Working Title: Assistant Director, Contracts and Awards (JMU Only)

State Role Title: N/A

Position Type: Administrative & Professional (Non-teaching Faculty)

Position Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt: Not Eligible for Overtime

College/Division: Vice President - REDI

Department: 539001 - Sponsored Program Accounting

Pay Rate: Commensurate with Experience

Specify Range or Amount:

Is this a JMU only position? Yes. This is a JMU only recruitment, only current JMU employees are eligible to apply.

Is this a grant-funded position? Yes. This is a grant-funded position and is contingent upon continued funding.

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? No

Beginning Review Date: 02/17/2025

About JMU:

Mission
We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision
To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are
Located in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. With a population of just over 53,000, Harrisonburg is one of the most diverse communities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 20,000 undergraduate and 1,900 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. The university is committed to expanding diversity, fostering equity and inclusion, and supporting superlative teaching and scholarship. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

General Information:

The Assistant Director, Contracts and Awards is a critical role within the Office of Sponsored Programs, responsible for the meticulous management, negotiation, and compliance of contracts, awards, and subrecipient agreements. This position ensures that the university's contractual obligations align with regulatory standards and institutional policies, while also providing essential support to Principal Investigators (PIs) throughout the award lifecycle. A significant component of this role involves managing the deployment and integration of the university's electronic research administration (eRA) system. By working closely with IT professionals, research administrators, and other stakeholders, the Assistant Director, Contracts and Awards will ensure the eRA system is implemented efficiently and effectively. This includes optimizing data management, enhancing research administration processes, and supporting institutional compliance through a well-executed system integration.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Their responsibilities as head of contracts and negotiations will include:
• Negotiation and Execution: The Assistant Director will review, negotiate, and execute complex contracts and agreements with various sponsors, including federal agencies, foundations, industry partners, and international entities. They will serve as the chief negotiator for high-profile and complex sponsored projects.

• Compliance and Policy Interpretation: They will ensure compliance with university policies, sponsor guidelines, and applicable federal and state regulations. They interpret and apply institutional policies and procedures related to sponsored activities.

• Risk Management: They assess and mitigate risks associated with contract terms and conditions and provide counsel and recommendations to university leadership on risk management strategies related to sponsored programs.

• Systems Support: They will create and maintain systematic processes for data analysis and reporting.

• Collaboration and Liaison: They will act as a liaison between the university and sponsors, regulatory agencies, and other external stakeholders. They will coordinate with administrative and compliance offices within the university to support sponsored research activities processes.

• Strategic Development: They will develop and implement strategies, policies, and procedures to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the contracts unit and participate in university-wide initiatives to support the growth and development of the research enterprise.

• Support for Researchers: They will provide expert guidance on contractual matters to faculty, research administrators, and sponsor personnel. They will assist researchers and other grant holders with pre-award compliance and other administrative aspects of sponsored projects.

Their responsibilities as sub-award manager will include:

• Subaward Administration: They will oversee the issuance, negotiation, and management of subawards, and ensure that subawards comply with university policies, sponsor guidelines, and applicable federal and state regulations.

• Compliance and Monitoring: They will monitor subrecipient compliance with subaward terms and conditions and ensure technical performance goals are achieved and aligned with the subrecipient's statement of work. They will advise the Office of Sponsored Programs Financial Services in on reviewing subrecipient invoices to verify that costs are allowable, allocable, and reasonable.

• Risk Assessment and Mitigation: They will assess the risk level of subrecipients and implement appropriate monitoring plans. They will address any issues related to subrecipient performance, including poor performance or non-compliance.

• Financial Oversight: They will collaborate with OSPFS to coordinate the setup and maintenance of subaward accounts and ensure accurate and timely financial reporting and reconciliation of subaward expenditures.

• Collaboration and Communication: They will establish and maintain communication with subrecipients during proposal preparation, submission, and throughout the award lifecycle. They will serve as a liaison between subrecipients, principal investigators, and university administrative offices.

• Policy Development and Implementation: They will participate in the development and implementation of policies and procedures related to subaward management. They will provide training and guidance to faculty and staff on subaward processes and compliance requirements.

• Strategic Planning: They will develop strategies to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of subaward management. They will contribute to the overall strategic planning and goal setting for the Office of Sponsored Programs.

Their responsibilities as eRA system manager will include:

• System Management and Maintenance: They will oversee the implementation, configuration, and maintenance of the eRA system. They will ensure the system is up to date with the latest software updates and security patches.

• User Support and Training: They will provide training and support to faculty, staff, and administrators on how to use the eRA system effectively. They will develop user guides, and training materials, and conduct workshops or training sessions.

• Process Improvement: They will streamline and optimize research administration processes through the eRA system. They will identify and implement improvements to enhance system functionality and user experience.

• Compliance and Reporting: They will ensure the eRA system supports compliance with university policies, sponsor guidelines, and applicable federal and state regulations. They will generate and manage reports for compliance, audit, and management purposes.

• Collaboration and Communication: They will serve as the primary liaison between the university and the vendor, and between the Office of Sponsored Research, the IT department, and other stakeholders. They will facilitate communication and collaboration to address system-related issues and enhancements.

• Data Management: They will oversee the integrity and security of data within the eRA system. They will oversee efforts to ensure accurate data entry, storage, and retrieval processes.

• Technical Support: They will provide technical support for troubleshooting and resolving system issues. They will coordinate with software vendors for advanced technical support and system enhancements.

• Strategic Planning: They will participate in strategic planning for the development and expansion of the eRA system. They will oversee efforts to align system capabilities with the university's research goals and objectives.

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree required. Doctorate preferred.
• Relevant experience in federal and/or private grants/contracts management. Experience with federal government funded sponsored programs as well as foundation, industry and other sponsors.
• Demonstrated project management and organizational skills to set priorities, establish deadlines, and follow through in a timely manner, to organize files and records for easy access and tracking.
• Expert knowledge of the organization’s mission and program areas.
• Expert knowledge of operations and processes of Office of Sponsored Programs Administration Services.
• Demonstrated experience in formulating and implementing policies and procedures.
• Ability to understand/compare contract/grant data to develop and implement budgets, goals, and plans.
• Ability to compose reports, presentations, of memos or other written documents based on analysis of information, presented in an organized, logical and concise manner.
• Demonstrated expertise with and knowledge of federal cost principles, administrative requirements, and other applicable rules and regulations regarding implementation of federal awards.
• Detailed knowledge of OMB’s Uniform Guidance (2CFR200) and other federal and state standards. Knowledge of non- and for-profit organizational legal requirements, policies and procedures.
• Understanding of sponsored programs related research security.
• Ability to identify and analyze complex accounting/contract/grant information or problems in an objective manner and derive logical conclusions to provide a sound basis for establishing priorities, selecting appropriate courses of action, and resolving conflicts.
• Demonstrated experience in exercising discretion and judgment and in maintaining the security of confidential and sensitive information and materials.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills for use in preparing information, clarifying situations, resolving problems, and for use in preparing a variety of correspondence and reports.
• Proficiency in MS Word and Excel.
• Highly developed collaboration skills and ability to work effectively as part of a team with all levels of staff.
• Strong logistical attention to detail and multi-tasking skills.

Additional Posting Information:

JMU’s Dual Career and Community Resources Program is available for candidates that will be relocating to the area. For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/2OTF1NG.

Conditions of Employment:  

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

EEO Statement:

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or jobs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.