Grants Analyst I, College of Earth, Ocean and Environment

The University of Delaware is seeking a Grants Analyst I for the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment in Newark, DE. This full-time position involves managing pre-award and post-award administration for contracts and grants, ensuring compliance with policies, and advising Principal Investigators on financial management. The role includes proposal development, budget creation, and liaising with faculty and funding agencies. The position is hybrid, requiring some on-site presence.
University of Delaware

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement



The University of Delaware is an Equal Opportunity Employer which
encourages applications from Minority Group Members, Women,
Individuals with Disabilities and Veterans. The University's Notice
of Non-Discrimination can be found at http://www.udel.edu/aboutus/legalnotices.html






Job No: 503084

Work Type: Staff

Location: Newark, DE/Hybrid

Categories: Grants & Contracts, Full Time





Pay Grade: 29E


CONTEXT OF JOB:


Under the general direction of the Manager, Grant
Administration, the Grants Analyst I manages the pre-award and
post-award administration for contracts and grants as part of a
team managing the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment research
expenditures of approximately $50M. Ensure accurate and efficient
proposal submission and award management of contracts and grants
from federal, state, and industrial sponsors. Manage the
administrative functions and fiscal affairs of numerous awards and
serves as advisor to Principal Investigators (PI) for financial and
non-financial management of their awards. Ensure compliance with
federal, state and university policies and procedures with regards
to research administration. Work with specified faculty in the
College of Earth, Ocean and Environment. As a member of the Finance
Office, responsible for maintaining productive relationships with
constituencies related to research administration in the College.
Independently resolve administrative and/or procedural problems in
all research categories including matters of compliance. Assist in
completion of special financial management projects, to include
report generation using a variety of data sources and techniques. A
primary function of this position is to exercise independent
judgment and discretion about matters of significance within the
Research Administration realm of responsibility.


MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:



Provide in-depth guidance to PI, in developing competitive
proposals to secure independent funding for projects; review the
solicitation information and sponsor requirements to guide the
process including observation of potentially difficult clauses,
match requirements, etc.; recommend budget, certifications, effort
committed and match funding requests; verify accuracy prior to
submission to the University Research Office.
Create, compile and review complex proposal information
including budget, budget justification, and proposal documents for
submission to appropriate funding agencies.
Interface with subrecipient and collaborator participants to
ensure completion of subrecipient proposal inputs including
budgets, effort commitments, statement of work and other sponsor
and Research Office required documents.
Act as liaison between Research Office and faculty member on
all award set-up issues/questions e.g., recommendations on
contract/agreement terms and conditions. Review and make
suggestions for award document for restrictions, reports and
anything specific to the award.
Analyze and evaluate awarded grants, contracts, and
subcontracts and advise principle investigator of sponsors'
requirements during the life of award to maintain consistency with
terms and conditions to reduce the chance of an audit finding.
Facilitate sponsored and non-sponsored management: on a monthly
basis, ensure that expenditures on budgeted grants and contracts
are monitored, and that reports are prepared to maintain balanced
accounts in preparation for distribution to faculty. This includes
gifts, startups, enhancements, and support accounts.
Reviews financial data for legitimacy, accuracy and
allowability of charges in compliance with Uniform Guidance;
analyzes budgetary line items for material deviation; and provide
relevant expenditure projections; advise faculty on budgetary
spending.
Responsible for allocating salaries through the Labor
Allocation Module for all College personnel (faculty, staff, and
students) to reflect appropriate distributions according to planned
budgets, faculty workload and mandatory match commitments, and
coordinate all sponsored activity reporting for the College.
Anticipate and proactively resolve complex issues as they
relate to all restricted and non-restricted financial or contract
personnel activity in the College. Proactively monitors reporting
deadlines, cost share commitments and other award terms and
conditions.
Meets with Departmental Administrators and PIs to provide
expertise and leadership on administration of grants/contracts, and
to resolve procedural problems.
In collaboration with the Research Office, provide expertise
and leadership on grants/contracts administration to resolve
procedural problems, and educate faculty/researchers on changes in
sponsored research policies, and the importance of adherence for
compliance as required.
Ensure compliance with university and sponsor certification
requirements/ regulations and restrictions e.g., IRB, conflict of
interest, effort reporting, etc.
Recommend matching funds sources and advise PI on optimal use
of resources.
Act as liaison between faculty member and Research Office on
all proposal matters.
Ensures proper submission of proposal information into
PeopleSoft Grants, CAYUSE, Grants.gov and other sponsor sites as
required. Verify accuracy of proposal information prior to
submission to Research Office for approval.
Work with Development and Alumni Relations personnel on
proposal preparation and award management for proposals/awards for
which they are the contact personnel, e.g., non-research sponsored
gifts.
Monitor all expenditures including graduate students, summer
pay for researchers, etc. Anticipate spending, payroll obligations
and analyze scenarios in changing financial scenarios.
Review and verify effort, cost share/match documentation,
tuition allocations, and overhead calculations.
Update information for sponsored and non-sponsored budgets and
expenses, review/update commitments related to salary commitments
and outstanding purchasing orders for all purposes on faculty
purpose portfolios using PS reporting tools.
Send monthly transactions to faculty and investigate/move
charges questioned by PI.
Review reconciled statements for compliance in areas of
unallowable charges and prepare journal voucher adjustments as
needed.
Review equipment expenditures; ensure that fabrication expenses
are tracked and that capitalization occurs, identify ownership per
the terms of the award, prepare requests to transfer equipment when
necessary.
Distribute financial reports/portfolios to faculty, and archive
monthly.
Review and approve sub-contract invoices ensuring the charges
are in line with the sub-contract budget/justification and the
statement of work.
Meet with PI regularly (preferably monthly) to review post
award activity, spending projections and future proposal
submissions.
Initiate discussions with PI to determine the need for budget
revisions and no-cost extensions, and request approval from
sponsor.
Review and ensure timely processing of Effort Certification
Reports for faculty, professionals, and students. Initiate all
correcting journal entries for errors identified.
Review, and track effort reporting via salary distributions and
personnel worksheets, including sponsored, non-sponsored, and cost
share for all faculty, professionals, and students.
Review and approve financial webforms for transactions such as
purchase requisitions, bi-weekly pay, cost share/match funding,
faculty summer salary contracts and other similar forms.
Review, approve and monitor grant expenditures and
documentation to ensure they are processed in a timely manner, are
consistent, are compliant with applicable laws and regulations,
ensure they are allowable, allocable, and reasonable based on
project, budgetary, sponsor and University guidelines. Investigate
procard charges, journal vouchers etc. that could be deemed
questionable.
Coordinating with the Research Office, to assist with preparing
and submitting financial reports for federal, state, and industrial
sponsored projects in accordance with sponsor financial reporting
specifications.
Complete close-out process ensuring all 13 sections of the
Automated Closeout Report (ACR) are finalized including ensuring
all expenditures are compliant and supporting documentation is
provided, completion of technical, annual and other sponsor-
required reports are submitted, final invoice and closeout
documents for subrecipients are received, etc.
Ensure that all required documentation is provided to the
University Research Office.
Assist in complying with audit requests from the Research
Office, University, and outside auditing organizations.
Prepare non-student billing webforms for lab work performed for
non-service centers, where applicable.
Financial management of iLab functions for faculty groups to
include approving and maintaining group members, maintaining
purposes, verifying and approving sequencing and or bioimaging
invoicing.
In collaboration with the Business Administrators, provide
stipend and tuition information for graduate students and update
the student funding worksheet. Approve and verify related forms and
allocations.
Perform miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:



Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Accounting,
Finance or a related field with two years job-related experience or
an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Ability to work independently, as well as the ability to work
in a cross-functional, agile, collaborative team.
Skill in budget preparation and management of contracts and
grants.
Ability to use advanced cost analysis techniques in spreadsheet
and database management (Excel/Access).
Effective analytical and technical skills are required.
Skills to quantify and illustrate complex reports, comparisons,
impacts, and/or projections.
Ability to analyze budgetary expenditures for compliance with
approved budget, and policies and procedures.
Strong organizational and problem solving skills, and attention
to detail.
Knowledge of 2 CFR 200 Uniform Guidance and OMB Circulars A-21,
A-110, A- 133 and other pertinent external regulations preferred.
Ability to interpret, adapt and apply guidelines and
procedures.
Experience with financial and budget planning.
Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
Ability to interact well with people of all ages and diverse
backgrounds.
Ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of
constituents on a variety of research management topics.
A high level of independent judgment is required.
Ability to gather and analyze statistical data and generate
ad-hoc reports that are meaningful and understandable to those not
familiar with the data being reported.
Ability to adjust to a changing environment.
Skills to quantify and illustrate complex reports, comparisons,
impacts, and/or projections.
Ability to balance and reconcile accounts. Knowledge of
standard and/or fund accounting principles, methods and
applications.
Knowledge of University of Delaware’s PeopleSoft Grants and
sponsor grant processing systems e.g., FastLane, CAYUSE
(grants.gov), NSPIRES, etc. preferred.
Experience operating in a research intensive, higher education
environment preferred.



Notice of Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity

The University of Delaware does not discriminate against any person
on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity
or expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, marital
status, disability, religion, age, veteran status or any other
characteristic protected by applicable law in its employment,
educational programs and activities, admissions policies, and
scholarship and loan programs as required by Title IX of the
Educational Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act
of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VII
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other applicable statutes and
University policies. The University of Delaware also prohibits
unlawful harassment including sexual harassment and sexual
violence.







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