Strategic Grants Lead, Research Administration

Medical University of South Carolina; Orleans Estates (SC); On-site; USD 59,000 - 106,000; Full time

Job summary

The Grants Administrator II at the Medical University of South Carolina provides strategic leadership and oversight for the department's research administration and grants management activities.

With autonomy, this role guides faculty, investigators, fellows, and trainees through the full grant lifecycle, directing pre-award work and supporting post-award administration to ensure compliance and funding success.

Qualifications

• Minimum requirements: a bachelor's degree in business administration, public administration or the social sciences and four years experience in contracts and grant administration activities.

Responsibilities

• 30% Pre-Award Grants Management: Provide comprehensive proposal development support to faculty, investigators, fellows, and trainees.
• Coordinate the preparation, review, routing, and submission of grant applications to federal, state, foundation, and industry sponsors; route applications for approval prior to submission.
• Develop and review complex proposal budgets per sponsor guidelines and institutional policies.
• Evaluate financial considerations including cost sharing, F&A costs, effort commitments, waiver requests, and other fiscal requirements.
• Coordinate proposal activities with collaborating institutions, consultants, subrecipients, and internal stakeholders.
• Review proposals for completeness, compliance, and adherence to sponsor and institutional requirements prior to submission.
• Maintain departmental systems for tracking pending, submitted, and awarded proposals.
• 25% Research Administration Leadership: Lead and manage departmental research administration operations, including oversight of grant proposal development and submission activities.
• Supervise, train, mentor, and evaluate grants administration staff for high-quality service and compliance.
• Manage and monitor proposals, establish priorities, ensure timely and accurate submissions.
• Serve as a departmental resource for grant administration policies and best practices.
• Develop metrics, reports, and analyses to inform leadership and support decision making.
• Participate in committees and workgroups related to sponsored programs administration.
• 15% Post-Award Administration: Prepare and coordinate sponsor and institutional documentation, including progress reports, RPPRs, carryover requests, extensions, re-budget requests, and closeouts.
• Assist with preparation and review of investigator biosketches, Other Support documents, effort reports, and related sponsor docs.
• Support award setup, grant transfers, subcontract administration, and multi-year management.
• Monitor award requirements and help investigators maintain compliance with terms.
• 10% Compliance and Regulatory Oversight: Interpret and apply federal, state, sponsor, and institutional regulations for sponsored research.
• Maintain knowledge of ORSP, GCA, IRB, and other research compliance requirements.
• Ensure sponsor/institutional policy compliance throughout proposal and award lifecycle.
• Communicate policy updates and best practices to faculty and staff.
• Recommend and implement process improvements to boost efficiency and compliance.
• 10% Faculty Research Support and Strategic Development: Advise faculty on grant development strategies and sponsor requirements.
• Identify funding opportunities aligned with departmental priorities.
• Develop educational materials and tools to support proposal development.
• Maintain and enhance departmental grant resources and tools on the department website.
• 5% Financial Management and Grant Accounting Support: Monitor grant expenditures and budgets for compliance; identify variances.
• Collaborate with finance to resolve discrepancies and ensure fiscal stewardship.
• Manage DCU research efforts; complete PCA, PAA, effort adjustments, and transfers.
• Assist with annual budget planning, forecasting, and financial reviews.
• 5% Records Management and Reporting: Maintain accurate grant-related records; oversee MOUs, VA Task Orders, and subcontract documents.
• Develop and maintain systems for reporting and data analysis.

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

The Grants Administrator II at the Medical University of South Carolina provides strategic leadership and oversight for the department's research administration and grants management activities.

With autonomy, this role guides faculty, investigators, fellows, and trainees through the full grant lifecycle, directing pre-award work and supporting post-award administration to ensure compliance and funding success.