Director (Contracts and Grants Specialist), Contracts and Grants

Indiana University; Bloomington (IN); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and dental insurance

Health Savings Account (HSA)

Generous paid time off

Tuition subsidy for IU courses

Job summary

Indiana University’s O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs seeks a Research Administration professional to manage pre/post-award processes for contracts and grants, advising PIs and staff on budgets, compliance, and reporting.

The role supports sponsors, vendors, and university offices, ensuring fiscal accuracy and regulatory adherence while enabling effective stewardship of sponsored funds. Hybrid schedule offered with remote work possibilities.

Qualifications

• Proficient written and verbal communication skills.
• Maintains a high degree of professionalism.
• Demonstrates time management and priority setting skills.
• Demonstrates a high commitment to quality.
• Possesses flexibility to work in a fast paced, dynamic environment.

Responsibilities

• Provides comprehensive pre-award and post-award research administration support for contracts and grants.
• Advises principal investigators, faculty, staff, and administrators on proposal development, sponsor requirements, grant administration, financial compliance, and reporting.
• Serves as a liaison with IU research administration offices and funding agencies to ensure compliance with sponsor guidelines, university policies, and applicable federal and state regulations.
• Provides consultation and support to faculty, principal investigators, and staff throughout the proposal development and submission process.
• Assists with identifying funding opportunities, preparing proposal budgets, reviewing submissions for compliance, and coordinating with the Office for Research Administration and other university stakeholders.
• Ensures proposals meet sponsor requirements and university policies prior to submission.
• Administers grants and contracts after award, including financial monitoring, budget oversight, reporting, and award management activities.
• Reviews expenditures to ensure compliance with sponsor and university requirements, analyzes reporting obligations, and coordinates award modifications, extensions, and closeout processes.
• Partners with principal investigators and administrators to support effective stewardship of sponsored funds.
• Serves as a subject matter resource on sponsored research administration, providing guidance on sponsor regulations, contractual obligations, and university policies.
• Interprets grant and contract requirements, evaluates compliance concerns, and recommends appropriate actions to mitigate risk.
• Works collaboratively with faculty, staff, administrators, and external partners to support successful grant administration.
• Develops and maintains reports related to grant and contract activity, utilizing data to support decision-making and operational effectiveness.
• Identifies opportunities to improve processes, enhance compliance, and increase efficiency across research administration functions.
• Participates in special projects and initiatives that advance departmental and organizational goals.
• Supervise and coach contract and grants personnel.

Skills

Communication skills

Professionalism

Time management

Attention to detail

Flexibility

Desire to learn

Accuracy

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

THE O'NEILL SCHOOL - BL SPEA (BL-SPEA-IUBLA)

The O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs works to build a better world by stewarding the development of welcoming societies, democratic governance, and a healthy, sustainable environment. With partners across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, we pursue education, scholarship, and civic engagement at the crossroads of policy, science, and management. We give our students the knowledge and skills to have a significant impact around the globe.

Our Values

• Excellence - Aiming to be the best in all that we do and developing the professional and personal capabilities necessary to improve the world through our work.
• Meaning and impact - Pursuing careers and service that add purpose and meaning to our lives, encouraging others to do so, and improving quality of life for individuals and societies.
• Ongoing learning - Continuously developing the skills, knowledge, experience, and sound judgment necessary for wise and informed decision-making.
• Well-being - Emphasizing the well-being and safety of individuals and the health of our natural environment as essential for thriving communities and well-functioning, just societies.

