Grants & Contracts Professional

University of Minnesota; Saint Paul (MN); Hybrid; USD 72,000 - 96,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Minnesota School of Nursing is seeking an experienced G&C Professional to manage full life cycles of grant proposals for SoN faculty. You will coordinate submission processes, ensure sponsor compliance, and prepare budgets and justifications with direct PI engagement.

Hybrid work on the UMN Twin Cities campus is expected. The role emphasizes attention to detail, multi‑tasking, and strong communication in a high‑volume pre‑award environment.

Qualifications

• BA/BS plus at least 4 years of experience, or a combination of related education and work experience to equal at least eight years.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Demonstrated extensive experience drafting and managing budgets for external and internal grant proposals and preparing budgets for SPA approval.
• Specific internal (e.g., UMN Grant-in‑Aid) and external (e.g., NIH) grants & contracts knowledge as it relates to higher education.
• Ability to efficiently multi‑task across proposal submissions to a variety of funders and deadlines.
• Experience with human subjects research as it pertains to grant proposal requirements.
• Experience effectively working with faculty researchers to manage proposal submissions from start to finish.
• Willingness and ability to work in a hybrid capacity (flex remote and in-person) on the UMN Twin Cities campus.
• Organized, committed to completing tasks fully and on time, and display professional skills in inter‑professional interactions.

Responsibilities

• End-to-End Proposal Management (Standard Portfolios) for SoN PIs through the entire grant submission process and reporting phases.
• Build operational checklists, outline submission timelines, lead proposal preparation meetings, and cross‑reference materials to ensure submission readiness.
• Draft all non‑science proposal components (e.g., facilities; other support; letters) for faculty review.
• Coordinate, route and submit pre‑award JIT and other sponsor requests through eRA Commons and SPA.
• Partner with PIs to prepare standard proposal budgets and baseline justifications.
• Ensure application of internal Salaries, fringe rates, and indirect costs in line with policy.
• Set up internal tracking systems and mapping of budget line items in UMN systems.
• Draft and manage subaward budgets and external sign‑offs ahead of deadlines.
• Provide baseline post‑award financial support and assist with standard financial reporting requirements.
• Prepare and route proposal information in MN GEMS and ONRS; run relevant reports.
• Cultivate strong relationships with faculty researchers and offer high‑touch, solution‑oriented service.
• Lead training initiatives for research tools like SciENcv and My Bibliography.
• Utilize templates to streamline pre‑award processes and provide feedback for continuous improvement.
• Participate in weekly office meetings to discuss policy updates and compliance insights.
• Maintain cutting‑edge expertise through university courses and workshops.

Skills

Communication skills

Budgeting experience

Grant proposals

Multi-tasking

Human subjects research

Faculty collaboration

Hybrid work

Education

BA/BS + 4+ years experience

Tools

None

Job description

About the Job

The G&C Professional is an intermediate-level research administrator who works one-on-one with faculty researchers to manage the full life cycle of grant proposals from initial project inception through final institutional approval and submission. This position provides highly responsive, direct project management support primarily for a standard portfolio of federal and non-federal grant submissions. The G&C Prof 3 ensures that individual faculty proposals are structured accurately, meet all milestones, and adhere strictly to compliance frameworks.

Key Responsibilities & Duties

• End-to-End Proposal Management (Standard Portfolios) (45%):
  
  
  
  • Work one-on‑one with School of Nursing (SoN) Principal Investigators (PIs) through the entire grant submission process from start to finish as well as grant reporting phases.
  
  
  • Build operational checklists, outline submission timelines, lead proposal preparation meetings, and cross‑reference application materials against sponsor solicitation matrices to ensure submission readiness. Draft all non‑science proposal components (e.g., facilities; other support; collaborator, consultant and administrative letters) for faculty review.
  
  
  • Ensure all documents are compliant with Sponsor requirements (e.g., verifying page limits, auditing font types, configuring SciENcv profiles, Other Support documents). Upload all proposal documents into sponsor systems.
  
  
  
  


• Sponsor Requests (5%):
  
  
  
  • Initiate and work with PIs to develop documents in response to Sponsor requests. Coordinate, route and submit pre‑award Just in Time (JIT) and other requests through eRA Commons and the Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA).
  
  
  
  


• Budget Preparation & Calculation (20%):
  
  
  
  • Partner directly with PIs to prepare and calculate standard proposal budgets and baseline budget justifications and statements of work.
  
  
  • Ensure the accurate application of institutional base salaries, fringe benefit rates, and indirect cost rates (F&A) in total alignment with university policy and funder constraints.
  
  
  • Initiate internal setup paperwork for SPA, mapping budget line‑items to UMN PeopleSoft chart strings, and set up initial internal tracking systems.
  
  
  • Draft and manage subaward and no‑cost extension budgets, including directly emailing external institutional coordinators, issuing subrecipient commitment packages, auditing external institutional rate agreements/fringe allocations, and ensuring external institutional sign‑offs weeks in advance of the submission deadline.
  
