Contract and Grants Specialist/Contract and Grants Support

Description

Title: Contract and Grants Specialist/Contract and Grants Support (Office of Public Health Studies)

Position Numbers: 0077597T, 0078076T

Hiring Unit: Office of Public Health Studies

Location: University of Hawai?i at Manoa

Date Posted: January 17, 2025

Closing Date: February 7, 2025

Band: A/B

Salary : salary schedules and placement information

Additional Salary Information: Pay Band A, minimum $4,307/month. Pay Band B, minimum $5,250/month. Commensurate with education and experience

Position Type: Temporary

Monthly Type: 11 Month

Full Time Equivalency (FTE): 1.00 FTE

Funding: RTRF

Other Conditions:

• We are filling two positions at either Band A or Band B, depending on qualifications. Applicants will automatically be considered for both positions.
• Position renewable upon availability of funds, program needs, and satisfactory performance
• Position to tentatively begin around March 2025 or soon thereafter.

Band A Duties and Responsibilities

(NOTE: **denotes Essential Functions)

• **Assists in pre-award and/or post-award activities of the Office of Public Health Studies (OPHS), and as necessary, identifies processes and provides recommendations for the streamlining of the grant and contract management procedures.
• **Advises and acts as a liaison between individual principal investigators, Administrative Services Office, and other internal and external entities in resolving issues/problems between internal and external entities involved in the grants and contract management process.
• **Assists in providing technical direction and frontline assistance to OPHS faculty and staff in the preparation and submission of myGRANT documents and the coordination with the Administrative Services Office for contracts and grant proposals and continuations to ensure timely routing of proposals to external funding agencies. by establishing internal submission timelines to meet University and agency deadlines.
• **Analyzes funding agency, Requests for Applications (RFAs) and Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) to identify requirements to ensure compliant responses prior to submission of proposals.
• **Assists with monitoring OPHS grants and contracts from onset to completion including providing assistance in financial accounting, budget management, personnel administration, contract administration, and travel
• **Assists OPHS faculty and staff with the verification of compliance with contract and agreement terms and conditions and monitoring of internal and external deadlines and sponsor agency requirements.
• **Assists Principal Investigators (PIs) and Fiscal Administrators on budget preparation including budget justifications, advance account budgets and requests, and budget revisions for contract and grant proposals and awards
• **Assists OPHS faculty and staff with the preparation of subcontracts, subawards, contract amendments, agreement for services, and Memorandum of Agreements or Understanding
• Assists OPHS faculty and staff in the development of position descriptions, serves as a secondary or backup approver of the Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii (RCUH) timesheets for PI’s as needed, and helps to coordinate the collection and processing of personnel documents related to hiring, terminating, and account code changes, etc. for UH and RCUH employees.
• Liaises with Administrative Services Office and RCUH HR offices to prepare personnel documents including the coordination of guest speakers, international visa processes, and Employee-Independent Contractor (EIC) reviews.
• Assists in the development of training materials, templates, and workshops for OPHS faculty and staff to facilitate pre-award and post award (non-fiscal) contract and grant activities.
• Works under time constraints and short deadlines.
• **Prepares purchase requisitions and payments for Principal Investigators using the major systems (UH, RCUH, UHF, etc) as well as RTRF funds/transactions, may include but not limited to the preparation of purchase requisitions, invitations for bids, requests for proposals/quotations or proposal/bid/technical specifications, sole source requirements, reimbursements, purchasing card payments, etc.
• **Prepares requests for proprietary, sole source purchases or request for quotations in compliance with applicable laws, policies, procedures, rules and regulations.
• **Works closely with OPHS faculty and staff in preparation of a variety of reports including fiscal reports to provide budget status updates and supporting expenditure documentation to projects and sponsoring agencies
• Assists in maintaining inventory records of research supplies and equipment
• **Collects appropriate documents, such as quotes from travel agents, and submits travel requests and completions for approval and processing for payment.
• Trains/cross-trains other staff as applicable including developing training materials, templates, and workshops for OPHS faculty and staff to facilitate pre-award and post award (non-fiscal) contract and grant activities. This includes serving as a back up to assigned colleague(s).
• **Keeps abreast of current policies, procedures, regulations, directives, and statutory and sponsor-specific requirements.
• Other miscellaneous duties as assigned