Department Specific Responsibilities

• Provides comprehensive pre-award and post-award research administration support for contracts and grants.
• Advises principal investigators, faculty, staff, and administrators on proposal development, sponsor requirements, grant administration, financial compliance, and reporting.
• Serves as a liaison with Indiana University (IU) research administration offices and funding agencies to ensure compliance with sponsor guidelines, university policies, and applicable federal and state regulations.
• Provides consultation and support to faculty, principal investigators, and staff throughout the proposal development and submission process.
• Assists with identifying funding opportunities, preparing proposal budgets, reviewing submissions for compliance, and coordinating with the Office for Research Administration and other university stakeholders.
• Ensures proposals meet sponsor requirements and university policies prior to submission.
• Administers grants and contracts after award, including financial monitoring, budget oversight, reporting, and award management activities.
• Reviews expenditures to ensure compliance with sponsor and university requirements, analyzes reporting obligations, and coordinates award modifications, extensions, and closeout processes.
• Partners with principal investigators and administrators to support effective stewardship of sponsored funds.
• Serves as a subject matter resource on sponsored research administration, providing guidance on sponsor regulations, contractual obligations, and university policies.
• Interprets grant and contract requirements, evaluates compliance concerns, and recommends appropriate actions to mitigate risk.
• Works collaboratively with faculty, staff, administrators, and external partners to support successful grant administration.
• Develops and maintains reports related to grant and contract activity, utilizing data to support decision-making and operational effectiveness.
• Identifies opportunities to improve processes, enhance compliance, and increase efficiency across research administration functions.
• Participates in special projects and initiatives that advance departmental and organizational goals.
• Supervise and coach contract and grants personnel.

General Responsibilities

• Provides financial monitoring and analysis of contracts and grants and partners with Principal Investigator(s) (PIs) to ensure expenses are being paid according to contract
• Consults on and completes pre-award applications and participates in contract closeouts.
• Performs post-award accounting of more complex grants; interprets regulations and guidelines of program funding for standard grants and prepares reports for grant agency.
• Evaluates contract compliance and advises others on contractual rights and obligations.
• Analyzes awards to determine reporting requirements and sending reports/invoices.
• Requests or approves amendments to contract terms or contract extensions.
• Prepares bids or requests for proposals (RFPs), including specifications and requirements; negotiates contract terms and participates in the determination of acceptable bids.
• Analyzes and determines cash needs for cost reimbursable grants to the various agencies and cash management.
• Closes out awards as appropriate.
• Provides policy and procedure interpretation to various stakeholders.
• Ensures compliance with sponsor terms, university policies/procedures, and federal/state regulations.

Combinations of related education and experience may be considered. Education beyond the minimum required may be substituted for work experience. Work experience beyond the minimum required may be substituted for education.

EDUCATION

Required

• Bachelor's degree (preferably in related field.)

WORK EXPERIENCE

Required

• 2 years of relevant experience.

SKILLS

Required

• Proficient written and verbal communication skills.
• Maintains a high degree of professionalism.
• Demonstrates time management and priority setting skills.
• Demonstrates a high commitment to quality.
• Possesses flexibility to work in a fast paced, dynamic environment.
• Seeks to acquire knowledge in area of specialty.
• Highly thorough and dependable.
• Demonstrates a high level of accuracy, even under pressure.

This role requires the ability to effectively communicate and to operate a computer and other standard office productivity equipment. The position involves sedentary work as well as periods of time moving around an office environment and the campus. The person in this role must be able to perform the essential functions with or without an accommodation.

1315 East 10th Street

Bloomington, Indiana 47405

This position is eligible for a hybrid schedule (mix between 1 remote workday and 4 in-person workdays), subject to change in the future based on university policy and business needs.

$59,551.04 - $69,551.04 and will be determined based on experience.

For full-time staff employees, Indiana University offers a wide array of benefits including:

• Comprehensive medical and dental insurance
• Health savings account with generous IU contributions
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• Basic group life insurance paid by IU
• Voluntary supplemental life, long-term disability, critical illness, and supplemental accidental death & dismemberment insurance
• Base retirement plan with generous IU contributions, subject to vesting
• Voluntary supplemental retirement plan options
• Tuition subsidy for employees and family members taking IU courses
• 10 paid holidays plus a paid winter break each year
• Generous paid time off plans
• Paid leave for new parents and IU-sponsored volunteer events
• Employee assistance program (EAP)

Learn more about our benefits by reviewing the IU Benefit Programs Brochure.

Career Level: Career

FLSA: Exempt

Job Function: Research

Job Family: Research Administration

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This posting is scheduled to close at 11:59 pm EST on the advertised Close Date. This posting may be closed at any time at the discretion of the University, but will remain open for a minimum of 5 business days.

Indiana University is an equal opportunity employer and provider of ADA services and prohibits discrimination in hiring. See Indiana University Notice of Non-Discrimination here which includes contact information.

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