Scientific Grants Administrator, Sr Specialist

POSITION TITLE: Grants Administrator, Sr Specialist

REPORTS TO: Associate Director, Scientific Grants

STATUS: Full-Time Exempt

LOCATION: Chicago, IL

Grade 7

Who We Are:

The Alzheimers Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimers care, support and research.

Our mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia - by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support.

At the Alzheimers Association, our employees are at the core of all we do. Our network of more than 1,700 employees across the United States makes a difference each and every day for those impacted by Alzheimers and those at risk for the disease.

We warmly invite qualified applicants to consider this opportunity to make a life changing impact on the millions living with Alzheimers, their caregivers and those that may be diagnosed with the disease in the future. Read on to learn more about the role, then visit our website www.alz.org to find out more about who we are and why we've been recognized as a Best Place to Work the last eleven years in a row.

POSITION SUMMARY

Alzheimers Association Grants Administrator is responsible for providing oversight and management of the pre- and post-award activities for their assigned portfolio of grants. They serve to maximize efficiency, capitalize on core competencies of other team members, and provide proactive management of their assigned research portfolio by fostering open lines of communication with the Grantee Institutions, Principal Investigators, Applicants and Reviewers. The Grants Administrator will be responsible for working closely with the Associate Director of Scientific Grants and Vice President, Medical & Scientific Relations in order to disseminate information and the grant programs to the scientific community, to lead informational webinars and teleconferences with applicants and reviewers to describe the programs, the eligibility and answer queries for these programs. They will oversee the process of contacting grantees and their organizational/ institutional administrators to obtain required reporting for the grants team, and in this position, they must be versed on the Associations policies and procedures. The Grants Administrator must foster good working relationships, both internally and externally. The Grants Administrator position will be based out of our Chicago downtown office and will report to the Associate Director, Scientific Grants.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides continuity of award management overseeing all aspects of the complex portfolio of grants from launch of an RFA, awarding the grant through the completion of the grant
• Support the development of program announcements, including requests for applications, the letter of intent and application instructions and reviewer instructions.
• Aids in the creation and maintenance of all program templates including request for applications, letter of intent and application forms, reviewer guidelines, applicant notifications, funded/ not funded notifications and others program templates as appropriate
• Leads the dissemination of information about the grant program to the scientific community, including emails, newsletter and posting on websites, hosting webinars and teleconferences with potential applicants to outline these programs, eligibility and help respond to all queries, and to help potential applicants connect with past successful applicants for programmatic input and support. The goal is to help applicants submit stronger applications, and more satisfied potential awardees and reviewers.
• Responds to inquiries from grantees and institutional administrators
• Analyzes the content of each scientific application to ensure completeness and that program guidelines are met, including support for applicant issues including eligibility, documentation, and specific inquiries relating to the application process
• Solicit and negotiate scientist participation in the peer-review process, and monitor the input of reviewer critiques and scores for accuracy of adjudication, support Associate Director and Vice President in the review process of grant programs.
• Supports and leads review panel discussions, including coordinating reviewer panel discussion slates, drafting applicant summary statements for individualized emails and responding to queries from all applicants (funded and not funded).
• Provides management and project level support, including maintenance of electronic award records, including coordination of reporting requirements and future payments for new grants
• Provide oversight of the external grants management system vendor to ensure appropriate criteria is available in the online grants management database for successful receipt of applications, reviewer information and overall synergy between the program announcement and the online grants management database information.
• Ensures all Grants are managed in accordance with approved and best practice policies and procedures for audit compliance, including the grant deliverable reminder, submission and review process
• Aids in defining, creating, organizing and updating program policies and processes
• Independently reconcile payments against original distribution report for accuracy and project budget requests, and oversee preparation of payment requests and submit for disbursements to institutions of award; supports Associate Director and Vice President on financial reporting and tracking grant expenses throughout and across years
• Provides first tier review of budgets, activations, financial statements and progress reports
• Fosters trust and transparency between the Association, applicants, awardees and reviewers through clear, consistent communications and expectations.
• Escalate project-level delays or anomalies to supervisor and strictly follow process workflows to ensure timely resolution and progression of Association-funded projects.
• Generates and prepares data for monthly reports, portfolio analyses and other required reports
• Work collaboratively with Marketing and Communications and/or Leadership Giving teams to provide periodic program reports to stakeholders.
• Performs any other duties or tasks as assigned or required

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Bachelors degree, preference to applicants with science background
  
• Optional: Master's or advanced degree in science

Experience

• 2-4 years of non-profit experience
• Previous experience in grants or in sponsored projects management is ideal
• Background in science either through undergraduate or graduate studies or prior work experience

Related Skills & Other Requirements

• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize, multitask and meet competing deadlines
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Exceptional attention to detail and task follow-through
• Sound judgment and discretion, with an ability to proactively engage in problem solving with various programmatic and functional teams
• Strong computer skills with proficiency in Microsoft Suite, Word, Excel and Power Point
• Knowledge of proposalCENTRAL or related award management system is a plus
• Eagerness to grow with the position as the organizations needs evolve

The Alzheimers Association is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and

provides consideration for an employment relationship without regard to race, color, religion,

sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, genetic predisposition, national

origin, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state

or local law.