Grant Administrator

Marin Campus; Redlands (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Redlands in Redlands, CA invites applications for a Grant Administrator (Exempt, 12 months) in the Office of Development and Finance. The role supports grant budgeting, accounting, compliance, and financial reporting across the grant lifecycle.

Availability is immediate. Working with PIs, SPD leadership, Finance, and academic units, the Analyst promotes sponsor compliance and accurate financial stewardship, maintains audit-ready grant files, and assists post‑award activities

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required in accounting, finance, business administration, public administration, or related field.
• Three or more years of experience in higher education finance, grant administration, or sponsored program administration.
• Knowledge of federal grant regulations (Uniform Guidance; 2 CFR 200).
• Experience with enterprise financial systems such as Banner, PeopleSoft, Workday, Oracle, or similar.
• Advanced Excel skills and strong financial analysis ability.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to explain financial concepts to faculty and non‑financial audiences.

Responsibilities

• Pre‑Award Budget Development and Proposal Preparation: develop competitive, compliant grant budgets with PIs and staff; advise on sponsor cost principles; prepare complete budget packages; draft budget justifications; provide guidance on pre‑award requirements; support grant proposal materials; ensure alignment with sponsor requirements.
• Grant Compliance, Training, and Policy Development: review award documents for budget and compliance terms; oversee subrecipient monitoring and invoicing; train on federal regulations and sponsor policies; maintain SOPs and templates; coordinate with Finance, SPD leadership and other units.
• Post‑Award Accounting, Administration and Financial Reporting: manage post‑award financials; oversee budgeting, expenditure monitoring, invoicing, and reporting; coordinate salary allocations and cost transfers; monitor effort reporting and audits; ensure closeout and record retention.

Skills

Advanced Excel

Financial analysis

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, public administration, or related field

Tools

Banner

PeopleSoft

Workday

Oracle

Job description

University of Redlands
1200 E Colton Ave
Redlands, CA 92374, USA

Department/Administration: Office of Development and Finance

Position: Exempt (12 months), Full-time (40 Hours)

Salary Range: $80,000 – $85,000

Hiring Range: Anticipated near minimum of classification

Availability: Immediately

Posting Date: July 16, 2026

Application Deadline: Open Until Filled, Apply Immediately

The Grant Administrator is a dual‑function professional of the Sponsored Program Development office, supporting both Sponsored Program Development and the Business and Finance team. The role ensures responsible financial stewardship of externally funded research and program awards through grant budgeting, accounting, compliance, and financial reporting. This position focuses on grant‑specific financial management and does not participate in institutional budget development.

Working closely with department administrators, Sponsored Program Development leadership, the Office of Business and Finance, and Principal Investigators (PIs), the Analyst promotes compliance with sponsor requirements, strengthens research operations, and supports accurate financial stewardship across the grant lifecycle.

Duties and Responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Pre‑Award Budget Development and Proposal Preparation

• Collaborates with Principal Investigators (PIs), program directors, and departmental staff to develop competitive, compliant, and financially sound grant budgets.
• Advises faculty and staff on sponsor cost principles, budget limitations, allowability, allocability, and reasonableness of expenses under Uniform Guidance and other sponsor rules.
• Develops complete budget packages, including salary calculations, fringe benefits, indirect cost (F&A) recovery, subaward budgets, cost share documentation, and procurement considerations.
• Drafts and reviews budget justifications to ensure alignment with project scope, sponsor priorities, and institutional policy.
• Provides guidance on pre‑award administrative requirements (e.g., effort commitments, institutional approvals, regulatory compliance, procurement timing, consultant arrangements).
• Supports the creation and submission of grant proposal materials in collaboration with Sponsored Program Development (SPD) leadership.
• Ensures proposed budgets align with sponsor requirements, internal policies, and downstream post‑award management needs.
• Reviews and interprets sponsor solicitations, award terms, and compliance requirements to ensure accurate proposal preparation.

Grant Compliance, Training, and Policy Development

• Reviews award documents to confirm budget, restrictions, reporting requirements, and compliance terms, and coordinates with Finance to establish spending categories, budget lines, and internal controls.
• Oversees subrecipient monitoring, collecting subrecipient risk assessments, ensuring subaward agreements include required federal clauses, and reviewing subrecipient invoices for allowability and performance.
• Interprets, applies, and provides training on federal regulations (Uniform Guidance), state requirements, and sponsor‑specific policies for faculty, staff, and administrative partners.
• Develops and delivers training sessions, workshops, and resource materials on grant budgeting, allowability, compliance obligations, and institutional expectations.
• Maintains and updates internal grant‑related policies, procedures, templates, standard operating guidelines (SOPs), and workflow documentation to strengthen institutional consistency and reduce compliance risk.
• Partners with Finance, SPD leadership, Human Resources, Procurement, and academic units to ensure coordinated compliance related to procurement, contracting, payroll, effort certification, cost transfers, and record retention.
• Provides proactive outreach to campus units on upcoming regulatory changes, sponsor updates, compliance risks, and best practices in grants management.
• Supports internal control enhancements, audit readiness, and implementation of corrective action plans following internal or external audit findings.
• Maintains complete, organized, audit‑ready grant files and ensures documentation retention meets federal and institutional requirements.

Post‑Award Accounting, Administration and Financial Reporting

• Provides comprehensive post‑award financial management for sponsored grants and contracts from account setup through closeout, ensuring compliance with sponsor terms, federal regulations, and University policies.
• Oversees budgeting, expenditure monitoring, grant accounting, invoicing, sponsor drawdowns, and financial reporting to ensure accurate stewardship and timely revenue collection.
• Collaborates with PIs, departments, Finance, and SPD leadership to manage salary allocations, cost transfers, budget revisions, and project burn rates.
• Coordinates and monitors effort reporting across the grant lifecycle, ensuring accurate salary allocations, timely certification, and full compliance with federal and institutional requirements.
• Reviews expenditures for allowability, allocability, reasonableness, and compliance with sponsor and institutional requirements.
• Prepares and submits interim and final financial reports, tracks reporting deadlines, and supports internal and external audits through thorough documentation and reconciliation.
• Processes award amendments and modifications, including funding increases, time extensions, and updated terms and conditions, and ensures internal systems reflect changes accurately.
• Manages closeout activities, including final reconciliation, equipment disposition, record retention, and support for indirect cost rate development and negotiation.
• Ensures all technical, financial, and administrative closeout requirements are met and communicates deadlines and responsibilities to PIs and departments.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, public administration, or related field.
• Three or more years of experience in higher education finance, grant administration, or sponsored program administration.
• Knowledge of federal grant regulations (Uniform Guidance; 2 CFR 200).
• Experience working with enterprise financial systems such as Banner, PeopleSoft, Workday, Oracle, or similar.
• Advanced Excel skills and strong financial analysis ability.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to explain financial concepts to faculty and non‑financial audiences.

Preferred:

• Prior experience in a university Sponsored Programs or Research Administration office.
• Familiarity with effort reporting systems and indirect cost recovery.
• Knowledge of cost accounting standards related to higher education.
• Experience supporting faculty research, grant management, or program operations.
• CGMS Certified Grants Management Specialist or similar certification.

Knowledge and Skills

• Commitment to compliance, stewardship, and institutional accountability.
• Ability to build collaborative relationships with faculty, staff, and administrative units.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• High attention to detail with exceptional organizational abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a deadline‑driven environment.
• Professional discretion in handling confidential financial information.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

Standard office setting. Duties performed are primarily in an office environment while sitting at a desk or computer workstation or in meetings. At least minimal environmental controls to assure health and comfort.

Incumbents regularly sit for long periods; walk short distances; may travel to various locations to attend meetings, conduct work and make deliveries; use hands and fingers to operate an electronic keyboard or other office machines; reach with hands and arms; stoop or kneel or crouch to file; climb stairs; speak clearly and distinctly; see to read fine print and operate computer; hear and understand voices over telephone and in person; and lift, carry and/or move objects weighing up to 25 pounds.

Additional Requirements

• Background check, including criminal records check, is required for employment.
• Possession of a valid Driver’s License is required for positions that require driving; if applicable, employees will be enrolled in a DMV Program.
• Pre‑employment physical exam may be required for certain positions; psychological evaluation may be required for specific roles.

Members of underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. Equal Opportunity Employer. This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.