agencies and knowledge of their funding priorities. 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's degree or higher
• Significant award & contract negotiation experience with contracts and subcontracting, electronic grants administration.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills
• Professional certification (CRA) certification
• Experience in higher education
• Familiarity with Federal Acquisition Regulations, Code of Federal Regulations and Office of Management & Budget (OMB).
• Experience working with PeopleSoft, Summit and Cayuse.
• Significant experience (over five years) in grants management, or proposal preparation.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:

• Excellent computer skills including knowledge of spreadsheets and on-line databases.
• Ability to effectively utilize a wide array of information technology resources (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Internet, federal electronic systems, etc.)
• Must be highly organized, detail-oriented, time and deadline-sensitive, and able to perform using tact and discretion in a deadline-oriented environment. 
• Excellent writing and communication skills.
• Ability to work well with a variety of internal and external constituencies and individuals from all different professional levels.
• Knowledge of federal/state regulations as they relate to grants/contracts.

SALARY: $66,500 to $88,000

UMass Dartmouth offers exciting benefits such as:

• 75% Employer-Paid Health Insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• State Pension Retirement Plan
• Optional Retirement Savings Plans
• Tuition Credit (Employee, Spouse, & Dependents)
• Twelve (12) paid holidays
• Paid personal, vacation, and sick time
• And More!

Benefits for ESU Union: ESU

Applicants must be authorized for employment in the U.S. on a full-time basis. Employment-based visa sponsorship is not available.

To apply please submit a letter of interest, a current resume and the contact information for three professional references.

The deadline for internal ESU applicants is August 10, 2026.

The review of applications will be ongoing until the position is filled.