Lifecycle Grants & Contracts Professional (Open Rank)

Job Summary:

CU Nursing’s Office of Research and Scholarship is seeking an open-rank Lifecycle Grants & Contracts Professional (Entry Professional through Principal Professional) to support sponsored research administration. This position provides expertise across the research grant and contract lifecycle, with primary responsibility in either pre-award or post-award administration based on organizational needs and the candidate’s experience.

Working closely with faculty, Principal Investigators (PIs), Research Service Professionals (RSPs), postdoctoral fellows, students, and administrative partners, the position supports the effective and compliant management of sponsored research. Responsibilities may include proposal preparation and submission, budget development and monitoring, award setup, financial management, reporting, procurement, subaward administration, project closeout, and other research administration activities.

The position collaborates with the Lifecycle Grants and Contracts Program Manager and Office of Research and Scholarship staff to provide coordinated research administration services and contribute to training, knowledge sharing, and process improvement efforts.

Successful candidates will demonstrate sound judgment, attention to detail, accountability, and the ability to identify and address issues proactively.

Examples of Work Performed:

The duties below apply across all ranks, with the complexity of work, size of the assigned portfolio, and level of independence scaled to the rank at hire. Duties listed under Advanced Responsibilities are expected of Senior and Principal Professionals.

Pre-Award and Proposal Development (30%)

• Manage the pre-award lifecycle for an assigned portfolio of CU Nursing faculty, postdoc fellows, and students, including funding opportunity review, proposal planning, budget development, administrative compliance, internal routing, sponsor communication, and timely submission of proposals.

• Coordinate with the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Office of Grants and Contracts (OGC), CU Nursing Finance, and other University partners to obtain required approvals and documentation and facilitate timely proposal submission.

• Coordinate the transition from funded proposal to award, working with OGC and other University partners to facilitate award acceptance, account setup, subaward execution, requests for pre-award spending, Just in Time (JIT), and other post-submission activities.

Post-Award Grant and Contract Management (30%)

• Manage post-award grants and contracts, including award setup, budget oversight, compliance, reporting, subawards, extensions, and closeout.

• Monitor expenditures, projections, and compliance; identify risks and advise PIs on award management.

• Coordinate with University offices to resolve award, financial, and administrative issues.

• Support sponsor reporting (RPPRs, NCEs, FFRs) and reconcile award, subaward, and financial records.

Financial and Operational Management (20%)

• Support research financial activities, including funding distributions, effort management, HCM transactions, PETs, procurement, and gift card programs.

• Utilize University and sponsor systems, including HCM, InfoEd, CU Marketplace, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, and SAM.gov.

• Assist faculty with effort reporting, funding tracking, purchasing, invoicing, and compliance requirements.

• Manage procurement card reconciliation and research-funded incentive programs.

Training and Collaboration (10%)

• Serve as a resource to faculty and research teams on research administration policies, systems, and sponsor requirements.

• Maintain expertise in research administration and communicate regulatory, policy, and process updates.

• Collaborate with Finance, HR, Academic Affairs, IT, and other University partners to support research operations and compliance.

Process Improvement, Data, and Support (10%)

• Identify opportunities to improve processes within assigned areas and share recommendations with the Program Manager.

• Maintain accurate and accessible grant and contract documentation and contribute to the maintenance of CU Nursing research archives.

• Contribute to special projects and initiatives assigned by the Lifecycle Grants and Contracts Program Manager and the Associate Dean of Research & Scholarship, which may include the annual research symposium, research committee activities, hiring committees, intramural award administration, and other Office of Research and Scholarship initiatives.

General Responsibilities

• Maintain a high level of professionalism, discretion, responsiveness, and accountability in interactions with faculty, staff, students, sponsors, and University partners.

• Take ownership of assigned portfolios, projects, and issues and follow them through to resolution.

• Communicate proactively regarding deadlines, potential risks, unresolved issues, and changes that may affect faculty or research projects.

• At the Entry level, duties are more limited in scope and are performed with guidance and direction from other professionals, and are performed in a training and development capacity.

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

• At the Senior level, work is performed fully independently. At the Principal level, the role either leads work over others or is considered a subject matter expert in a particular area.

• In addition to the duties described above, positions at the Senior and Principal levels are responsible for:

Advanced Responsibilities (Senior and Principal Professional):

• Serve as a lead research administration expert for pre- and post-award activities, advising faculty, students, postdoctoral fellows, and administrators on grants, contracts, compliance, proposal development, funding opportunities, and award management.

• Lead, train, and mentor research administration staff and stakeholders; provide guidance on award negotiations, contract setup, external agreements (JPA/IPA), and University research systems including InfoEd and NIH eRA Commons.

• Analyze and report grant data for institutional reporting and rankings, coordinate administrative support for research review committees, foster cross-institutional collaborations, and lead policy, process improvement, and compliance initiatives.

Work Location:

Hybrid – this role is eligible for a hybrid schedule of three (3) days per week on campus and as needed for in-person meetings.

Why Join Us:

CU Nursing is an amazing place to be. We have the distinct advantage of being a part of a huge medical campus with three incredible hospitals – the VA, the nationally ranked University of Colorado Hospital, and the Children’s Hospital Colorado where our nursing students and faculty learn every day. From our beginning 125 years ago as part of the School of Medicine at CU Boulder to our current home at the Anschutz Medical Campus, the college has been a recognized leader in nursing education (ranked #10 in online MS graduate programs by U.S. News & World Report 2023). Our faculty, students and staff have been instrumental in shaping the profession of nursing and teaching the next generation of nurses while treating patients in our own nurse-led clinics. Be a part of an innovative, dynamic, diverse, and exciting workplace -- helping make great things happen. Join us in our quest to boldly transform health together.