Career Center

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty. 

The University of Washington (UW) is proud to be one of the nation’s premier educational and research institutions. Our people are the most important asset in our pursuit of achieving excellence in education, research, and community service. Our staff not only enjoys outstanding benefits and professional growth opportunities, but also an environment noted for diversity, community involvement, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits, and natural beauty.

The Department of Genome Sciences (GS) is part of the University of Washington School of Medicine (UW SOM) and is comprised of 30 labs addressing leading edge questions in biology and medicine by developing and applying genetic, genomic and computational approaches taking advantage of genomic information now available for a host of species. GS is making major contributions in the application of genome science to understand the fundamentals of biology and to improve human health and wellbeing. Genome Sciences is a collaborative department supported by very different academic disciplines. We work with a multitude of Program Investigators (PIs) in departments both on the UW campus as well as worldwide. The department has gone through significant expansion since its beginning in 2001. The department has 62 training, teaching, and research faculty.

Department of Genome Sciences is committed to creating an environment that is welcoming and inclusive. Our goal is to foster a place of learning and working where all members can thrive and where diversity is recognized and celebrated. At Genome Sciences, we aim to create supportive spaces for those who are marginalized in higher education or society. To achieve this, we recognize that it is our ongoing responsibility to understand, acknowledge, and challenge systems of privilege and disadvantage in higher education such as those based on race, color, creed, caste, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, or socioeconomic status.

Position Purpose
The Grants Manager is responsible for the effective, timely and compliant administration of sponsored research proposal submission, award receipt, and financial management of sponsored research projects.   She/he oversees the timely preparation and submission of grant and contract proposals.  Collaborating with principal investigators (PIs), sponsor agencies, research partners and University research support offices, the Grants Manager ensures sponsored research awards are received, budgeted and expended effectively and efficiently in compliance with federal, state, funding agency, and University of Washington regulations, policies and procedures.

Position Complexities

The Genome Sciences Department has approximately 200 current budgets and $68.5M in FY21 awards administered by a small team of Grants Managers led by the Associate Director. In this position, the Grants Manager is responsible for managing the activities of one of the three defined research groups: Model Organism Genetics, Human and Medical Genetics, or Genomics & Proteomics/Computational Biology. The department’s financial portfolio in Human and Medical Genetics research group includes departmental training grants. The research proposals, demands of the sponsors, and the research activities are complex. Advance budgeting, and both project management and people management skills are required.  The Grants Manager must assess both the short and long term implications of budget expenditures and advise researchers of compatibilities and/or conflicts.  The position requires knowledge of Federal, State, University and Sponsor policies and best practices around grant and contract submission, expenditure monitoring, and closing.

Position Dimensions and Impact to the University

The PIs in the Genome Sciences Department collaborate extensively with other PIs and industry partners worldwide.  This enables the university to do research in new, cutting edge areas that brings in many millions of federal dollars and many jobs to the UW.  The programs work in an interdisciplinary environment.  Collaboration and services with others in the School of Medicine, College of Arts and Sciences, and College of Engineering bring in additional millions of dollars to the UW through successful proposals and highly specialized services.  Our expertise is known world-wide.  This position will be responsible for the fulfillment of this mission by ensuring successful proposal submission, resource allocation, and reporting in compliance with all regulations and best practices.

RESPONSIBILITIES

This position is responsible for all nonscientific operations of the assigned research group.

Pre-Award Management (30%)

•  Direct all pre-award activities for the research group by performing and overseeing timely and accurate proposal development in accordance with all university, sponsor, and department requirements.

•  Provide technical advice to investigators and support staff on research funding guidelines, restrictions, application procedures, deadlines, and budget development.

•  Provide strategic planning advice to PIs about funding and resource allocation, considering pre-award plans with current and future awards.

Post-Award Grant Management and Oversight (40%)

• Oversee and manage financial and administrative components of sponsored research projects for the assigned research group. Ensure the effective and efficient operational aspects of the projects.

•  Oversee and report on the financial status of sponsored research projects, by forecasting and tracking budget expenditures using the established departmental monthly budget report worksheets.

•  Hold final signature authority on program expenditures.

•  Develop tools and indicators to ensure quality and timeliness in all aspects of post-award management.

•  Oversee the award and financial management of departmental training grants. Manage trainee appointments via xTrain.

•  Serve as liaison for the research group with sponsors, vendors, and university departments.

•  Follow sponsor guidelines as detailed in the award agreements.

•  Provide support to assist PIs in successfully accomplishing their research goals. Be the go-to person for all aspects of non-scientific sponsored research project operations.

•  Manage outgoing subaward process for assigned research group budgets.

•  Manage Workday costings allocations for personnel in the assigned research group.

•  Prepare internal UW sub-budget requests and monitor activity of sub-budgets.

•  Prepare and update Other Support documents for PIs in the assigned research group.

•  Assist PIs with the preparation of research progress reports.

Program Compliance and Policy (25%)

•  Ensure compliance with sponsor, federal, state and university laws and regulations. Monitor new laws and directives and develop compliance policy or procedures. Keep program investigators, staff and senior management informed.

•  Identify and assess compliance and risk management issues.  Develop policies or procedures to manage issues and implement as appropriate to reduce audit risk.

•  Follow established sponsor and UW post award fiscal compliance guidelines to ensure all expenditures are allowable and allocable to sponsored research budgets.

•  Ensure the sponsored research project operational and deliverable requirements are met.

•  Ensure the UW financial management systems and controls for maintaining compliance with all applicable organizational policies and procedures, regulations, and donor requirements are in place and followed.

•  Ensure compliance with human subject and animal research requirements.

•  Ensure compliance with Faculty Effort Certification (FEC) and Grant and Contract Certification Report (GCCR) requirements.

•  Provide on-going training and written materials to PIs, administrative and research staff concerning policies, procedures, regulations pertaining to compliance topics.

•  Collaborate with PIs, grants managers, and other department administrators on UW campus and worldwide.

•  Meet reporting requirements.

Other (5%)

•  Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finances, or related field. Project management experience to include at least two years in pre and post award grant and contract management.

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except where there are legal requirements such as license/certification/registration.

Desired Qualifications

•     Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.

•     Strong analytical and problem solving skills

•     Ability to explain complex regulatory, budget and financial information to a broad range of individuals from various backgrounds

•     Must be a self-starter who is highly organized with a strong attention to detail

•     Demonstrated ability to work quickly with the ability to manage multiple and rapidly changing priorities

•     Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment

•     Open to receiving direction and to asking for assistance when needed

•     Ability to work both independently and collaboratively

•     Skilled in using Microsoft Excel to create and use complex spreadsheets

•     Experience with NIH proposals and awards

•     Knowledge of University of Washington fiscal policies and procedures, including those related to grants and contracts.

•     Experience with UW Systems particularly SAGE and MyFD.

•     Understanding of UW grant and contract management policies and practice.

•     Experience with federal grants and contracts policies and procedures.

•     Experience with subcontract agreements

Working Environmental Conditions

Standard office work environment.

This position requires the ability to work additional hours as needed to meet deadlines

Application Process:
The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process.  These assessments may include Workforce Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others.  Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.