Senior Grants Manager Assistant

Caltech is a world-renowned science and engineering institute that marshals some of the world''s brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundamental scientific questions. We thrive on finding and cultivating talented people who are passionate about what they do. Join us and be a part of the diverse Caltech community.

Job Summary

The Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences seeks a Senior Grants Manager Assistant who will assist one faculty member and their research group with comprehensive pre- and post-award research administration and general administrative duties. This position will be conducted under general supervision, reporting to the Operations and Fiscal Manager in the Seismological Laboratory, and requires advanced knowledge of research administration concepts and excellent financial skills.

Essential Job Duties

• Oversee proposal preparation and submission process, including budget development, completion of non-scientific forms, obtaining approvals, and uploading to systems, while ensuring all proposal elements are complete and in compliance with sponsor and Institute submission guidelines.
• Oversee financial and administrative monitoring of grants, including account setup, projections, preparation of monthly funds management and personnel reports, and submission of annual final technical reports.
• Oversee allowability of expenditures and conduct monthly transactional reviews to prevent overspending and ensure costs are charged appropriately. Prepare budget realignments, no-cost extensions, and labor scheduling updates. Assist with closeout of awards.
• Handle a high volume of procurement (purchasing supplies and equipment). Monitor receipt of deliveries, process invoice payments, reimbursements, and payment requests. Closely monitor and handle invoicing issues, conduct vendor searches and obtain bids, and help streamline complex purchasing with research staff. Assist research staff when issues arise with P-Card or travel. Reconcile monthly P-Card and travel reports.
• Coordinate complex domestic and international travel arrangements and manage all logistics; ensure compliance with travel terms and conditions and Institute policies. Process expense reports and travel reimbursements.
• Assist with completing forms for guests, external affiliates, volunteers, visitors, visiting student researchers, and undergrad student programs.
• Apply comprehensive knowledge of sponsor terms and conditions, institutional policies, and division procedures; take initiative to determine best practices and suggest improvements as needed to streamline processes.
• Other duties as assigned.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with at least 3 years of related experience.
• Knowledge of general accounting principles and strong analytical skills.
• Excellent customer service skills; able to communicate clearly both verbally and in writing.
• Strong organizational skills; able to prioritize multiple tasks and meet strict deadlines.
• Able to work independently and manage time effectively.
• Able to exercise good judgment and maintain confidentiality.
• Technologically savvy with advanced experience in Microsoft Office 365.
• Commitment to core values of mutual respect and collaboration; must be a team player.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience with Caltech systems and institutional policies and procedures.
• Familiarity with electronic research administration systems.
• Experience working in an academic setting.

Required Documents

• Resume
• Cover Letter