Subaward Specialist / Senior Specialist - SACO

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

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• If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click “Apply” and complete the application process for external applicants.

JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

The Office of the Senior Vice President for Research (OSVPR) is seeking to fill two Subaward Specialist/Senior Specialist positions in the newly created Subaward Administration and Compliance Office (SACO).

The SACO will partner with Penn State’s College of Engineering to design a new model of managing Penn State subawards and subcontracts. Penn State currently supports over $170M in subs at any given time. (This excludes subs issued by the Applied Research Lab and the College of Medicine, which are outside the scope of this position). The goals of the SACO are to support faster set-up of new subs, a better tool for communicating subrecipient performance with principal investigators, higher quality documentation of subrecipient monitoring activities, more timely payment of invoices, and a more efficient closeout process. If this effort proves successful, other business areas will be given an opportunity to “opt in” to the model.

Responsibilities: The Subaward Specialists will:

• work closely with college research administrators, financial officers, and the Office of Budget and Finance to implement best practices across all business areas.
• spearhead training efforts to ensure research administrators are aware of new, emerging, and ongoing subaward contractual compliance obligations.
• monitor key indicators of the subaward health of the sponsored portfolio, including subaward request processing times, subaward amendment processing times, review and payment of subrecipients’ invoices, and timelines for subaward closeout.

The successful candidate should demonstrate an ability to do the following:

• Perform tasks related to subaward set-up and partner with the Office of Sponsored Programs, PIs, and college research officers to ensure a timely set-up.
• Perform tasks related to monitoring ongoing risk levels of subrecipients, which may include reviewing Single Audit reports.
• Coordinate with colleagues on the timely review, approval, and processing of invoices from subrecipients.
• Serve as a liaison between administrative units and sister OSVPR units and provide appropriate guidance to customers and constituents.
• Develop and provide outreach and education about policy interpretation for policies related to subawards.
• Recommend and implement procedures to ensure uniform and efficient management, tracking, internal controls, and compliance with regulations and University policy related to subawards.
• Prepare special reports and provide information to internal and external customers.

Specialists will be expected to keep current on new and emerging federal and other sponsor requirements, university policies, and state and federal regulations regarding sponsored project administration. Experience and knowledge of SIMBA (SAP/S4HANA) is preferred. Research administration and/or subaward experience is strongly preferred. An ability to communicate clearly and accurately is essential.

Education and Experience: The positions may be filled as a Proposal and Award Generalist – Advanced Professional or as a Proposal and Award Generalist – Senior Professional, depending upon the successful candidates’ competencies, education, and experience.

For the Advanced Professional level, candidates should have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree and at least three years of relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience. For the Senior Professional level, candidates should have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree and at least six years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Application: Candidates should submit a cover letter expressing their interest and qualifications in the position, as well as a resume describing their education and work experience.

Work Arrangement:  The location of this position is flexible and can operate fully remote within the United States, fully in-person at our University Park Campus, or in a hybrid model of both in-person and remote. Standard working hours are in the eastern time zone. Individuals working fully remotely may be asked to travel to Penn State to participate in certain on campus activities. Such travel costs will be covered by Penn State.

The Pennsylvania State University is committed to and accountable for advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and sustainability in all its forms. We embrace individual uniqueness, foster a culture of inclusion that supports both broad and specific diversity initiatives, leverage the educational and institutional benefits of diversity in society and nature, and engage all individuals to help them thrive. We value inclusion as a core strength and an essential element of our public service mission.

Penn State offers competitive benefits to full-time employees, including medical, dental, vision, and retirement plans, in addition to tuition discounts (75% discount for spouse and children), and paid holidays. Please visit https://hr.psu.edu/current-employee/benefits for more detailed information.

The salary range for this position, including all possible grades is:

Salary Structure - additional information on Penn State's job and salary structure. 

CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS: