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Job Description

Position Purpose:

The Grants Manager (Program Operation Specialist (ES 7) will serve as a key member of the Institute for Protein Design (IPD)’s 2-member research administrative team, reporting to the senior Grants and Contracts Manager (ES9), and will primarily be responsible for a key portfolio of industry contracts. The IPD has an increasing number of complex industry partnerships that require a dedicated administrative professional experienced in managing complex contracts. In addition, this position will be responsible for all aspects of proposal development, submission, set up and management of a variety of Postdoctoral Fellowships from federal to private funding agencies, for a large number of IPD postdoctoral fellows (over ~65 postdocs). IPD manages a large volume of complex grant proposals and projects at various stages of project lifecycle at any one time, bringing in over $50M grant and contract revenue, and it requires at least two experienced Grant Managers in order to manage the volume of grants, projects and awards for the unit. IPD manages a variety of complex federal grants, such as DARPA, ARPA and DOD, in addition to NIH grants and fellowships, as well as large Foundation grants and, increasingly, industry. The two-member grant team works in close cooperation with a dedicated network of research project managers to meet the high volume and complexity of the sponsored projects at IPD. IPD research is highly specific, requiring a highly flexible and nimble team with the ability to respond to last-minute sponsor requirements and international collaborators, often outside of the regular working hours.

Position Complexities:

The IPD currently has $50M in direct costs for FY24, managed by a team of research and fiscal managers. The IPD’s industry portfolio totals over $10M in spend each year and continues to grow. In FY25 the IPD signed seven new multi-year industry contracts valued over $7M. In just the first two months of FY26, we signed seven new agreements valued over $5.2M. The industry portfolio continues to expand with the reductions in federal dollars. This role would be responsible for pre- and post-award management for the portfolio of industry sponsors. Sponsors require milestone, quarterly, or annual reporting - unique to each sponsor. This position will work with the appropriate scientific team to ensure reporting and other deliverables are met, and payments are received. Good judgement and independent decision-making in unique situations, based on the experience and understanding of industry standards as well as UW, Federal and State policies and regulations is a key requirement for the incumbent. At the same time, highly collaborative and collegial skills are necessary in order to work effectively within the IPD project management network/ structure for a shared mission. Flexibility necessary to accommodate strict deadlines and respond to last-minute changes and requirements, often involving national and international partners, is a key component of the expectations for this professional exempt position, as is accountability for results and a high level of responsibility.

Position Dimensions and Impact to the University:

The Institute for Protein Design (IPD) is designing a whole new world of proteins to address 21st-century challenges in medicine, materials, and technology. This position will be a key member of the Grant Management Team, an integral part of collaborative research project management at the IPD. As such, the position will have a significant impact on the IPD research program success, and consequently, the UW research at large. The position will be in a collaborative research environment with multiple stakeholders that will interact with this position.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Located at the University of Washington in Seattle, the Institute for Protein Design (IPD) is a unique interdisciplinary environment where world-class researchers create new biomolecules. Our mission is to create proteins that solve modern challenges in medicine, technology, and sustainability. Joining our team means becoming part of one of the largest and most innovative public universities in the world. Your work here will support scientific inquiry and help ensure that laboratory breakthroughs lead to positive impact.

The IPD has a complex sponsored research portfolio consisting of federal, philanthropic, and industry-sponsored research. Of this mix, the Industry portfolio has significantly grown in the last couple of years due to restrictions in federal grant dollars. Growing the Industry portfolio is critical to the success and longevity of the IPD. The Program Operations Specialist will provide overall management of these complex industry contracts for the IPD faculty. In addition, their portfolio will include all aspects of proposal development, submission and post-award management of Postdoctoral Fellowships for over ~65 IPD Postdoctoral Fellows. They will commit 40% of their time to the pre-award industry contract management, 10% - to pre-award fellowship management and 40% to post-award contract management for both portfolios. Another 10% will be dedicated to a variety of other related programmatic tasks. This position will be a member of a 2-person Grant Team, reporting to the Senior Grants Manager (ES9) and will have an independent portfolio of primarily industry contracts which are each unique and complex. They will have direct accountability for results of the industry portfolio and an independent decision-making authority in consultation with the Senior Grants Manager and Assistant Director when necessary. They will also independently manage the pre- and post-award cycles for a large volume of Postdoctoral Fellowships, including setting up and implementing relevant policies to ensure compliance across the spectrum of federal, state, UW and departmental policies and regulations. This includes adherence to federal spend and reporting policies, as well as compliance with complex industry standards and relationships thereof with HHMI, UW and federal policies and laws. They will also meet regularly with the IPD Translational Director and project management team to review upcoming and current collaborations and take care of any necessary administrative actions. This will require a knowledgeable and experienced grant specialist able to make independent decisions on the facilitation of the contracts. A strong understanding of legal principles and business operations, coupled with the ability to communicate them clearly to faculty, Principal Investigators and trainees is crucial.

