Grants & Contracts Specialist

The Office of Research and Translation (ORT) Grants & Contracts Specialist (GCS) will coordinate, oversee, and perform financial functions related to both sponsored and non-sponsored activities, that are essential to the performance of ORT; sponsored activities make up more than 80% of the funds management. Overall duties include procurement (processing shopping carts and p-card transactions), processing reimbursements, online payment transactions, assisting with grant proposal development, budget allocation, initiation of journal entries, cost transfers, reconciling reports and financial data, preparation of quarterly budget meetings, and assisting with the closeout and financial status reporting process. This position will work directly with project PIs, Co-Is and finance/administrative staff to support the timely, effective, and efficient functioning of sponsored funding. In addition, this position will also work with ORT leadership to support operational funding. This is a non-exempt position.

Job Scope/Complexity

Employees in this role function independently when working on less complex grants and contracts responsibilities. General proficiency with grant/contract preparation and management is expected. The GCS has some involvement with more complex grant management, under the direction and oversight of a more senior member within the research function.

Types of sponsored awards for which the position is responsible

This position assists with pre- and post- award support responsibilities for simple to moderately complex grants/contracts, including but not limited to those from ARO, ARL, NIH, NSF, DOD, DOE, and NASA. These grants, contracts and awards may involve moderate to complex budgets, foundation grants and sub-awards from other institutions on their federal pass-through grants.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

Accounts Payable, Reimbursements, and other SAP transactions

• Process transactions in the SAP financial system in a timely and accurate manner. Transactions include but are not limited to procurement orders, invoices, and check requests.
• Track procurement documents from creation to payment and trouble shoot any problems that may occur.
• Serve as point of contact for travel and purchasing policies and procedures.
• Ensure completeness and accuracy of documentation for compliance with University and/or agency regulations and restrictions.
• Receive, process and track journal transfers, check deposits, vendor setup, special payroll, invoices, and purchase order requests
• Submit new vendor and vendor change request forms.
• Process shopping carts in SAP and related goods receipt.
• Assist with identifying over-expenditures, advise and assist with resolution.
• Attend finance and research trainings/meetings to stay updated on changes to internal and external policies and procedures.
• Reconcile, process, allocate transactions for procurement card purchases and approve allocations for others.
• Process timecards for hourly student employees.
• Supervise student workers involved in reconciling expenditures
• Maintain documentation for all transactions consistent with audit requirements

Budgeting and Reporting

• Assist PI and staff at ORT with grant submission budget development using appropriate cost rates for indirect and benefit costs, including all anticipated cost projections
• Work with internal JHU offices to make sure budget numbers are set up in a timely manner.
• Perform grant financial planning, cost analysis, and support Grants and Contracts Manager with budget forecasts and projections. Update projection spreadsheets regularly with actual transaction information and identify any areas of concern with over/under expenditures.
• Pro-actively ensures spending is compliant in accordance with institutional and sponsor regulations, terms, and conditions prior to transaction processing.
• Monitor revenue and expenditures for sponsored and non-sponsored budgets including sub recipient monitoring, submission and tracking of invoices
• Support all relevant post-award responsibilities, as requested by senior members of the grants and contracts team, including account reconciliation, effort reporting, cost transfers, paying invoices, closeouts, and related faculty support.
• Assist with grant closeout, such as ensuring the timely submission of the financial and other reporting.
• Setup, distribute, and manage funding according to budgets from sponsored award notices.
• Communicate with Accounts Payable, Supply Chain, Accounts Receivable, Sponsored Projects, Research Projects Administration, and other JHU departments on a routine basis
• Ensure compliance with university regulations and restrictions.
• Develop and generate SAP/BW financial reports. Maintain appropriate financial records and files.
• Review, reconcile, and monitor specified accounts' expenditures/revenues, gather and verify backup documentation. Identify and resolve expenditure transaction issues.
• Assist finance team members in preparation for quarterly budget review meetings with faculty.
• Assist in processing and reporting of subaward invoices.
• Assist with processing of new awards and modifications.
• Interpret policies and procedures for faculty, staff, and students based on sponsor guidelines and University policy.
• Partner with departmental faculty and/or budgetary staff toward the planning and development of application submissions to various federal offices, private agencies/foundations and commercial companies. May work with representatives from Divisional Research Administration, under the guidance of more senior members on the departmental research team.
• Provide instruction, preparation assistance and support related to grant application procedures, at the direction of the Assistant Director and/or Grants and Contracts Manager.
• Assist with award setup details, after grant number is assigned.

Administrative and Other duties

• Monitor shared finance inbox and triage appropriately.
• All other duties as assigned and may not be limited to task above or below.
• On a regular and continuous basis, exercise administrative judgment and assume responsibility for decisions, consequences, and results having an impact on people, costs, and/or quality of service.

Special Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• General knowledge of accounting and budgeting theory and practices required.
• Ability to understand when additional direction/expertise is needed on matters of complexity.
• Able to make decisions daily, within pre-determined guidelines and parameters.
  
• Ability to work with flexibility on several tasks simultaneously and to meet various concurrent deadlines.
• Capable of independently managing workload and anticipating/planning upcoming projects.
  
• General understanding of external Federal Guidelines and procedures regarding grants and contracts.
  
• Highly organized with attention to detail and ability to prioritize multiple responsibilities. Ability to work independently as well as part of a team.
  
• Ability to accept and respond to supervisory feedback, as well as being able to work in a fast-paced, detailed, and deadline-oriented environment with minimal supervision.
  
• Self-initiative, motivation, and proactive perspective on work.
  
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to interact effectively with all levels of staff and faculty.

• Bachelor's Degree.
• One year of administrative/budgeting experience.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience and additional related experience may substitute for required education, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

• Knowledge of JHU financial systems and familiarity with SAP.
• Attention to detail.
• Experience with Excel.
• General knowledge and understanding of The Johns Hopkins University accounting system and related fiscal offices.

Classified Title: Grants & Contracts Specialist
Role/Level/Range: ATP/03/PB
Starting Salary Range: $23.69 - $41.43 HRLY ($58,000 targeted; Commensurate with experience)
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: M-F, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Exempt Status:Non-Exempt
Location:Hybrid/Homewood Campus
Department name: WSE Office of Research
Personnel area: Whiting School of Engineering