Sponsored Projects Officer - req# 15403

The Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) staff serve as the Authorized Organizational Representatives (AOR) for the University of New Mexico Main and Branch Campuses. OSP staff have delegated authority from the Vice President for Research for all sponsored projects. As such, OSP is a core office with university-wide scope. The unit provides support, assistance, and technical knowledge on proposal submissions, contract review and negotiations, and set-up of successfully awarded projects. The OSP staff work closely with faculty, department administrators, and support staff to ensure project success and compliance throughout the sponsored projects lifecycle.

The Office of Sponsored Projects is seeking a qualified candidate for a Sponsored Projects Officer (SPO). The SPO will directly report to the Contracts Team Supervisor and will independently conduct complex contract review and negotiation, advise on and develop processes and solutions that aim to reduce administrative burden, provide mentorship to other Contract Team members with navigating negotiation tactics and interpretation of clauses, and assist with ensuring quality control. The SPO must be familiar with and adhere to internal processes and policies and State, Federal, and applicable agency policies. These policies include but are not limited to the Federal Acquisition Regulations and OMB Uniform Guidance.

The selected candidate will have the ability to demonstrate critical thinking skills, problem recognition and problem-solving ability, independent analysis, strong attention to detail, and sharp negotiation skills. The position requires an ability to communicate with a variety of stakeholders in a positive tone using clear and concise messaging (in both oral and written communication), while balancing compliance with customer service. The candidate will be able to demonstrate their ability to utilize an enterprise-wide-system as a resourceful tool to access historical information and maintain quality records.

As a Sponsored Projects Officer on our team, you will:

Serve the UNM research community by reviewing contracts and applying negotiation tactics when working with private industry, federal and state sponsors.

Closely coordinate on compliance measures with other University Offices such as Export Control, Industrial Security, Information Technology, University Counsel, and UNM Rainforest Innovations.

Respond to highly complex situations to identify the problem, the parties involved, possible solutions and recommendations for a path forward.

Provide customer service to UNM faculty and staff on processes from inception to execution of contracts.

Advise on changes to applicable policies in order to develop improved internal processes, while maintaining minimal administrative burden.

Assist with quality control efforts.

Other duties include, monitoring awards with special security compliance requirements; serve as back-up to the Contract Team Supervisor; ensure data accuracy of contract records in the Cayuse system; updating or developing procedure and contract-related documentation; and participate in developing and presenting trainings to UNM departments and the UNM research community.

Please read and follow the Application Instructions listed below.

See the Position Description for additional information.

Bachelor's degree; at least 3 years of experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified.

Completed degree(s) from an accredited institution that are above the minimum education requirement may be substituted for experience on a year for year basis.

Experience:

Pre- and/or Post-Award processing of Sponsored Projects funds

Negotiation of sponsored research contracts

Leading, motivating, and mentoring professional level staff

Working on major sponsored research projects or with government contracts

Working with an enterprise-wide-system such as: Banner, Cayuse and MyReports

Degrees and or Certificates:

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Certified Research Administrator (CRA)

Skills and Abilities:

Excellent written and oral communication skills

Strong research skills and the ability to independently conduct research on relevant regulations

Ability to work autonomously with a significant degree of organization and interpersonal skills to work efficiently with a wide range of constituents

Only applications submitted throughthe official UNMJobs site will be accepted. If you are viewing this jobadvertisement on a 3rd party site, pleasevisit UNMJobs to submit an application.

Please attach:

a. The rsum should include a complete work history, including beginning and ending dates of employment, (Month and Year), and the number of hours worked per week.
b. Cover letter that addresses how your qualifications and experience match the Preferred Qualifications that are detailed in the Job Ad.

Positions posted with a Staff Type of Regular or Term are eligible for the Veteran Preference Program. See the Veteran Preference Program webpage for additional details.

The University of New Mexico is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.