The position plays an important role in growing the research portfolio for the entire College. As a member of a small and service-focused dynamic team, with a strong and successful grants award record, the Grant Proposal Specialist will focus mainly on the Pre-Award process and interact with some 50 research-active faculty/staff in the COE. This position reports directly to the Assistant Dean for Research Development and requires the ability to work independently and diligently. A successful candidate must be highly motivated and be able to work professionally in a fast-paced, multitasking environment. Communication skills are key to the success of this position as coordination between multiple offices, institutions, and individuals is a regular responsibility of this position.

Outstanding UA benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; UA/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; retirement plans; access to UA recreation and cultural activities; and more!

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Duties and Responsibilities:

• Manage the grant and contract pre-proposal and the grant contract proposal process
• Manage complex proposal development independently
• Develop budgets and budget justification materials to adhere to sponsor's proposal requirements (Excel proficiency required)
• Review RFP, create detailed inventory for PI, and advise PI on relevant proposal requirements as needed
• Schedule grant proposal meetings
• Manage alignment of submissions and finalization of proposal with SPS using the electronic routing system UAccess Research (UAR) and the College's Smartsheets tool
• Complete proposal packages on behalf of PIs using Grants.gov PDFs, Research.gov, and other proposal platforms
• Ensure compliance with university policy (and applicable federal, state, and sponsor policies)
• Refine the logistics and standard processes of proposal development from proposal inception to submission, including: maintaining standards of communication with PIs (email reminders and email alerts), and management of external partners (school districts, non-profits, other organizations)
• Prepare yearly analysis reports on College grant submissions and awards to inform decision making and COE leadership
• Liaise between PI, College, external and internal partners, Sponsored Project Services (SPS) and University of Arizona Foundation (UAF) to resolve proposal issues
• Communicate and work with other institutions as necessary to set up subcontracts and/or collaborate on joint proposals and to ensure proper procedures are followed
• Communicate status updates and maintain timeline congruent with SPS/UAF deadlines
• Communicate directly with SPS and other relevant UArizona offices to address compliance matters prior to submission
• Collaborate with research team on creation and delivery of both formal and informal grants training for faculty, staff, and graduate students
• Work with Grants Manager and PI's to update projects through UAR as needed, including PI changes, new budgets and budget changes for ongoing projects
• Coordination (meetings, trainings, procedural reviews, and relationship building)
• Attend Quarterly Grants Management Team meetings
• Participate in Grants Management Team to continue to refine grant management and support plans
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products (emphasis on Excel) and Adobe Acrobat
• Other duties as assigned

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills including customer service orientation
• Strong organizational skills
• Ability to work independently
• Attention to detail
• Strong editing and writing skills
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment
• Expert knowledge of funding landscape for educational research
• Demonstrated knowledge of sponsor policies and procedures

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent advanced learning attained through professional level experience required
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience, or equivalent combination of education and work experience

• Experience in both Pre- and Post-Award research administration in a university setting
• Extensive experience in Pre-Award research administration
• Experience using SmartSheets or other management tools