Research Grants Specialist II

Minimum Requirements:

Bachelor's degree in a related field and two (2) years of relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Grade 7 (Salaried)

Position Description:

The Research Services unit provides quality assistance to faculty, researchers, and other academic personnel affiliated with the College of Arts & Sciences to obtain (pre-award) and manage (post-award) sponsored awards that support research, training, and other scholarly activities. The Research Services unit staff ensure timely, accurate, and responsible stewardship of funds by carrying out these administrative activities within University of Louisville, Federal, State, and agency policies, procedures, and regulations.

The Pre-Award Grant Specialist at the University of Louisville will support faculty and research scientists in the College of Arts & Sciences with proposal preparation processes for external funding. This role involves comprehensive assistance in budget development, proposal document review, ensuring compliance with sponsor and institutional guidelines, and coordination with the Office of Sponsored Programs Administration (OSPA) for proposal submission. The specialist will also provide project management services, strategic analysis, and educational initiatives to enhance the competitiveness of grant proposals.

This role will use time management skills to work on multiple clients concurrently and apply expertise and work ethic to review and finalize grant proposals, sub-awards, and other research support documents. The incumbent in this role will apply guidelines and client specific requirements to coordinate and progress research documents in a dynamic environment where new challenges present themselves daily. The Pre-Award Grant Specialist must have a working knowledge and understanding of pre- and post-award grants management to support the research services unit.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Support faculty throughout the proposal preparation process, including budget development and compliance review.
• Consult and assist investigators on the development of external funding proposals.
• Investigate and answer questions from external agencies and researchers regarding proposals.
• Ascertain the status of proposals and initiate action to resolve problems when necessary.
• Provide comprehensive project management services, including establishing timelines and leading proposal development meetings.
• Provide strategic analysis and guidance for investigators and research teams.
• Develop and present content for workshops and educational initiatives to assist faculty in finding funding opportunities.
• Facilitate effective communication and consensus building among project teams and external contacts.
• Seek out and attend professional development as needed/recommended/assigned.
• Perform related work as directed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in higher education, including grant preparation and development, proposal writing and editing, and interpreting and implementing guidelines provided by government entities, private foundations, corporations, and specialized grant-giving organizations.
• Knowledge of/experience with sponsored programs, grant involvement, specific policies and regulations that cover various aspects, including eligibility, reporting, and cost principles, typically outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), or grant agreement.
• Experience with grants management software such as Cayuse and iRIS (Integrated Research Information System).
• Familiarity with Workday platforms and proficiency in Microsoft Power BI.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office Suite, including Word and PowerPoint, along with exceptional attention to detail, accuracy in typing, and strong spelling skills.
• Demonstrated expertise in process change to achieve research administration best practices.

Competencies

• Project Management - the ability to work under multiple deadlines while remaining organized and task-oriented.
• Initiative - the ability to anticipate and plan for issues before they occur.
• Innovation - the ability to evaluate data and choose the best solution and make recommendations.
• Adaptability - the ability to deal with changing role responsibilities and support other team members as needed.
• Customer-focused - the ability to perceive the practical and emotional needs of customers.
• Time management - the ability to manage time efficiently and effectively by prioritizing tasks.
• Problem-solving - the ability to analyze issues and implement strategic solutions.
• Integrity - the ability to meet high ethical standards in the workplace.
• Communication - the ability to build and maintain effective relationships with researchers and colleagues.
• Teamwork - the ability to work with others to maintain a collaborative and inclusive workplace.