Band A Minimum Qualifications:

• Possession of a baccalaureate degree in Business Administration, Public Health, Education, or related field and 1 year of progressively responsible professional experience with responsibilities for research project administration or any equivalent combination of education and/or professional work experience which provides the required education, knowledge, skills and abilities as indicated.
• Functional knowledge of principles, practices, and techniques in the area of business or research administration demonstrated by knowledge, understanding and ability to apply concepts, terminology.
• Functional knowledge and understanding of principles, theories, federal and state laws, rules, regulations, and systems associated with research administration.
• Demonstrated ability to recognize problems, identify possible causes and resolve the full range problems that may commonly occur in the area of research administration.
• Demonstrated ability to understand oral and written documentation, write reports and procedures, and communicate effectively in a variety of situations.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external organizations, groups, team members, and individuals.
• Demonstrated ability to operate a personal computer, apply word processing software, computerized spreadsheets, Windows operating systems, Microsoft Office applications, and e-mail programs..

Band A Desired Qualifications:

• At least one year experience with UH, RCUH, and/or UH Foundation accounting, procurement, and human resources systems (i.e. KFS, People Soft, Superquote, etc)
• Familiarity with research project budgets.
• Experience with UH’s myGRANT system for submission of contracts and grants, continuations, and/or post-award changes
• Experience with federal grant submission processes including familiarity with eRA Commons and/or Grants.gov
• Familiarity of public health research and/or program planning/management

Band B Duties and Responsibilities

(NOTE: *denotes Essential Functions)

• **Oversees the functions of the pre-award and/or post-award activities of the Office of Public Health Studies (OPHS), and as necessary, identifies processes and provides recommendations for the streamlining of the grant and contract management procedures.
• **Advises and acts as a liaison between individual principal investigators, Administrative Services Office, and other internal and external entities in resolving issues/problems between internal and external entities involved in the grants and contract management process.
• **Responsible for the technical direction and frontline assistance to OPHS faculty and staff in the preparation and submission of myGRANT documents and the coordination with the Administrative Services Office for contracts and grant proposals and continuations to ensure timely routing of proposals to external funding agencies. by establishing internal submission timelines to meet University and agency deadlines.
• **Analyzes funding agency, Requests for Applications (RFAs) and Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) to identify requirements to ensure compliant responses prior to submission of proposals.
• **Monitors OPHS contracts and grants from onset to completion including providing assistance in financial accounting, budget management, personnel administration, contract administration, and travel
• **Works closely with OPHS faculty and staff with the verification of compliance with contract and agreement terms and conditions and monitoring of internal and external deadlines and sponsor agency requirements.
• **Works with Principal Investigators (PIs) and Fiscal Administrators on budget preparation including budget justifications, advance account budgets and requests, and budget revisions for contract and grant proposals and awards
• **Works closely with OPHS faculty and staff with the preparation of subcontracts, subawards, contract amendments, agreement for services, and Memorandum of Agreements or Understanding
• Works with OPHS faculty and staff in the development of position descriptions, serves as a secondary or backup approver of the Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii (RCUH) timesheets for PI’s as needed, and helps to coordinate the collection and processing of personnel documents related to hiring, terminating, and account code changes, etc. for UH and RCUH employees.
• Liaises with Administrative Services Office and RCUH HR offices to prepare personnel documents including the coordination of guest speakers, international visa processes, and Employee-Independent Contractor (EIC) reviews.
• Develops training materials, templates, and workshops for OPHS faculty and staff to facilitate pre-award and post award (non-fiscal) contract and grant activities.
• Works under time constraints and short deadlines.
• **Prepares purchase requisitions and payments for Principal Investigators using the major systems (UH, RCUH, UHF, etc) as well as RTRF funds/transactions, may include but not limited to the preparation of purchase requisitions, invitations for bids, requests for proposals/quotations or proposal/bid/technical specifications, sole source requirements, reimbursements, purchasing card payments, etc.
• **Processes requests for proprietary, sole source purchases or request for quotations in compliance with applicable laws, policies, procedures, rules and regulations.
• **Works closely with OPHS faculty and staff in preparation of a variety of reports including fiscal reports to provide budget status updates and supporting expenditure documentation to projects and sponsoring agencies
• Maintains inventory records of research supplies and equipment
• **Collects appropriate documents, such as quotes from travel agents, and submits travel requests and completions for approval and processing for payment
• Trains/cross-trains other staff as applicable including developing training materials, templates, and workshops for OPHS faculty and staff to facilitate pre-award and post award (non-fiscal) contract and grant activities. This includes serving as a back up to assigned colleague(s).

