Grants & Contracts Specialist

Job Posting Title:

Grants & Contracts Specialist

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Hiring Department:

Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies

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Position Open To:

All Applicants

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Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40

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FLSA Status:

Exempt

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Earliest Start Date:

Apr 08, 2024

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Position Duration:

Expected to Continue

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Location:

UT MAIN CAMPUS

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Job Details:

General Notes

The University of Texas at Austin
What benefits do I receive with UT? The university offers an impressive benefits package. For more details on benefits, please see: https://hr.utexas.edu/prospective/benefits  and https://hr.utexas.edu/current/services/my-total-rewards .
This position is eligible for a hybrid Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA) (on-campus and remote work). FWA arrangements are subject to manager approval and may shift due to changes in business needs. The remote location must have a reliable internet connection to support working remotely. UT policies on Flexible Work Arrangements are available at https://hr.utexas.edu/current/fwa .

The College of Liberal Arts

For more information about the College of Liberal Arts, please visit https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/ .
Our college seeks to build a supportive, growth-minded community and cultivate outstanding and courageous leaders. For more information on the college staff leadership academy, please visit https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/resources-for-faculty-staff/staff-leadership-academy/ .

For more information on college staff professional development, please visit: https://wikis.utexas.edu/display/larc/Staff+Professional+Development+Fund .

Institute - LLILAS (a Title VI National Resource Center)

The Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies (LLILAS) is recognized as one of the leading Centers for the Interdisciplinary Study of Latin America, with 165 affiliated faculty across colleges, schools, and departments at UT Austin. LLILAS offers programs that lead to BA, MA, and PhD degrees and a range of dual MA degree programs. The Nettie Lee Benson, Latin American Collection, is a global destination for research and study, with over a million volumes as well as a wealth of original manuscripts and various media related to Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean and Latina/Latino presence in the United States. LLILAS is a Title VI National Resource Center, which, in partnership with the Benson Collection as LLILAS Benson, advances research, teaching, and outreach initiatives to promote greater understanding and appreciation of the continent and its global diasporas.

For more information about the Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies (LLILAS), please visit: https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/llilas/ .

This position is eligible for a hybrid Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA) (3 days on-campus and 2 days remote work).

FWA arrangements are subject to manager approval and may shift due to changes in business needs. The remote location must have a reliable internet connection to support working remotely. UT policies on Flexible Work Arrangements are available at https://hr.utexas.edu/current/fwa .

Purpose

The Grants and Contracts Specialist works within the Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies as the principal manager for all grant programs, including government and private foundation funding, to support Latin American Studies and collections for the LLILAS Benson partnership.

Responsibilities

Grant Management and Administration  –

• Responsible for all post-award activities involving allowable costs, budget adjustments, reporting requirements, and compliance.
• Review employment appointments funded by grant accounts and confirm the availability of funds and appropriate allocations.
• Propose or review budget transfers on all 26-accounts to ensure compliance with sponsor guidelines and contractual terms.
• Oversee sub-award payments and their financial reporting on grants.
• Create and manage no-cost extensions.
• Monitor MOU, DUA, and NDA for compliance as appropriate.
• Manage & coordinate Effort Certification processes for PIs; engage with the Director & faculty to ensure their grant management needs are met.
• As a member of the LLILAS finance team, support effective budgeting and financial management of grant funds to serve the organization’s overall efforts and needs, assist in grants budget forecasting and spend down/burn rate reports, and assist in monitoring IDC return.

Proposal Preparation and Submission  –

• Identify, research, and write Institute funding proposals for LLILAS and LLILAS Benson that strengthen the Director's strategic goals for socially engaged research and programs in Latin American Studies.
• Administer all facets of proposal preparation and submission, including budgets, justifications, biographical sketches, and statements of work.
• Verify the quality and accuracy of the final submission, track progress in UTRMS, and coordinate all stakeholders' activities throughout the process. Supervise staff and student employees as needed to support proposal preparation and submission.

Grants Service, Representation  –

• Serve as the Institute’s expert on all Sponsored Projects/Research Policy and Processes.
• Participate in professional development activities and stay abreast of best practices in research administration.
• Maintain accurate and in-depth records on the Institute’s sponsored funds, generate related reports, and make related presentations to the community. Collaborate with LLILAS/CoLA/and UT offices to ensure LLILAS and LLILAS Benson activities/programs/faculty and student awards related to research and/or sponsored funds are prominently featured on the website, social media and public events.
• Serve as LLILAS’s primary liaison with the Office of Sponsored Projects, CoLA Research Office, Office of the VP for Research, Office of Institutional Assessment, and UT Association of Research Administrators.
• Serve as LLILAS' Point of Contact for all pre- and post-award matters.
   

Grants Promotion  –

• Responsible for managing, designing, and producing a retrospective LLILAS Benson Annual Report, in coordination with the LLILAS Director, Nettie Lee Benson, Latin American Collection Director, and the LLILAS finance and communications teams to be published in print and digitally at the start of each academic year for LLILAS stakeholders and Development efforts.
• Gather program information, statistics, and budget information about LLILAS Benson activities; develop, evaluate and manage LLILAS Benson statistical databases and collection protocols.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree and three years of directly relevant job experience. Experience in preparation, processing, and/or negotiation of contract/grant proposals and awards. Experience with Excel, FileMaker Pro, or other database software. Demonstrated ability to compile, analyze and edit complex documents and reports. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, using tact and diplomacy in handling sensitive information and engaging with various populations. Ability to proactively manage a workload of competing deadlines. Must be flexible and willing to take on new responsibilities.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

Master's degree and more than the required number of years of directly relevant job experience. Experience working within an academic setting. UT-specific knowledge related to contracts/grants administration, rules, policies, and procedures. Exceptional level of professionalism in communications and demeanor. High level of maturity, competence, and analytical skills to command high-pressure situations and act judiciously and decisively to resolve problems successfully. Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy. Demonstrated record of self-starter ability and resourcefulness needed to learn a job quickly and skillfully without guided training. Certified Research Administrator (CRA) status. Basic understanding of Latin American cultures and societies.

Bilingual English/Spanish and/or English/Portuguese.

Salary

$64,000

Working Conditions

Typical office environment

Required Materials

• Resume/CV
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest

Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers: You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, and then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional required materials (letters of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded to the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded. Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current University employees and contingent workers: As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left-hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled into your application. The application is one page, and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

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Employment Eligibility:

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

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Retirement Plan Eligibility:

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

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Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

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Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer , complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

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Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

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Employment Eligibility Verification:

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form.  You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States.  Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment.  Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

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E-Verify:

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

• E-Verify Poster (English) [PDF]
• E-Verify Poster (Spanish) [PDF]
• Right To Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right To Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

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Compliance:

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031 .

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.