Penn State Job Catalog

Additional levels that exist for this job profile can be seen below.

The defined natural career progression within or between job profiles.

Grants and Contracts Administration

The Grants and Contracts Administrator analyzes, negotiates, and administers sponsored programs; reviews and processes agreements; negotiates and drafts contract terms and sub awards; informs faculty and college personnel of special contractual requirements; resolves award issues; ensures compliance with university guidelines; and provides training to university personnel on grants and contracts administration. 

• Analyze, review, evaluate, and negotiate agreements, grants, awards, and contracts with government and industry sponsors
• Review any terms and conditions associated with proposal solicitations; interpret and negotiate sponsor requirements; identify the University’s exceptions to the sponsor’s terms and conditions
• Draft and monitor agreements for compliance with contractual requirements, review and process agreement modifications
• Review budgets and budget justifications; provide input to faculty members and proposal preparation staff on appropriateness of budgeted items
• Write and negotiate sub-awards; monitor expenditures to ensure compliance; close out awards
• Collaborate with research teams and investigators to identify appropriate funding strategies; monitor funding trends; provide faculty education programs on all aspects of proposal and grant submission
• Consult with Research Accounting, Intellectual Property Office, Risk Management, Legal Counsel, and other central administration offices regarding special terms and conditions of sponsored programs
• Advise faculty in interpreting and adhering to sponsor and University guidelines, resolve issues related to contract compliance; correspond with sponsors and sub-recipients regarding performance problems
• Develop and deliver training programs on specialized research administration topics for other award staff, research staff and faculty
• May supervise staff members, including hiring, development, and performance management

Level:

– Principal Professional

Base Description:

– Completes activities, tasks, and/or projects of a functional nature.

Level Summary:

– Displays mastery of defined skill areas/applications, principles, theories and practices. Evaluates and enhances existing practices. Recognizes emerging trends in area of expertise. Works independently on complex or strategic assignments. Directs and delegates appropriate tasks to others. Implements strategies to ensure achievement of initiatives. Prepares written and/or verbal presentations or proposals on complex issues and deliver to broad audiences. Identifies and implements innovative solutions to important, highly complex strategic and/or operational issues.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

– Indirect supervisor for other full–time employees
– May serve as direct supervisor for part–time, student, and/or temporary workers, volunteers, or a full–time employee

Fiscal Responsibilities:

– Validates and pays invoices
– Monitors and tracks budgets and funding
– May plan and forecast budgets

Problem Solving:

– Encounters complex and novel problems
– Applies policies, practices, specialized knowledge, and skills to resolve problems
– Understands benefits, limitations, and impact of potential solutions
– Anticipates potential problems and recommends possible solutions within general guidelines

Independence of Action:

– Works independently on complex or strategic assignments
– Uses existing practices as guidelines as well as working knowledge to determine specific work methods
– Carries out work activities independently, with supervisor available to resolve problems
– Reviews work of others to verify technical soundness

Communication and Collaboration:

– Communicates with both internal and external audiences
– Collaborates closely with team members and area leads across the University
– Prepares written and/or verbal presentations or proposals on complex issues and delivers to a broad variety of audiences
– Establishes and maintains networks to facilitate successful communication among units

• Comp Grade – 12
• Minimum – $76,700.00
• MidPoint – $95,900.00
• Maximum – $115,100.00