Post-Award Specialist (Open Rank)

University Classification: Research Services (Open Rank) Professional

Working Title: Post-Award Specialist

Department/Subunit: College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

FTE: Full Time

Position #: 00001399

Requisition #: 27678

* Applications are accepted electronically ONLY at www.cu.edu/cu-careers  *

The University of Colorado Denver is the state’s premier public urban research university and equity-serving institution. Globally connected and locally invested, CU Denver partners with future-focused learners and communities to design accessible, relevant, transformative educational experiences for every stage of life and career. Across eight schools and colleges in the heart of downtown Denver, our leading faculty inspires and works alongside students to solve complex challenges through boundary-breaking innovation and impactful research and creative work. As part of the state’s largest university system, CU Denver is a major contributor to the Colorado economy, with 2,000 employees and an annual economic impact of more than $800 million. For more information, visit www.ucdenver.edu

Career Family: Research Services

Jobs in this career family provide direct professional support of research activities.  Functions include contracts and grants solicitation and administration, grant/agreement preparation, review and negotiation, regulatory compliance, sponsor communication and post and pre award management, human subject compliance, research animal management, research laboratory coordination and instruction, environmental health and safety, radiation control, hazardous materials use, disposal, and training

Professional Level: Intermediate Professional

Professionals at the intermediate level are responsible for exercising discretion, analytical skill, personal accountability, and responsibility in a wide range of areas including academic, administrative, managerial and student services functions. Work involves creating, integrating, applying, and sharing knowledge directly related to a professional field. 

At the intermediate level, duties may be more limited in scope and are performed with guidance and direction from other professionals.

Professional Level: Senior Professional

Senior Professionals are responsible for exercising discretion, analytical skill, personal accountability, and responsibility in a wide range of areas including academic, administrative, managerial and student services functions. Work involves creating, integrating, applying, and sharing knowledge directly related to a professional field.  Work is performed fully independently.

CLAS has an opening for a full-time University Staff (unclassified) Post-Award Specialist (Open Rank) position.

Position Summary

This position provides oversight, analysis, advising, training, and compliance review for all sponsored projects and their Principal Investigators.  This position is instrumental in strategic planning and developing policies and practices regarding sponsored projects.  In this role, this person:

• Monitors all extramural awards and expenditures in CLAS.
  • Maintains records specifying all sponsored project start, end, and renewal dates as well as all report submission deadlines.
  • Tracks and monitors deliverables and compliance issues for all awards in CLAS.
  • Researches and reconciles discrepancies in accounts.
  • Processes Journal Entries (JE) and Payroll Expense Transfers (PET) as needed.
  • Set up, monitor, and sponsor policies related to sub-recipients per campus.
• Evaluates spending and compliance, provides budget analysis, approves spending requests on sponsored projects, and informs Associate Dean for Research and Creative Activities. Leads in resolving sponsored project issues.
  • Serves as a CLAS representative to extramural sponsors and the Office of Grants and Contracts to manage grant expenditures, changes, extensions, and closeout of all awarded sponsored projects in CLAS.
  • Alerts faculty Principal Investigators (PIs) of impending report deadlines and assists PIs in preparing them.
  • Communicates with PIs on issues regarding grant and contract administration.
  • Assists with Personal Effort Reporting (PER) forms to ensure completion and submission in a timely manner.
  • Senior Professional establishes Human Resource (HR) appointments and conducts ongoing oversight for CLAS grant- and contract-funded positions.
• Serves as a CLAS representative to extramural sponsors and the CU Office of Grants and Contracts.
  • facilitates changes, extensions, ongoing management, and closeout of all sponsored projects in CLAS.
  • Represents CLAS at sponsored research-related university- and campus-wide committees, working groups, governance bodies, and on search committees as assigned.
  • Senior professional assumes a leadership role in committees, working groups, governance bodies, and search committees as assigned.
• Works with the CLAS Office of Research and Creative Activities (ORCA) team in tracking and obtaining federal, university, and foundation policies and requirements to provide up-to-date information to grant-active researchers, staff, and administrators. 
  • Participates in the process by meeting with Principal Investigators and Project Managers to verify the initial budget set-up and ensure a complete understanding of current sponsored research processes and policies.
  • In collaboration with the CLAS ORCA team, develops and leads group training programs for PIs, Department Chairs, Department Staff, and potential grant applicants with particular responsibility for training regarding budget management, compliance, reporting, and closeout.
  • Facilitates and leads training at the University level in collaboration with OGC.
• Supports the pre-award functions of ORCA by assisting with the analysis of sponsor application requirements, budget and document preparation, and submission processes on an as-needed basis.
  • Advises on and submits routing, submission, and sponsor inquiries for all renewal applications and contracts and for new submissions as assigned.
  • Works with the ORCA team to conduct analysis and make recommendations regarding strategic planning for the research and sponsored research missions of CLAS.
  • Develops and maintains databases using expenditure data and other data warehouse information.
  • Participates in analysis of award data and makes recommendations to CLAS administration regarding research-related infrastructure, policies, and strategic initiatives.
  • Creates and presents college-level reports to CLAS research personnel, administration, and university offices as assigned.
  • Collaborates with university research administration on strategic initiatives and policy revisions.
  • Ensures post-award job functions, policies, and procedures are documented for successors.  Collaborate in the development of CLAS research-related procedures manual/website.