• ** Researches, analyzes, evaluates, and resolves complex extramural accounting issues. Provides appropriate recommendations to Fiscal Administrators and Principal Investigators, as appropriate.

• ** Studies and recommends actionable improvements to existing policies and practices in a positive and professional manner. Evaluates pros and cons of recommendations and their impact in the department. Communicates recommendations with diplomacy and tact.
• **Keeps abreast of current policies, procedures, regulations, directives, and statutory and sponsor-specific requirements.
• Other miscellaneous duties as assigned

Band B Minimum Qualifications:

• Possession of a baccalaureate degree in Business Administration, Public Health, Education, or related field and 3 years of progressively responsible professional experience with responsibilities for research project administration or equivalent combination of education and/or professional work experience which provides the required education, knowledge, skills and abilities as indicated.
• Considerable working knowledge of principles, practices, and techniques in the area of business or research administration as demonstrated by the broad knowledge of the full range of pertinent standard and evolving concepts, principles and methodologies.
• Considerable working knowledge and understanding of applicable federal and state laws, rules, regulations, and theories and systems associated with research administration.
• Demonstrated ability to resolve wide ranging complex problems through the use of creative reasoning and logic to accurately determine the cause of the problems and the resolution of the problems in an effective, innovative and timely manner.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret and present information and ideas clearly and accurately in writing, verbally and by preparation of reports and other materials.
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external organizations, groups, team leaders and members, and individuals.
• Demonstrated ability to operate a personal computer apply word processing software, and computerized spreadsheets.
• If applicable, for supervisory work, demonstrated ability to lead subordinates, manage work priorities and projects, and manage employee relations.

Band B Supplemental Minimum Qualifications

• Able to work as a team member and to proactively investigate, recognize and resolve administrative and fiscal procurement and operating issues.

Band B Desired Qualifications:

• Possession of a Master?s degree in Business Administration, Public Health, Education, or related field
• At least five years experience with UH, RCUH, and/or UH Foundation accounting, procurement, and human resources systems (i.e. KFS, People Soft, Superquote, etc) and familiarity with research project budgets.
• At least two years experience with UH’s myGRANT system for submission of contracts and grants, continuations, and/or post-award changes as either an initiator or fiscal reviewer
• Experience with federal grant submission processes including familiarity with eRA Commons and/or Grants.gov
• Familiarity of public health research and/or program planning/management

To Apply: Click on the "Apply" button on the top right corner of the screen to complete an application and attach required documents.

Applicants must submit the following:

• Cover letter itemizing how you meet each of the minimum qualifications, any desirable qualifications (as applicable), and reason for applying for this position
• Names and contact information (including email addresses) of at least 3 professional references
• Current curriculum vitae.
• Official transcripts or equivalent documents directly from the institution of highest educational level relevant to job sought (transcript copies are acceptable but official originals required upon hire)

NOTE: If you have not applied for a position before using NeoGov, you will need to create an account.

Inquiries:

Becky Rodericks, rebekah7@hawaii.edu

EEO/AA, Clery Act, ADA