Grants Administrator I

Clemson University; Clemson (SC); On-site; USD 55,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Clemson University in Clemson, SC, is seeking a dedicated Finance Specialist to manage all aspects of sponsored projects during their awards life cycle. You will serve as a primary administrative liaison among faculty, department admins, and central units, ensuring compliance and efficient financial operations.

You will oversee budgets, cost sharing, reporting, and post-award activities, collaborating with PIs and units to resolve issues and support research initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and relevant experience in business, grants or public administration.
• Experience with sponsored projects budgeting and financial compliance.
• Ability to prepare and review cost-share budgets and internal reconciliations.
• Familiarity with fiscal controls and auditing requests.

Responsibilities

• Monitor sponsored projects for financial issues and ensure allowability of charges.
• Prepare budgets, amendments and monthly reconciliations.
• Provide financial and budget information for sponsor reporting.
• Oversee project administration including budgets and cost sharing.
• Coordinate with PI and units on award terms and closeout.

Skills

Budgeting

Grant accounting

Budget reconciliation

Compliance

Financial reporting

Education

Bachelor's degree in business, public administration or related field

Tools

Workday

Job description

Job Summary

Manages all aspects of sponsored projects in assigned units for CECAS during an awards life cycle. Provides high level customer service to faculty researchers and department administrators and serves as an administrative liaison for Pls and Central units (i.e. GCA and OSP) Performs other duties as assigned.

Job Duties

• 20% - Fiscal Support: Monitors sponsored project for financial related issues and compliance related matters. Responsible for managing cost-share projects, preparing internal budgets, budget amendments, and status corrections when needed. Prepares monthly reconciliations for all sponsored projects and contracts. Advises PI on current balances and corrections necessary for compliance. Looks for proactive ways to ensure charges are appropriately charged and allocated to grant projects. Clears month-end errors and approves summer pay forms for faculty charging sponsored research projects.
• 15% - Sponsored Reporting and Special Reporting: Responsible for providing financial and budget information, including cost share, to PI's for sponsor monthly, quarterly, and yearly reporting. Responsible for certifying cost share expenses for SF-425 reports to GCA for quarterly reporting. Prepares budget workbooks for PI's budget, actual, expenditures, and forecasting of sponsored projects, including related cost-share and indirect cost. Completes audit requests as needed.
• 15% - Program Support and Compliance: Communicates routinely with PI(s), departmental personnel, college personnel, GCA and OSP. Reviews and resolves project journal and voucher errors, including all cost-share accounts. Works with CECAS PPS and FMB to ensure expenses and payroll are posted correctly and are allowable. Stays abreast of Federal, State, and University regulations related to research issues by reading material, attending workshops, and other methods. Participates in the preparation of training materials and delivery of workshop for faculty and staff in their assigned units on implementation and changes. Devises and implements tracking reports of compliance-related issues for internal control purposes. Reviews expenditure documentation. Completes monthly reconciliation.
• 40% - Project Administration: Provide technical assistance, guidance and oversight to researchers and University constituents in the awarding of sponsored funds. Monitor sponsored budgets, cost sharing, subaward encumbrances. Serves as an approver in Workday to ensure allowability and compliance. Serves as an administrative College-liaison for PI's and central units in the requests for changes in budget revisions, changes in scope, effort commitments, or no cost extensions. Assists PI's, as necessary, with administrative and financial post award matters, and analyze and resolve problems related to financial compliance or availability of funds.
• 10% - Project Setup, Review and Close-out: Review and interpret award terms and conditions and provide guidance to PI's. Seeks guidance from GCA related to unique or problematic award terms. Works with the PI to develop undated budgets for modifications and submits sponsor and internal budget forms to GCA. Verifies final closeout expenditures, cost sharing and revenues and provides to GCA certifying project is ready to close

Job Code

BE30

Employee Type

Regular FTE Staff

Minimum Requirements

A bachelor's degree and business, personnel, grant-in-aid or public administration experience.

Responsibilities

JOB KNOWLEDGE

Fundamental working knowledge of concepts, practices and procedures and ability to apply in varied situations.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Not responsible for supervising employees.

Budgetary Responsibilities

No fiscal responsibility for the department's budget.

Physical Requirements

Communicate, converse, give direction, express oneself: 100% Sit (stationary position) for prolonged period: 90%

Working Conditions

None: %

Work Schedule

Standard Hours:

37.5

Compensation Information

Expected Salary Range

55,000 - 59,500

Salary is dependent upon several factors including, but not limited to, a candidate's previous experience, knowledge, skills and performance in accordance with Clemson's compensation guidelines.

Essential Personnel Level

Normal Operations - Required to follow emergency facility closure and modified operations directives, and not normally expected to work on-site during emergency situations.

JOB LOCATION

Clemson, SC

Application Deadline

October 2, 2026

Military And Veteran

Military Equivalency

Clemson University is proud to allow educational equivalency for military technical certifications and trainings that directly relate to the job duties.

Veteran Preference

South Carolina provides employment preference to eligible veterans for qualifying full-time permanent positions. To be considered, applicants must meet the minimum qualifications, have been discharged under honorable conditions, and indicate their veteran status in the application by uploading a DD-214 for confidential review. A request for Veteran Preference can be made via the application process. Please contact [e-mail] with any questions or issues.

Closing Statement

Clemson University is an EEO/AA employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to characteristics protected by applicable law including disability and protected veteran status.