Pre-award grants & industry contract management (40%) and Postdoctoral Fellowships Management (10%):

+ Lead IPD with contract proposal submission processes. Work cross functionally with scientific and project management teams to develop the proposal. Create all relevant business documentation needed.

+ Oversee research agreement development: review complex sponsor requirements for each FOA/ OPA (Funding Opportunity Announcements) with relevant faculty/Principal Investigator, to ensure clear understanding of the requirements for proposal submissions. Work closely with the sponsoring agencies, UW Office of Sponsored Programs, HHMI, UW Co-Motion and any internal and external collaborators throughout the proposal development process, to ensure high quality proposals and compliance with legal agreement documents. Manage timely submission of all required final documentation to OSP, ensuring adherence to UW and sponsor deadlines, policies and regulations. Resolve any issues or errors prior to submission, including conferences with sponsoring agencies and other stakeholders as needed. Has the complete ownership of the proposal development and submission process, with a high level of responsibility for results.

+ Relationship Management: Serves as the main resource and a point of contact for IPD researchers on the grants in their research portfolio, as well as for general education on grant-related policies, laws and applicable processes. Point of contact for all relevant internal and external stakeholders, including funding agencies/ companies and collaborators, managing relationships and resolving issues or roadblocks throughout the process. In-depth knowledge of the subject matter and the ability to effectively communicate and manage relationships with partners is critical.

+ Ensure UW policies are followed: in-depth knowledge of all relevant federal, state and UW policies (i.e. OSP GIMs, NIH and other federal agency policies) is a must. Ensure relevant policies are followed throughout the proposal preparation and submission process and communicate these effectively to PIs and other stakeholders.

+ As part of the research contract development, working closely with UW OSP and other relevant parties, including the Department Chair and Director, acquire any waivers, letters of support or authorizations necessary for the contract.

+ Orchestrate the development of contract documents such as budgets, justifications, biosketches, facilities, and current and pending support in accordance with the FOA requirements and industry and/or federal rules.

+ Lead and manage the coordination and negotiations with industry partners, OSP, HHMI, & CoMotion.

+ Review proposals for potential IRB, IACUC and SFI issues and work with PIs to ensure necessary action.

+ Create a workflow and tracking system specifically targeted at contract and industry agreements, and separately - for postdoctoral fellowship portfolio. Troubleshoot and proactively anticipate and resolve possible issues, enlisting cooperation from relevant Principal Investigators, postdoctoral fellows and other stakeholders.

+ Investigate potential funding sources and opportunities and maintain funding opportunity database and reporting deliverables tracking system for all IPD industry contracts. Recommend funding opportunities to faculty according to their research interests.

+ Mentor trainees and postdoctoral fellows to set them on the path of successfully obtaining fellowships.

+ Expert resource to Faculty on UW policies as well as federal and state regulations and industry standards to ensure compliance.

Post-award grants & contract management (40%)

+ Initiate and complete award setup processes and modifications in accordance with UW OSP, GCA and sponsor regulations and process.

+ Oversee the management of each project in awarded portfolio, including management of fiscal compliance on the award spending, reporting and other milestones and deliverables.

+ Lead timely submission of progress reports and other complex deliverables in collaboration with the research management team. Participate in project management team meeting with sponsors as required, and monitor/ manage the follow-up action by the relevant PIs and other project participants.

