Grants & Contracts Manager - Post-Award, Office of Sponsored Programs
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia (UVA) Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) seeks a Post-Award Manager to join their team, responsible for financial management of sponsored awards from inception to closeout. This position is eligible for remote and/or hybrid work.
OSP's mission is to provide leadership in research administration, support the research endeavors of University faculty, ensure the responsible stewardship of research funding, and oversee the sponsored award management according to State, University and sponsor regulations.
The Post-Award Manager reports to the Assistant Director of Post-Award and will lead a team of Post-Award Accountants, assisting with training, operational activities (including resolution of system errors), reviewing the team’s work of managing awards from creation to closeout, and evaluating each team member’s performance.
The Post-Award Manager must possess a comprehensive understanding of grants and contracts administration, as well as the extensive experience needed to manage awards within the University’s financial and pre-award systems. The position requires the incumbent to have a thorough understanding of the financial compliance requirements applicable to the award, following award terms and conditions, sponsor and University policies and procedures, and to be responsible for managing complex sponsored awards. Key duties encompass financial reporting, invoicing, monitoring accounts receivable, and serving as a link between the University, schools and units, and research sponsors.
The Post-Award Manager coordinates with colleagues from Finance, Pre-Award, Contracts, and schools and units to troubleshoot obstacles and support process improvements. This position serves as a valued and respected resource for University faculty and staff, and creates and maintains standard operating procedures governing financial management of sponsored awards, and also represents the University with external sponsors and internally to departments, units, and schools.
Responsibilities
Manager Duties:
Facilitates hiring, onboarding, and training Post-Award staff
Completes quarterly performance discussions and annual performance reviews
Provides mentorship and professional development, and recommends training opportunities
Completes and approves HR-related Workday tasks and activities (e.g., leave, performance feedback, access requests, etc.)
Determines even distribution of workload across team, including quarterly evaluation of portfolio assignments
Monitors quality and timeliness of staff’s completed tasks through quality control checks of work output, reconciliation reports, and other tools and resources
Identifies and communicates ongoing trends and performance issues to leadership
Individual Contributor Duties:
Manages complex award portfolios and provides additional support as-needed based on staff coverage due to vacancies, PTO, and peak surges in award volume
Supports continuous process improvement and maintenance of process documentation, including in coordination with other areas of OSP and stakeholders across the University
Is actively involved in Workday system improvements, including assisting with testing for updates or adoption of additional functionalities
Reviews quality assurance related reconciliation reports, and collaborates on development of additional resources to support reconciliation for quarterly/annual reporting
Other duties as assigned.
Knowledge, Skills, and Preferred Experiences
Extensive knowledge of Pre-and Post-Award Financial systems, sponsored program award setups, and financial grant management
Demonstrated experience training, developing, and managing direct reports through complex processes
Proficient in developing and maintaining standard operating procedures, as well as implementing systems and continuous improvement plans
Adaptable to quickly learn and understand new concepts, processes, and systems
Efficiently manages time and competing priorities, delegates appropriately
Active listening and effective communication skills with strong attention to detail.
Minimum Qualifications:
Education: Bachelor's degree.
Experience: Five years of grant and contract experience. Four additional years of experience may be accepted in lieu of degree.
Physical Demands: This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings and programs.
Preferred Qualifications:
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or similar.
Experience: Seven years of experience in research administration with strength in financial management of sponsored programs.
Licensure: Certified Research Administrator (CRA) certification.
This is a restricted position and has a term limit of two (2) years, after which continued employment is contingent upon department need and availability of funding.
This is an exempt-level, benefited position. For more information on the benefits at UVA, visit hr.virginia.edu/benefits. This position is located in Charlottesville, VA, and provides an option to work on-site, hybrid or fully remote, following the University's remote work guidelines.
For more information about UVA and the Charlottesville community please see http://www.virginia.edu/life/charlottesville and https://embarkcva.com/.
Anticipated salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Application review will begin after March 1.
This position will not be able to provide consideration for candidates who require sponsorship at this time. The University will perform background checks on all new hires prior to employment.
How to Apply
Please apply online, and search for R0080835. Complete an application online with the following documents:
Resume
Cover letter
Upload all materials into the resume submission field; multiple documents can be submitted into this one field. Alternatively, merge all documents into one PDF for submission. Applications that do not contain all required documents will not receive full consideration.
Internal applicants: Search and apply for jobs on the UVA Internal Careers website.
References will be completed via UVA’s standardized process SkillSurvey. A total of five references will be requested via SkillSurvey during the final phase of the interview process. A minimum of three is required.
For information regarding the position or the application process, please contact Lyndsay Thaxton at enn9zv@virginia.edu.
The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA’s commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.