Duke University:

Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America’s leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

Occupational Summary

Performs pre-award and/or post award activities for a unit (school, department, division, institute, or center). Pre-award activities include assisting departmental faculty/PI in the development, preparation, and submission of grant and contract proposals. Ensure all applications meet agency and university guidelines and published time tables and deadlines. Ensure proposals are entered and routed in a timely manner for further review. Post-award activities include detailed reconciliation of assigned project budgets, preparing complex budget reports, preparing adjustments and corrections in assigned project budgets for further review and approval in order to meet project goals and federal requirements.

This position is responsible for managing an assigned portfolio of complex grants and contracts using knowledge of grant and contract management rules and regulations, technical expertise, and analytical skills.

Work Performed

Pre-award Administration:

• Initiate, complete and route proposal records for assigned faculty in the Sponsored Proposal System (SPS) to the Office of Research Support (ORS) for review and institutional approvals.

• Act as Pre-Award Liaison (PAL) between ORS and assigned faculty.

• Act as Single point of Contact (SPOC) to other departments for assigned faculty.

• Develop budgets and budget justifications which include proofing the budget for inconsistencies and ensuring accuracy.

• Advise the PI on administrative and sponsor requirements in preparing proposal submissions.

• Prepare, coordinate and review certain proposal elements (biosketches and facilities & resources) for consistency, accuracy, and completeness – including requests for salary, biosketches, and other needed documents from faculty (both at Duke and other institutions).

• Communicate and coordinate with other institutions regarding required documents for subawards.

• Monitor compliance with agency and University regulations regarding submission; verify all financial information to include application of the appropriate overhead rate for the project.

• Assist PI with uploading proposal documents into applicable systems such as FastLane, Research.gov, Grants.Duke, Grants.gov, etc.

• Assist PI with submission of applicable requests for new or extended IRB protocols or exemptions.

• Assist PI with preparing and submitting proposal revisions, clarifications and other requests (i.e. Just-in-time, budget revisions) by sponsor in preparation for award.

• Prepare and submit cost-sharing approval forms to the Business Manager in order to obtain departmental and school approvals.

Post-award Administration:

• Manage projects and financial codes of assigned faculty.

• Ensure understanding of the current fiscal performance of projects and identify areas of concern that need resolution. Advise PI on budget adjustments and revisions necessary to meet the sponsor requirements.

• Review Notice of Award (NOA) for accuracy and to ensure complete understanding of funding, sponsor requirements/restrictions, reporting deadlines.

• Upon award, meet with PI to develop project management plan – assigning a departmental project name and identifying personnel, equipment needs and identifying any potential CAS issues.

• Manage budget through monthly reconciliation and report to balances, projections, and completed and/or needed changes to the PI.

• Review expense reports and purchasing requests for adequate funding, appropriateness, allowability and approve/return as needed.

• Manage reporting and compliance timelines through the lifecycle of the grant or contract.

• Establish sub-recipient financial and reporting requirements; coordinate issuance of sub-agreements with ORS.

• Identify the need for cost transfers from budget reconciliation; submit cost transfers.

• As requirements change, prepare and submit requests for re- budgeting/modifying the funded project budget. Reconcile and close all sub-recipient budgets and obtain all sponsor-required reports.

• Monitor compliance with agency and University regulations regarding reporting.

• Maintain financial records per the institutional documents retention guidelines.

• Ensure process (SOP) is in place within the unit for proper handling of sponsor checks for deposit and recording in the appropriate fund codes. This must be handled in accordance with the institutions check handling process.

• Clean Close:  Meet with PI at beginning of final year of project to form closeout plan.  Monitor project in accordance with plan, informing PI of status and potential issues.  Provide projection for remaining six months of project to determine with no-cost extension is needed.  Assist PI in requesting NCE as needed.  Inform PI and Business Manager of any possible overdraft and offer suggestions for resolution of overrun.  Resolve any obligations within final 2 months of project.  Prepare and submit closeout documents.  Inform departmental staff project is closed and monitor project code for any late activity.

• Ensure proper recording of program income associated with a project; apply revenue management standards. 

• Apply federal and university rules to management of effort allocation appropriately for individuals compensated whole or in part from federal awards

General Department duties:

• Submits reports to Business Manager when requested.

• Follow departmental policies and procedures, informing Business Manager if policy/procedure is missing or needs updating.

• Serve as backup PAL or SPOC for salary requests and other requests as needed.  Copying primary administrator on the action or informing them of the action upon return to the office.

• Other duties as needed

Professional Development:

• Maintain required certifications through attendance in courses, webinars, etc.

• Attend professional, technical, leadership courses from Learning & Organizational Development as needed or suggested by Business Manager.

Preferred Qualifications

At least 2 years of research administration experience if preferred.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

Work requires communications, analytical and organizational skills generally acquired through completion of a bachelor's degree program. Research or grants education and/or certification is preferred. Successful completion of the Research Administration Academy (RAA) Onboarding Training and registration in a learning track within the first 90 days is required. The expectation is that the staff member will maintain the requirements for their level. Failing to meet theserequirements will be addressed through the performance review process. Upon successful completion of expected training, the employee must maintain certification(s) by completing continuing education requirements.

Experience

No experience required for candidates who possess a Bachelor's or position. Master's degree in a field of study directly related to the specific

Skills

• Ability to analyze data and formulate conclusions.

• Ability to learn changing technologies related to grants and contracts management.

• Proficient use of computers; requires solid working knowledge of MS Office Suite (Word, Access, Excel, Power Point) and Adobe PDF.

• Ability to communicate professionally both verbally and in writing with all levels of the organization and with other institutions.

• Ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects/tasks simultaneously.

• Ability to create verbal and written reports.

• Knowledge of federal rules and regulations relating to research grant and/or contract activity

• Knowledge of Duke University policies and procedures relating to grant and contracts activity.

• Knowledge of Duke University processes, systems and offices related to and/or involved in grant and contract submission and management.

• Understand and be able to apply federal and university rules to management of effort allocation for individuals compensated whole or in part from federal awards.

• Understand and be able to apply costing rules and regulations to federally funded projects.

• Experience with/Ability to perform required functions in SPS, R3, grants, duke and SES relating to assigned duties.

• Understand financial processes and controls including the reconciliation process

Skil

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essentialjob functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.