Contracts and Grants Administrator

Contracts And Grants Administrator

The Contracts And Grants Administrator is a professional position within the Division of Sponsored Programs (DSP), operating under the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation (OVPRI) at Virginia Commonwealth University. The incumbent functions as a key member of a collaborative team dedicated to advancing the growth, integrity and compliance of VCU's research enterprise. The Contract Administrator serves as a liaison between internal OVPRI units, university stakeholders, external sponsors, and institutional collaboratorsensuring the efficient review, negotiation, execution, and management of research proposals and sponsored agreements.

The Contracts And Grants Administrator will be responsible for the following duties:

Manage a comprehensive portfolio of clinical trial and industry-sponsored research agreements across all academic units to ensure institutional protection and regulatory compliance. The incumbent will independently review and negotiate a wide array of contracts, including Clinical Trial Agreements (CTAs), Confidentiality Agreements (CDAs/NDAs), Master Agreements, Subcontracts, and consortium and collaborative research contracts.

Provide expert drafting and negotiation of contractual terms to ensure the expedited execution of both internally and externally supported industry agreements, including the administrative processing of research proposals and related administrative actions. This role requires demonstrated proficiency in the alignment and reconciliation of Informed Consent Forms (ICF) with clinical trial agreements, alongside the negotiation of critical legal terms such as subject injury, indemnification, intellectual property, and publication rights.

Serve as a primary liaison between the University and for-profit sponsors. The Administrator reconciles technical contract language with regulatory mandates to ensure all agreements align with university policy and applicable laws. In this capacity, the incumbent must critically analyze and interpret complex requirements, maintaining full compliance with sponsor stipulations, institutional policies, GCP guidelines, and federal, state, and local laws governing industry-supported projects and clinical trials.

Foster collaborative relationships with external sponsors to accelerate contracting timelines; utilize Master Agreements and institutional templates to streamline negotiations and advance study start-up and study activation. Advise the university research community as a strategic resource, providing expert guidance on clinical and non-clinical industry collaborations and other sponsored activities to ensure alignment with VCU's comprehensive mission and institutional objectives. Serving as a primary liaison between the University and for-profit sponsors, the Administrator facilitates a seamless 'study start-up' process by providing faculty with proactive, solution-oriented guidance.

Provide comprehensive, personalized support to the University research communityincluding faculty and research administratorsthrough multiple platforms (RAMS-SPOT, virtual meetings, email) to streamline the process for obtaining and managing industry-supported funding. This includes active problem-solving and administrative oversight to ensure the efficient lifecycle management of clinical trial agreements and research projects.

The incumbent will manage the pre-award and post-award functions including proposal review, administrative action processing, modifications, and extensions with for-profit industry sponsors as well as non-industry sponsors (non-profit and federal flow-through). A key responsibility is coordinating the formal hand-off to the Post-Award team to ensure a seamless transition from contract execution to financial awarding.

Typical duties include:

Contract Review and Negotiation

Research Administration

Stakeholder Engagement

Miscellaneous

Qualifications include:

Minimum Qualifications

Only applicants who do not require current or future sponsorship for employment will be considered

Communication & Collaboration

Organizational Expertise

Problem-Solving & Innovation

Regulatory Fluency

Customer Service Excellence

Technical Proficiency

Education & Experience

Preferred Qualifications

Salary Range: $45,000-$60,000

Benefits: All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU's robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.

FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt

Hours per Week: 40

Restricted Position: No

ORP Eligible: No

Flexible Work Arrangement: Fully Remote

University Job Title: 26211N - Contracts & Grants Specialist 1

Each agency within the Commonwealth of Virginia is dedicated to recruiting, supporting, and maintaining a competent and diverse work force. Equal Opportunity Employer