[Hiring] Senior Grants and Contracts Administrator @University of Virginia

Role Description

The University of Virginia Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) seeks a Senior Grants and Contracts Administrator, reporting to the Associate Director of Agreements, to provide support for complex research agreements, contribute to process improvement, support high-impact research, and mentor colleagues. This position primarily focuses on the drafting, review, and negotiation of incoming sponsored research agreements and unfunded data use agreements. This position is eligible to be remote.

OSP's mission is to provide leadership in research administration, support the research endeavors of University faculty, ensure the responsible stewardship of research funding, and oversee the submission of proposals and the negotiation and acceptance of awards by the University according to State, University, and sponsor regulations.

The preferred candidate possesses strong reading, listening and communication skills, learns new systems adeptly, and grasps new transactional concepts and processes efficiently. Key components of this role include:

• Working self-sufficiently on assigned tasks while remaining an active, integral part of the Agreements team.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills in a fast-paced, high-volume, and deadline-driven environment.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree.
• Experience: At least five years of grants and contract experience. Four additional years of experience may be accepted in lieu of degree.
• Physical Demands: Primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings and programs.

Requirements

• Reviews and negotiates bilateral sponsored research agreements and unfunded data use agreements from federal, state, local, and non-profit sponsors to ensure conformity with University and sponsor policies.
• Serves as a subject matter expert on research administration, ensuring strict compliance with federal, state, and University rules, regulations, policies, and practices (e.g., Uniform Guidance, sponsor guidelines, data privacy policies).
• Provides expert guidance to staff and faculty to help them interpret and fulfill applicable policies and obligations.
• Identifies, articulates, and resolves issues in award and agreement reviews in a timely manner by collaborating and following up with University administrators, faculty, sponsors, and third parties.
• Contributes to developing and maintaining sponsored research agreement and data use agreement negotiation standard operating procedures.
• Manages a complex portfolio of agreements across UVA schools and units while delivering high-quality, timely service to Principal Investigators and administrators.
• Mentors developing professionals within the grants and contracts field, fostering their professional growth.
• Advises University stakeholders on best practices and recommended approaches in research administration, including risk management, internal and external communication, and financial considerations.
• Other duties as assigned in support of the department's mission.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience: Previous experience with grants and contracts and/or research administration at an institution of higher education, along with working knowledge of relevant governmental regulations and applicable data privacy statutes (e.g., Uniform Guidance, FERPA, HIPAA, GDPR).
• Licensure: Certified Research Administrator (CRA) certification or similar.

Benefits

This is an exempt-level, benefited position. For more information on the benefits at UVA, visit hr.virginia.edu/benefits .

This position is located in Charlottesville, VA, and provides an option to work on-site, hybrid or fully remote, following the University's remote work guidelines.

How to Apply

Please apply online, and search for R0085165. Complete an application online with the following documents:

• Resume
• Cover letter

Upload all materials into the resume submission field; multiple documents can be submitted into this one field. Alternatively, merge all documents into one PDF for submission. Applications that do not contain all required documents will not receive full consideration.

Internal applicants: Search and apply for jobs on the UVA Internal Careers website.

References will be completed via UVA’s standardized process SkillSurvey. A total of five references will be requested via SkillSurvey during the final phase of the interview process. A minimum of three is required.

For information regarding the position or the application process, please contact Lyndsay Thaxton at [email protected] .

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.