Grant & Contract Specialist III

Grant & Contract Specialist III – UMass Chan Medical School

Under the general direction of the Sr. Department Administrator, or designee, the Grant and Contract Specialist III is responsible for performing diversified and complex administrative, financial, and pre‑ and post‑award budgetary functions in support of departmental activities, including management of both restricted and unrestricted departmental funds. The role requires a high degree of initiative and independent judgment and involves collaboration with laboratory leadership to continually assess and address issues related to research program operations, personnel management, regulatory compliance, quality improvement, and long‑range financial planning.

• Lead the management of all pre‑award administration, including advising senior administrator and PI on sponsor guidelines, participation in application assembly, budget preparation, faculty guidance and e‑submission processes, UMMS required paperwork, and other administrative requirements for federal and non‑federal grants and contracts.
• Maintain working knowledge of NIH and other federal, state, and foundation regulations and requirements.
• Identify, propose, and implement creative solutions to potential fiscal issues.
• Develop and manage the division’s annual budget, report variances, and recommend corrective action; provide high‑level fiscal analysis on forecasts as needed.
• Verify availability of funds for equipment, personnel, and major purchases; assure compliance with federal purchase and contract requirements.
• Coordinate with central grant accounting and department staff on deposits, electronic transfers, and cost transfers to funds/contracts.
• Manage division(s) funding sources by monitoring revenue and expenditure activity.
• Represent the department at administrative meetings within and outside of the Medical School applicable with assigned divisions.
• Develop, lead, and train junior staff, including administrative assistants, financial assistants, and lower‑level grants and contracts specialists.
• Serve on institutional committees established to improve school operations and system implementations.
• Assist in determining space and facility needs for the unit faculty.
• Advise faculty and staff on compensation and benefit policies and procedures.
• Monitor regulatory and compliance requirements for all sponsored research activity, keeping detailed files and a tracking mechanism for annual renewals; inform senior administrator of variances.
• Assist in analytical studies of existing or proposed clinical trials to provide the economic basis for management decisions to improve operational/financial performance and realize productivity improvements.
• Monitor all clinical trial funding sources for assigned divisions by tracking revenue and expenditure activity, monitoring trial milestones, identifying variances, and assisting in resolving account variances.
• Monitor contracts, extensions, and amendments with outside vendors, private agencies, and consultants in conjunction with Purchasing and legal offices; monitor the contracts for cost effectiveness and quality performance standards.
• Prepare data for financial reports, budgets, budget and research fund reconciliations, forecasting, analysis, and ad‑hoc reports for senior administrator and PIs as needed; perform analysis of data as required.
• Work with the senior administrator, principal investigators, and staff to resolve problems and optimize the use of funds as required; finalize all expenditure activity of expired grants; deposit checks to any income and service fund accounts.
• Manage all phases of post‑award grants and contracts administration, including monitoring budgets, expenses, and recovered overhead; advise senior administrator and PI of reporting requirements.
• Assist faculty in finding possible funding opportunities.
• Monitor post‑award activities to ensure adherence to sponsor guidelines and all reporting requirements.
• Oversee changes to award budgets and the submission of the necessary paperwork for approval.
• Prepare reports for federal and sponsoring agencies.
• Assist and participate with Grant Accounting in award termination…