+ Initiate, negotiate, and submit research related agreements, including material transfer agreements (MTAs), collaborative research agreements (CRAs), confidential disclosure agreements (CDAs) and others as needed/required by law and applicable policies.

+ Manage IACUC, Co-Motion, and other special protocols and approvals. Direct participating scientists and Principal Investigators to relevant UW responsible offices to ensure compliance. Impress on the stakeholders the necessity to abide by the strict rules on matters of animal research (IACUC protocols), as well as questions of IP.

+ Be the main administrative point of contact both internally and externally for IPD’s sponsored research programs and research-related contracting.

+ Monitor compliance of UW and sponsor policies

+ Lead the tracking of milestones and any other reporting terms related to the agreement to ensure payments and terms are met by both the sponsor and the IPD.

+ Ensure adherence to UW, Federal, State, and Sponsor fiscal regulations and spending policies.

+ Close-out Management: this position will be responsible for managing the orderly process of grant/project closeout, working closely with the IPD Project Management team and the PIs, to ensure all final fiscal and substantive reports are filed, spending reconciled to the award, and lead the project through the closeout process with OSP and the sponsor systems. This will include initiating and managing any no-cost extensions if needed and allowed, as well as verification and/or filing process of any inventions resulting from the project (involving Co-Motion and other relevant expert offices).

Other programmatic support (10%):

+ Provide lead support on other funding sources as needed. Provide backup administration leadership for the Federal and Foundation applications.

+ Provide a monthly status and financial report to IPD Director and Leadership on in flight and funded contracts.

+ Be able to acquire fluency and expertise in the overall IPD grant/project management in order to serve as a back up for the 2nd grant manager to ensure smooth and uninterrupted operation of IPD research mission.

+ Organize and create a system for storing contracts and related correspondences.

+ Respond to inquiries from Translational Researchers on contract terms and deliverables.

+ Ensure project communication with both internal and external stakeholders; liaison between the project team and funding agencies or collaborators, ensuring regular program progress.

+ Serve as liaison for complex regulatory or compliance matters, including coordinating with the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), Grant and Contract Accounting (GCA), and CoMotion, and HHMI

+ Provide advice and interpretation of funding agencies’ regulations and UW policies and procedures to PIs and other project personnel.

+ Participate in trainings, peer networks, and meetings, within and outside the university, related to research administration.

+ Other duties as assigned or interested.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration or equivalent + 2 years of experience in related field.

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

+ Experience managing grants and contracts in academic environment

+ Experience interacting with faculty and department leadership in project management context.

+ Demonstrated ability to manage priorities to meet deadlines while maintaining attention to detail.

+ Knowledge/experience with OMB guidelines, Grants.gov and eRA Commons

+ Intermediate experience with software including Excel and MS Word.

+ Demonstrated commitment to excellence

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

+ Two or more years’ experience working in research administration with substantial responsibility for grant proposal development, including complex budgets and subawards.

+ Familiarity with University of Washington policies and procedures, particularly grants, and contracts.

+ Familiarity with research, technical, and/or grant funded environments.

+ Experience with UW systems: SAGE and Workday

+ Experience managing grants from federal agencies, foundations, and industry partners

+ Experience with research agreements such as CDAs, CRAs, and MTAs

Compensation, Benefits and Position Details

Pay Range Minimum:

$72,000.00 annual

Pay Range Maximum:

$92,064.00 annual

Other Compensation:

-

Benefits:

For information about benefits for this position, visit https://www.washington.edu/jobs/benefits-for-uw-staff/

Shift:

First Shift (United States of America)

Temporary or Regular?

This is a regular position

FTE (Full-Time Equivalent):

100.00%

Union/Bargaining Unit:

Not Applicable

About the UW

Working at the University of Washington provides a unique opportunity to change lives – on our campuses, in our state and around the world.

UW employees bring their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to building stronger minds and a healthier world. In return, they enjoy outstanding benefits, opportunities for professional growth and the chance to work in an environment known for its diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

Our Commitment

The University of Washington is proud to be an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer (https://hr.uw.edu/eoaa/) . All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or [email protected] .

Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law (https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=28B.112.080) .

University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, among other things, race, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.