The Assistant Director of Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) reports directly to the Executive Director of Academic Administration and works closely with the Grants, Sponsored Research and Strategic Initiatives team, and is responsible for post-award administration of all of the University’s awarded sponsored grants and contracts through close-out. Post-award services include:
- Ensuring that all financial and procurement activities on sponsored programs are in compliance with applicable federal, state, and sponsor applicable rules and regulations
- Administering sponsored programs
- Serving as a liaison with funding agency Program Officers
- Serving as the primary point of contact for principal investigators (PIs) and project directors (PDs) for post-award support and administration, ensuring that assigned costs are allowable and allocable to the grant
- Reconciling accounts on a monthly basis. Provides PIs/PDs with monthly financial reports, monitors and tracks subcontractors financial and reporting performance, and supports other post-award grant activities through close out
- Creates, updates and monitors databases that track awarded grants and contracts; and
- Creates reports and forms as needed
- Responsible for sensitive and confidential material related to personnel/compensation, budget and legal matters and shall handle all sensitive materials as strictly confidential
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
- Manage post-award administration for of all of the University’s awarded sponsored grants and contracts through close-out
- Ensure that all financial and procurement activities on sponsored programs are in compliance with applicable federal, state, and sponsor applicable rules and regulations
- Advise and mentor faculty members in all aspects of grant compliance and performance/delivery requirements, and develop and maintain the tracking system to ensure deliverables are submitted on time and in compliance with the terms and conditions of the award
- Monitor agreements for compliance with contractual requirements; monitor compliance with agency and University regulations regarding submission
- Monitor and approve appropriateness of expenditures on awards and sub-awards
- Correspond with sponsors, sub-recipients, PIs, project directors, department chairs and the Grants, Sponsored Research and Strategic Initiatives team regarding performance problems
- Coordinate processing of suspension, termination, and stop work orders
- Assist with data collection and analysis for University level reports
- Develop post-award related University policies and procedures
- Provide administrative training to faculty and project directors, managers and coordinators
- Verify financial information to include application of the appropriate overhead rate for the project
- Prepare progress and financial reports to sponsoring agencies in a timely and accurate manner
- Establish sub-recipient financial and reporting requirements; coordinate issuance of sub-agreements. Monitor and approve internal workflow approval processes to ensure proper front-end internal controls for all sponsored research related projects
- Reconcile monthly budget reports and inform PI and/or supervisor of corrections/adjustments that have been made. Identify the need for cost transfers from budget reconciliation; submit timely and accurate cost transfers
- Prepare and submit requests for cost accounting standards re-budgeting/ modifications and no-cost extensions for the funded project budget
- Reconcile and close all sub-recipient budgets and obtain all sponsor-required reports
- Ensure Standard Operating Procedures are in place. Mentor/train PIs, Project Coordinators and department administrators in necessary aspects of grant and financial management; maintain administrative files, database, etc. for internal and external clients. Ensure process is in place within departments for proper handling of sponsor checks for deposits and recording in the appropriate fund codes, in accordance with the institution’s check handling process.
- Closeout all funded projects consistent with university process and timelines
- Apply federal and university rules to management of effort allocation/reporting appropriately for individuals compensated whole or in part from federal awards
- Prepare expense reports, check requests, and purchase requisitions; and follow all internal accounting procedures and policies
- Conduct subrecipient risk assessments
- Conduct financial analyses and develop financial projections for university budgets, new programs and projects, and other analyses as assigned
- Provide quality customer service to all stakeholders, both internal and external to Stetson to ensure mission and reputation of Stetson remains strong
- Handle all financial, salary and other sensitive data with strict confidence and as proprietary sensitive data
- Supervisory Responsibilities: Supervises a Work Study student
- Performs other site and position specific functions as assigned
MINIMUM EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in a business or finance-related field or equivalent combination of education and experience
Required Skills
- Ability to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing with all levels of the organization including advising faculty in interpreting and adhering to sponsor and University guidelines
- Ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects/tasks simultaneously
- Ability to create verbal and written reports
- Knowledge of federal, state and sponsor-specific rules and regulations relating to research grant and/or contract activity
- Understand financial processes and controls including the reconciliation process
- Excellent people skills for effective work with PIs, PDs, and Stetson's Accounting and Budget Offices and Program Officers
- Work with minimal to no supervision in a deadline driven, highly confidential environment
- Proficiently use computers including proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, Access, Publisher, and PowerPoint).
Required Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in a business or finance-related field or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
- Research or grants education and/or certification is preferred
- Ability to effectively communicate, serve as the business manager for multiple PI’s/PD’s, analyze data and formulate conclusions, learn changing technologies related to grants and contracts management
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, faculty, and staff; and ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with program officers from government agencies and private foundations.
- Experience with Banner is preferred
- Expertise in the use of MS Excel is required.
- Minimum of four to six years of experience in grants and contracts post-award administration and budget development is desired
Salary Grade: 7