Salary and Benefits:

Intermediate Professional:

The hiring range for Intermediate Professionals has been established at $47,992 to $55,000.

Senior Professional:

The hiring range for Senior Professionals has been established at $52,000 to $62,830.

The salary of the finalist(s) selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty, and training.

The above salary range represents the University’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

FLSA Status: Not eligible for overtime (exempt).

Your total compensation goes beyond the number on your paycheck. The University of Colorado provides generous leave, health plans and retirement contributions that add to your bottom line.

Benefits: https://www.cu.edu/employee-services/benefits

Total Compensation Calculator: http://www.cu.edu/node/153125

Diversity and Equity:

The University of Colorado Denver is committed to recruiting and supporting a diverse student body, faculty, and administrative staff. The university strives to promote a culture of inclusiveness, respect, communication, and understanding. We encourage applications from women, ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, persons within the LGBTQ+ community, and all veterans. The University of Colorado is committed to diversity and equality in education and employment.

The University of Colorado Denver is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our faculty, staff, students, and visitors. To assist in achieving that goal, we conduct background investigations for all prospective employees.

The University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout the employment application process. To request an accommodation pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact the Human Resources ADA Coordinator at hr.adacoordinator@ucdenver.edu ​.

COVID-19 Requirement

The University of Colorado has a requirement for COVID-19 vaccinations and full completion thereof by 9/1/21 or upon the start date.  Information regarding this requirement and exemptions can be found at: https://www.ucdenver.edu/coronavirus

Denver Campus exemptions are allowed for medical, religious, or personal reasons.

The University of Colorado Denver seeks individuals with a demonstrated commitment to creating an inclusive learning and working environment. We value the ability to engage effectively with students, faculty, and staff of diverse backgrounds

Intermediate Professional Minimum Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree in public health, public administration, social/behavioral sciences, physical sciences, nursing, healthcare, finance, accounting, business administration, business, or a directly related field from an accredited institution. 
• 1-3 years of professional level experience in grants management and/or oversight; and advanced experience with MS Office applications (i.e. Excel and Outlook) related experience.

Senior Professional ​​ Minimum Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree in public health, public administration, social/behavioral sciences, physical sciences, nursing, healthcare, finance, accounting, business administration, business, or a directly related field from an accredited institution.
• 2-4 years of professional level experience in grants management and/or oversight; and advanced experience with MS Office applications (i.e. Excel and Outlook) related experience.

Substitution: A combination of education and related technical/paraprofessional experience may be substituted for the bachelor’s degree on a year-for-year basis.

Preferred Qualifications :

• Experience with sponsored projects involving a wide variety of sponsors including federal agencies, non-profit foundations, state and local government, and other extramural funding entities.
• Experience with one or more of the following:  PeopleSoft, Cognos, CU System’s MFin, Tableau, CU System’s Human Resource Management System, Grants.gov, FastLane, ERACommons.
• Certified Research Administrator (CRA) or Certified Finance Research Administrator (CFRA) certificate.
• Experience in conducting individual or group training or public presentations.

Competencies:

• Ability to communicate effectively, both in writing and orally.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees at all levels throughout the institution.
• Outstanding customer service and project management skills.
• Demonstrated commitment and leadership ability to advance diversity and inclusion.
• Strong math/budget-related skills.
• Attention to detail in reviewing compliance conditions and recommending appropriate action.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to evaluate and communicate in an environment of complex regulations.