Lead Grants & Contracts Administrator - Dept of Plastic Surgery

University of Virginia; Charlottesville (VA); On-site; USD 78,000 - 106,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA, seeks a Senior Grants and Contracts Administrator and Team Lead to oversee a team of grants administrators, grant specialists, and CRCs in supporting pre- and post-award research administration across departments. The role is on-site with potential hybrid work after required training.

Responsibilities include ensuring compliance with federal and sponsor regulations, mentoring staff, budgeting, subawards, and collaborating with PIs to manage

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Five years of grant and contract experience; four additional years may be accepted in lieu of degree.
• Grants and Contracts Professional 4 preferred.
• Experience with federal sponsor guidelines and university policies.

Responsibilities

• Provide daily oversight to a team of grants administrators, grant specialists, and CRCs.
• Ensure compliance with HIPAA, FERPA, FAR, Uniform Guidance, and sponsor rules.
• Advise on proposal budgets, renewals, and progress reporting to sponsors.
• Coordinate and monitor subawards, onboarding, and staff development.
• Review award status with PIs and manage financial and operational queries.

Skills

Grants administration

Team leadership

Regulatory compliance

Proposal budgeting

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Huron

Workday

ResearchUVA

Job description

The Department of Plastic Surgery at the UVA School of Medicine seeks a Senior Grants and Contracts Administrator and Team Lead who will provide daily oversight to a team of research Grants Administrators, Grant Specialists, and Clinical Research Coordinator(s) (CRC), to support pre- and post-award research administration across several departments. This position reports to the Finance Director for the Department of Pathology and works closely with faculty, Principal Investigators, and other departmental stakeholders. This position is based on-site in Charlottesville, VA, and may be eligible for a hybrid work schedule after all required in-person training has been completed, in accordance with the University’s flex-work guidelines. The Lead Administrator serves as a subject-matter-expert and signatory for an experienced and high-performing team of administrators, providing guidance and support for related tasks and services for the University’s academic and research communities.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a subject matter expert in research administration, ensuring compliance with federal, state, University, and sponsor regulations and policies (including HIPAA, FERPA, FAR, Uniform Guidance, and sponsor-specific requirements), and provide guidance to faculty and staff on applicable policies and compliance obligations.
• Support the onboarding of new team members and oversee phased training and professional development to prepare staff for increased responsibilities and future roles.
• Represent the department in University-wide workgroups and process improvement initiatives related to research administration.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on University organizational structure, research administration best practices, and industry standards.
• Advise faculty on the preparation and submission of grant proposals to a variety of sponsors, ensuring compliance with sponsor guidelines and the fiscal integrity of grant-supported programs.
• Collect and compile required documentation and data for grant applications, renewals, progress reports, and other sponsor-required submissions.
• Develop and prepare proposal budgets in accordance with sponsor guidelines and University policies.
• Ensure the accurate setup, administration, and oversight of externally funded grants and contracts.
• Coordinate and review Payroll Allocation Confirmation (PAC) certifications to ensure compliance with funding requirements.
• Communicate with sponsors to obtain clarification on proposal requirements, policies, procedures, and award administration.
• Meet regularly with faculty, principal investigators (PIs), and other stakeholders to review award status, address financial and operational questions, discuss upcoming deadlines, and recommend appropriate actions.
• Monitor grant expenditures to ensure appropriate use of funds, including salary distributions and other-than-personnel services (OTPS) expenses.
• Coordinate the establishment, monitoring, and management of subawards, including issuance, compliance oversight, and communication with subrecipient institutions.
• Coordinate prior approval requests to sponsors for activities requiring advance authorization, including changes in key personnel, scope of work, rebudgeting, and other award modifications; prepare supporting documentation for PI review and submission.
• Maintain administrative tracking systems for grant milestones, deliverables, reporting requirements, and key deadlines across multiple awards.
• Prepare and submit progress and financial reports to sponsors in collaboration with the Office of Sponsored Programs Post-Award Team, ensuring timely and accurate compliance with award terms.
• Coordinate award closeout activities, including final reporting, account reconciliation, and resolution of outstanding financial and compliance matters, in collaboration with the Office of Sponsored Programs Post-Award Team.
• Develop, monitor, and analyze program budgets across multiple funding sources, tracking variances and projecting expenditures to support effective financial management.
• Serve as a resource and mentor to grants and contracts staff by providing guidance on sponsor policies, research administration procedures, and best practices.

Minimum Qualifications

• Grants and Contracts Professional 4
• Education: Bachelor's degree
• Experience: Five years of grant and contract experience. Four additional years of experience may be accepted in lieu of degree.
• Physical Demands: This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience: Work experience with full life-cycle Grants and Contracts or Research Administration, including preparing proposals for federal sponsors (such as particularly NIH or other Public Health Service agencies), and working with HRSA (Health Resources and Services Administration), as well as familiarity with clinical trial research, particularly in an higher education environment. Working knowledge of Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200). Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook, as well as familiarity with Huron, Workday, and/or ResearchUVA. Licensure: Certified Research Administrator (CRA) certification or similar.

Anticipated salary will be approximately $92k annually, commensurate with education and experiences.

This is a benefited position. For more information on the benefits at UVA, visit hr.virginia.edu/benefits. This position is located in Charlottesville, VA, and may provide an option to work in a hybrid environment after completing all required onboarding and training.

For more information about UVA and the Charlottesville community please see http://www.virginia.edu/life/charlottesville and https://embarkcva.com/.

This position will not be able to provide consideration for candidates who require sponsorship at this time. The University will perform background checks on all new hires prior to employment.

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA’s commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.