Grants Coordinator

PURPOSE:

The Grants Coordinator assists administrators, faculty, and staff with identifying funding opportunities and planning, writing, submitting, managing, coordinating, and overseeing the pre-award life cycle through grant award. This position manages the grant proposal submission process and coordinates the development, administrative management, reporting, and extension of grants and subcontracts. Collaborating closely with the Director of Sponsored Programs and Title III, the Grants Coordinator ensures that the university's grant management processes, documents, procedures, and implementation are executed professionally, efficiently, and in alignment with best practices.

In addition to supporting the pre-award process, the Grants Coordinator provides oversight across pre- award activities to ensure that all requirements are met, and projects are submitted on time and within approved budgets. The position is responsible for coordinating and/or performing programmatic reporting efforts and compliance activities. Coordination with fiscal operations staff is required throughout the grant life cycle.

The Grants Coordinator also performs all duties of the Title III project director for Grant Development & Compliance, collaborating with fiscal staff on financial reporting and compliance. For all externally funded grants and contracts, the position performs oversight to ensure deliveries and outcomes are achieved by grant terms and conditions.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS, DUTIES, & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Maintain knowledge, skills, and abilities regarding both competitive and formula grants and ensure the university is kept informed of opportunities or administrative changes that affect external funding programs.
• Assist faculty and staff in the different departments within the University in successfully navigating both formula and competitive grant processes including identifying sources of external funding from federal, state, and private agencies, managing grant development and submission, and managing pre-award process.
• Collaborate with University faculty and staff to assist with grant writing, including developing SMART goals and objectives, building compliant budgets, and drafting compelling grant narratives.
• Review grant and subaward contract proposals for adherence to funding agency requirements.
• Manage pre-award process and maintain proper documentation for all proposal submissions of grants and subaward contracts.
• Develop and maintain relationships with external granting agencies, as well as other administrative offices and departments within the University.
• Utilize and maintain specialized databases and systems for recording and tracking grant proposals, awards, and related statistical information; creates and distributes reports, summaries, and analyses, as required.
• Review and approve budgets for all grant submissions, including fringe and indirect calculations, allowability, allocability, and reasonableness according to Federal Cost Principles.
• Develop, monitor, and maintain a grant tracking system to ensure timely preparation of grant applications and implementation of grant requirements.
• Initiate, attend and contribute to meetings, advise, and assist faculty in submitting proposals.
• Prepare internal documents needed for submission of proposals, and obtain all necessary approvals or signatures as required.
• Complete and format documents, draft letters of support, and meet all deadlines for proposals.
• Obtain and interpret grant proposal guidelines and requirements as determined by funding agency publications and regulations.
• Stay informed on laws, policies, and procedures necessary to comply with Federal, State, and Local regulations.
• Conduct workshops and training sessions for administrators, faculty and staff on grant development and administration.
• Develop partnerships with potential funders and grantors, as well as external partners to ensure good relationships.

ADDITIONAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Assumes additional responsibilities and performs special projects as needed or requested.
2. Exhibits student-centeredness in the performance of all job duties.
3. Treats all others with respect, understands the impact of culture/background on the behavior of others, respects differences among the Lincoln community and demonstrates inclusive behavior.
4. Anticipates, listens to, understands, and responds to customer needs.
5. Delivers work products and services to customers in a way that reflects positively upon the department and the university.
6. All duties assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES:

• Potential to work effectively with the culture and values of Lincoln University and able to work comfortably within a diverse and shared services organizational model.
• Extensive broad-based knowledge of the principles, practices, techniques of oral and written communications and people skills to determine the most effective method to present persuasive proposals to potential funding sources.
• Knowledge of federal and state funding agencies and their associated guidelines.
• Excellent writing, planning, organizational and management skills.
• Excellent communication skills include the ability to write and speak persuasively about the institution.
• Excellent people skills to work collaboratively with faculty, staff, and administrators.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office, electronic data tracking, internet, website, Facebook, etc.
• Familiarity with Grants.gov and other widely used grant websites.
• Strong knowledge of grant application process, grant application, grant regulations practices, and principles.
• Strong ability to prioritize multiple projects, meeting strict deadlines, while maintaining strong diligence.
• Knowledge of budgets and fiscal management for grants.
• Flexibility and initiative, with the ability to work independently as well as in a team environment.
• Ability to understand a variety of research disciplines, gained through experience and/or training or an openness to learning new disciplines to best assist faculty and staff.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree, or three to five years' professional experience in grants management, project management, or the non-profit sector involving federal, state, or private funding agencies required.
• One year of experience with Microsoft Office required.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's degree preferred.
• Experience in Colleague system preferred.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Nature of work requires the ability to operate standard office equipment.
• Light sedentary office work.
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Ability to lift to 25 lbs.

This job description is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties or skills required for the job and is subject to review and change at any time, with or without notice, in accordance with the needs of Lincoln University. Since no job description can detail all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time in the performance of a job, duties and responsibilities that may be inherent in a job, reasonably required for its performance, or required due to the changing nature of the job shall also be considered part of the jobholder's responsibility.