Career Opportunities: Pre-Award Administrator (115778)

The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing Office of Research Administration (NORA) seeks an eager and self-motivated individual to join our team as a Pre-Award Administrator and subject matter expert. We offer a flexible work environment suited for a person who can demonstrate their ability to be a high-performing and organized individual dedicated to independently and proactively meeting the needs of our stakeholders in a timely and accurate fashion. This is a unique opportunity to join a collaborative team that builds innovative and forward-thinking approaches for a growing school. We need persons with knowledge of the full grant cycle, high analytical ability, and exemplary customer service to support faculty and students toward the mission of improving the health of individuals and diverse communities locally and globally through leadership and excellence in nursing education, research, practice, and service. The primary focus of this position is on sponsored funds management, with specific responsibility for Pre-Award that includes, but may not be limited to, proposal preparation, submission, budget development, reporting, compliance, and audit. While this role occasionally may assist with some aspects of post-award and non-sponsored funds, the primary goal of this position is to ensure the timely, effective, and efficient functioning of the pre-award and proposal submission functions.

Job Scope/Complexity

• The position will provide broad/in-depth professional administrative-level guidance on protocols, regulations, and guidelines to PI and other scientific/research professionals, both within the University and with other associated research/administrative professionals outside of the University. This position may offer training or guidance and learning support to Grants & Contracts Analysts, Specialists, and Coordinators within the department. This role will serve as a lead position and subject matter expert supporting the unit's business needs.

Types of sponsored awards for which the position is responsible

• This position works independently on a variety of complex-level grants/contracts, including those from a variety of federal, state, and foundation sponsors such as NIH, DOD, HRSA, SAMSHA, DARPA, NASA, NSF, MHEC, and more. Mechanisms such as P30, U54, etc., may include highly detailed budgets, multiple sub-projects, pilots, cores, sub-awards, clinical trials, center grants, higher complexity Foundation grants, and strategic community partnerships. The position will also provide direction and assistance with Subawards to and from other institutions on various funding sources.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

Pre-Award

• Partner with and act as the final point of contact with departmental faculty and budgetary staff and Johns Hopkins University Research Administration to plan and develop application submissions to various federal offices, private agencies/foundations, and commercial companies.
• Provide instruction, preparation assistance, and support related to application procedures.
• Prepare Proposal Project Management Plans and Checklist, as well as set deadlines to lead the submission process
• Understand and utilize institutional policies for the Pre-Award grant process and sponsor guidelines.
• Prepares, edits, and or reviews complex budgets and related justification for appropriateness and completeness of content in conjunction with PI and collaborators
• Evaluate, audit, and provide feedback to stakeholders to address appropriate cost
• Review application materials to ensure key elements for submission are included as outlined in the funding opportunity or request for proposal.
• Ensure compliance in all other grant and contract management areas, including sponsoring organization guidelines, internal protocols, accurate protocol information within grant documents, conflicts of interest, etc.
• Gather required documents, forms, budgets, and other materials from internal and external stakeholders to ensure completion of the application.
• Document and file all materials in appropriate Network or Shared Drives.
• Update appropriate internal and external systems with the required submission materials such as FIBI, ASSIST, Workspace, etc. or delegate and review to available support staff.
• Manage all assigned grant submissions to ensure timeliness and accuracy.
• Review all sponsored project proposals for assigned faculty before forwarding them to the institutional official for approval. The review involves accuracy, content, and adherence to all relevant guidelines.
• Serve as liaison between research units, central offices, and funding agencies.
• Answer JIT request and lead process
• Organize and manage work electronically to ensure compliance with key performance indicators in our service level agreement.

Other Duties

• As a subject matter expert and team lead, this position may assist with the training and onboarding of staff or approve documents and proposal submissions in the absence of management. As needed, this position may occasionally help with internal or external funds management tasks if the pre-award submission volume is down. These tasks may consist of:

• Award setup and review of NOA as well as account setup verification.
• Effort planning sheets for sponsored budgets and faculty teams.
• Budget distribution, account reconciliation, e-form setup, effort reporting, cost transfers.
• Monthly reconciliation or quarterly account review, meetings to project or verify budget spending and patterns.
• Expense approvals and review for compliance.
• Award close-out.

Additional Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Intermediate to Advance knowledge of Excel to build complex budgets by phase, month, task as needed.
• Ability to utilize Excel to create basic to moderately complex projections trends, and analyze data.
• Financial Analysis and Projections.
• Knowledge of accounting and budgeting theory and practices required. Ability to make independent judgments and to act on decisions daily.
• Ability to work with flexibility, prioritizing and managing several to meet various concurrent deadlines.
• Thorough knowledge of external Federal guidelines/procedures for grants and contracts, including NIH, NSF, DOD, and NASA.
• Ability to adapt and utilize automated processes.
• Ability to learn to work virtually using Teams, Zoom, and other Microsoft products made for collaboration.
• Superior organizational, analytical, and customer service skills.
• Ability to work in ROBUST and fast-paced environment.

Technical Qualifications or Specialized Certifications

• CRA highly valued.

Additional Applicable Information

• The position is Remote, but occasional required attendance onsite may be needed to meet with faculty or participate in schoolwide events, retreats, etc.
• Prefer Candidates in the Eastern time zone.

• Bachelor's Degree.
• Four years of related experience in sponsored research and/or financial positions, preferably in an academic or medical setting.
• 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.
• Successful completion of the Research Administration Trainee program (13-15 months) is equivalent to two years of relevant experience for this position. If an employee does not successfully complete the program, no additional experience will be applied.

• CRA.
• Budget preparation experience in a university setting, working with federal sponsors.
• A thorough knowledge and understanding of the Johns Hopkins University accounting system and related fiscal offices.

Classified Title: Sr. Grants & Contracts Analyst 
Job Posting Title (Working Title): Pre-Award Administrator   
Role/Level/Range: ATP/04/PD  
Starting Salary Range: $62,900 - $110,100 Annually ($110,100 targeted; Commensurate with experience) 
Employee group: Full Time 
Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:30 - 5:00 
Exempt Status: Exempt 
Location: Remote 
Department name: Research Finance  
Personnel area: School of Nursing