Grant and Contract Coordinator

WWU College of Business & Economics; Bellingham, Northern (WA, KY); Hybrid; USD 53,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

Western Washington University is seeking a detail-oriented grants administrator to support pre-award and post-award activities within the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. The role advises faculty on funding opportunities, coordinates budgets, and ensures proposal compliance.

This project position ends by September 15, 2028 with potential extension; candidates should have strong analytical and communication skills, experience with federal regulations and enterprise systems, and a

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 2–3+ years of experience in grants management, research administration, or financial administration.
• Knowledge of federal, state, and sponsor regulations (e.g., 2 CFR 200).
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and ability to learn enterprise systems.

Responsibilities

• Pre-Award Administration: Advise faculty on funding opportunities; interpret RFPs/FOAs; develop and review budgets; coordinate proposal components; ensure submission compliance.
• Post-Award Administration: Coordinate award setup; monitor expenditures; perform account reconciliation and financial analysis; provide guidance on compliance; support rebudgeting and no-cost extensions.
• Contract and Subaward Administration: Assist with subawards and contracts; ensure sponsor alignment with policies; coordinate with central offices.
• Advising, Compliance, and Collaboration: Stay updated on federal funder policies; interpret Uniform Guidance; provide training; collaborate to resolve issues.

Skills

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Grants management

Communication skills

Analytical skills

Ability to interpret regulations

Microsoft Office

Enterprise systems familiarity

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Banner

Streamlyne

Workday

Job description

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Western Washington University, with over 15,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western has additional sites in Anacortes, Bremerton, Everett, Port Angeles, and Poulsbo. Western is recognized nationally for its successes, such as being named one of the top public master's-granting institutions in the Pacific Northwest for 25 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report.

Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western's greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties.

About the Department

The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs supports Western's mission , which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement. We encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity.

For more information about our department please visit our website: Research and Sponsored Programs Office | Office of the Vice Provost for Research | Western Washington University

At Western Washington University, research administration professionals help faculty and staff turn ideas into funded projects that expand knowledge, engage students, and serve our communities. This position offers the opportunity to contribute directly to WWU’s growing research enterprise while working in a collaborative environment that values integrity, clarity, continuous learning, and responsive service.

We are looking for a detail-oriented, service-minded professional who can balance compliance, customer service, and problem-solving in a complex university environment. The strongest candidates will bring excellent communication skills, sound judgment, comfort with financial analysis and monitoring, and the ability to explain policies and sponsor requirements clearly to diverse audiences.

Key Responsibilities

• Pre-Award Administration: Advise faculty on funding opportunities and sponsor requirements; interpret RFPs/FOAs; develop and review proposal budgets, justifications, and cost-share commitments; coordinate proposal components, including subrecipient documentation; manage internal routing and approvals; ensure submission compliance and timeliness; support faculty in developing competitive proposals and identifying funding sources; and develop and support workshops on grant development.
• Post-Award Administration: Coordinate award setup, including account creation, budgets, and project initiation; monitor expenditures for allowability, allocability, and compliance with sponsor requirements; perform account reconciliation, financial analysis, and budget projections; advise PIs on financial status and compliance requirements; process and support post-award actions such as rebudgeting, no-cost extensions, and PI changes; monitor cost share, effort reporting, and subrecipient compliance; coordinate with finance, payroll, and other administrative units; and ensure timely financial reporting and award closeout.
• Contract and Subaward Administration: Assist with review, negotiation, and execution of subawards and contracts; support data use agreements and sponsored consulting agreements; ensure agreements align with sponsor requirements and university policies; and coordinate with central offices and external partners on agreement execution.
• Advising, Compliance, and Collaboration: Serve as a primary contact for faculty and staff engaged in biomedical research; stay up to date on federal funder policies, procedures, and notices; interpret and apply federal regulations, including Uniform Guidance / 2 CFR 200; provide training and guidance on research administration processes and funder compliance requirements; and collaborate across departments to resolve complex issues.

This is a project position, ending no later than September 15, 2028 per university guidelines. Anticipated continued funding through 2031 is based on grant award documents.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 2–3+ years of experience in grants management, research administration, or financial administration.
• Knowledge of federal, state, and sponsor regulations (e.g., 2 CFR 200 Uniform Guidance).
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to interpret and apply complex procedures, policies and regulations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong customer service orientation and collaborative approach.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities with attention to detail and deadlines.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and ability to learn enterprise systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• 3+ years of pre- and post-award research administration experience.
• Experience in a higher education or research-intensive environment.
• Certified Research Administrator (CRA) or similar credential.
• Experience with grants management systems (e.g., Banner, Streamlyne, Workday, or similar).
• Experience with contract and subaward administration.
• Demonstrated experience in process improvement or data analysis

Conditions of Employment

All employees must comply with our Immunization policies, including Proof of Rubeola Measles Immunity within 60‑days of hire. Please reach out to [e-mail] if you need information regarding medical or religious exemption and applicable accommodations.

Salary $4,772 - $6,415/month depending on qualifications and experience

Bargaining Unit This position is part of bargaining unit PT and is covered by the collective bargaining agreement with Public School Employees of WWU.

Closing Date Notes

Application review begins October 28, 2026; position is open until filled.

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity employer. In compliance with applicable laws, WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, citizenship or immigration status, pregnancy, use of protective leave, genetic status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, creed, religion, veteran or military status, disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal (including a service animal in training) by a person with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law, in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. See WWU’s Policies on Prohibiting Discrimination Based on A Protected Class and Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Sex . Inquiries may be directed to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance, Title IX and ADA Coordinator, Western Washington University, Old Main 126 (MS 9021), 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225; 360.650.3307 (voice) or 711 (Washington Relay); [e-mail]

WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources Disability Services , 360.650.3751 or 711 (Washington Relay).

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report

This report is provided pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (\"The Clery Act\"). It includes statistics for the previous three calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Western's campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Western; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. You can obtain a copy of this report in printed or alternate formats by contacting the Office of Student Life at [e-mail] . The report can be found at: Annual Security and Fire Safety Report .

All new employees must comply with the immunization policy and show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU. A thorough background check will be conducted on all new hires which includes a sexual misconduct background check .