Senior Contract & Grant Administrator (10-month term)

Senior Contract & Grant Administrator (10-month term) 

RAND seeks a collaborative and detail oriented Senior Contract & Grant Administrator to join our Contract & Grant Services team. This role focuses primarily on federal assistance grant awards, with opportunities to support a range of sponsors including federal agencies, state and local governments, nonprofits, private foundations, and commercial entities. 

Under minimal supervision, the Senior Contract & Grant Administrator performs advanced and complex contract and grant administration activities, including proposal submission, negotiation, execution, and post award management of RAND’s sponsored research agreements. This position requires independent judgment, initiative, and strong analytical and communication skills to support RAND’s mission and business goals. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Review RFPs/RFQs to identify contractual issues and provide guidance on proposal preparation and sponsor requirements. 

• Draft, coordinate, and execute proposal related nonfinancial agreements such as nondisclosure, teaming, and data use agreements. 

• Conduct compliance reviews and submit sponsored research proposals as RAND’s authorized representative. 

• Review, negotiate, and execute a variety of contract and grant awards to ensure alignment with RAND policies. 

• Interpret and apply relevant regulations and terms (FAR, CFR, Uniform Guidance) and collaborate with Legal, IT Security, and other stakeholders for compliance. 

• Serve as an authorized negotiator on diverse agreement types (Grants, FFP, T&M, LH, CPFF, IDIQ, Task Orders) and related modifications. 

• Monitor active projects, manage post award modifications, and ensure ongoing compliance with sponsor and internal requirements. 

• Collaborate across pricing, purchasing, accounting, finance, operations, and other teams to resolve issues and maintain contractual accuracy. 

• Maintain official communications with sponsors and serve as primary liaison on complex or sensitive business matters. 

• Provide advice and guidance on contractual rights, obligations, and risks to project leaders and management. 

• Facilitate issue resolution across pre and post award stages and maintain accurate contractual documentation. 

Qualifications 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Excel, Word, OneNote, OneDrive, Teams, SharePoint, PowerPoint) and Adobe Acrobat Professional. 

• Experience with Workday and/or Salesforce is a plus. 

• Certification in Sponsored Research Administration preferred. 

• Demonstrated knowledge of financial and nonfinancial agreements and how they impact project implementation and compliance. 

• Ability to research, interpret, and communicate sponsor requirements to protect RAND’s rights and obligations. 

• Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to collaborate effectively across internal and external teams. 

• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities efficiently and with attention to detail. 

• Strategic thinker and proactive problem solver who contributes to solutions and continuous improvement. 

Education  

Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline 

Experience 

6 years of relevant experience preferred. A combination of education and relevant experience may substitute for a BS/BA degree (High School Diploma or GED with 10 years of relevant experience minimum). 

Location: Santa Monica, CA; Pittsburgh, PA; Washington, DC.  Open to Hybrid or Remote