  
  
  


• Post‑Award Support (3%):
  
  
  
  • Provides baseline post‑award financial support, including monitoring active grant budgets and spending compliance, assisting PIs with standard financial reporting requirements, and ensuring alignment with sponsor terms and University policies.
  
  
  
  


• Manage Data and Reporting (5%):
  
  
  
  • Prepare and route the proposal information in MN GEMS, enter information into ONRS and other databases and ensure institutional data are accurate, and run reports as needed.
  
  
  
  


• Collaborative Relationship Building (10%):
  
  
  
  • Cultivate and maintain strong, productive professional relationships with faculty researchers.
  
  
  • Actively learn their ongoing administrative preferences, keep them tightly informed of milestone internal deadlines, and offer seamless, personalized guidance throughout their submission pipeline.
  
  
  • Provide high‑touch, solution‑oriented service to all internal team members and external institutional partners.
  
  
  
  


• Research Training (2%):
  
  
  
  • Work with other Office of Nursing Research and Scholarship (ONRS) to design and lead training initiatives for research tools (e.g., SciENcv, My Bibliography) enabling investigators to efficiently manage their research profiles.
  
  
  
  


• Template Customization & Feedback (5%):
  
  
  
  • Utilize existing office templates, worksheets, and job aids to streamline the pre‑award process for faculty.
  
  
  • Provide regular administrative feedback and input to senior staff to help continuously refine and improve these tools for accuracy and thoroughness.
  
  
  
  


• Operational Alignment & Development (5%):
  
  
  
  • Participate actively in weekly office team meetings to discuss current issues, dissect major policy updates, share regulatory compliance insights, coordinate staff workload balances, and cover for staff who are out of the office.
  
  
  • Maintain cutting‑edge expertise by engaging in university courses, federal workshops, and national research administration webinars.
  
  
  
  

Qualifications

• BA/BS plus at least 4 years of experience, or a combination of related education and work experience to equal at least eight years.


• Excellent written and oral communication skills.


• Demonstrated extensive experience drafting and managing budgets for external and internal grant proposals and preparing budgets for SPA approval.


• Specific internal (e.g., UMN Grant-in‑Aid) and external (e.g., NIH) grants & contracts knowledge as it relates to higher education.


• Ability to efficiently multi‑task across proposal submissions to a variety of funders and deadlines.


• Experience with human subjects research as it pertains to grant proposal requirements.


• Experience effectively working with faculty researchers to manage proposal submissions from start to finish.


• Willingness and ability to work in a hybrid capacity (flex remote and in-person) on the UMN Twin Cities campus.


• Organized, committed to completing tasks fully and on time, and display professional skills in inter‑professional interactions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with nursing foundation and other grant mechanisms.


• Experience with grant proposals that include clinical trials.

About the Department

Founded in 1909 and recognized as the first nursing program established within a university, the University of Minnesota School of Nursing continues to lead the profession into the future. With a mission to generate knowledge and educate leaders to shape the future of nursing and advance health care to improve the health and wellbeing of all, the school and its research are addressing health issues and improving health. With nearly $6 million in National Institutes of Health awards to the School of Nursing and the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality and Healing in 2019, the University of Minnesota rose to 10th in the latest ranking of NIH funding to schools of nursing.

The school is ranked among the top programs in nurse midwifery and nursing informatics, and it is internationally renowned for its efforts to improve health and health care through the use of big data. The School was one of nine nursing schools nationally awarded the Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity Magazine in 2020.

The University of Minnesota has one of the largest, more comprehensive academic health centers in the nation. While robust scholarly inquiry is central to the School of Nursing's mission, it is enhanced by interprofessional collaboration with schools and colleges within the University and its health sciences schools comprised of pharmacy, medicine, public health, dentistry and veterinary medicine.

Pay and Benefits

Pay Range: $34.82 - $46.14; depending on education/qualifications/experience

Time Appointment: 100% Appointment

Position Type: Civil-Service & Non-Faculty Labor Represented Staff

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off


• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program


• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans


• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts


• University HSA contributions


• Disability and employer-paid life insurance


• Employee wellbeing program


• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution


• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity


• Financial counseling services


• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost


• Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area

While our salary ranges provide a framework, it is important to note that most of the time, the initial pay may not reach the maximum of the range. This approach ensures that compensation reflects the value and unique contributions of each candidate while maintaining equity within our organization. As part of our commitment to fair and equitable compensation, please be aware that the salary offered to incoming candidates will be based on their individual credentials and experience.

Diversity

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Employment Requirements

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

About University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world‑renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by Forbes as a Best Employer for Company Culture (2026), Best Employer for Women (2023), and Best Employer by State (2022-2026). In 2026, we also received Culture Excellence & Industry Awards recognition for employee appreciation and work‑life flexibility.

Location

Twin Cities

Job Type

Full-Time

Regular/Temporary

Regular

Employee Class

Civil Service