Contract Administrator II

Contract Administrator

Colorado School of Mines (Mines) in Golden, Colorado, is seeking a dedicated and skilled Contract Administrator to join our Office of Research Administration (ORA). If you are an experienced research administrator, skilled in negotiating research contracts and drafting contract agreements, keep reading! At Mines, we are proud of our 150-year legacy, and our R1 research designation. Nestled in the picturesque town of Golden, Colorado, we are a cornerstone of the STEM community and the state of Colorado. As a Contract Administrator, you will play a crucial role in drafting and negotiating sponsor agreements at our esteemed institution. This is currently a hybrid position, successful candidates must be able to commute to Golden, CO at least twice per week.

Primary Responsibilities

• Negotiate unacceptable terms with the research sponsor. This involves suggesting or insisting on, as appropriate, alternative language or deletion of terms and conditions. Collect relevant information and ensure approval of all terms and conditions.
• Perform cost negotiations with sponsors; including a justification of costs and explanation of school polices and business practices.
• Maintain awareness of contractual language regarding issues such as intellectual property rights, confidentiality, liability, indemnification, risk, publishing rights, invoice and payment terms, governing law, and confirmation of sponsor's corporate registration, and identify terms that are compliant with university policies and state law
• Successfully navigate diverse workload for differing sponsors and individually prioritize research agreements in order to meet deadlines set by funding agencies.
• Draft or review research-related contracts, and other agreements, funded and unfunded, such as research and research services and consulting, memoranda of understanding, material transfer agreements, confidentiality agreements, master agreements, cooperative research and development agreements, data use, equipment loans, proprietary information, intergovernmental personnel assignments, and other agreements.
• Review sponsored research agreements, both initial and modifications, received from external organizations to Mines. Analyze the agreement to determine if the terms and conditions meet federal and state regulations, Mines policies, and project requirements.
• Escalate non-standard contract terms, as needed, in accordance with approved escalation procedures.
• Determine if changes to a research project require prior approval from the project's sponsor and coordinate with the faculty member to create and submit the change request.
• Submit and approve requests for no-cost time extensions, budget deviations, and pre-award spending based on sponsor requirements
• Perform initial reviews on deficit spending requests (currently, At-Risk Spending Requests) to determine if the financial risk to Mines is acceptable under current policy and practices.
• If issues arise during the performance of a research project, this position will work with the applicable faculty members, ORA staff members, other departments and/or project sponsor, as applicable, to address such concerns.
• Responsible for initiating, negotiating and managing research subcontracts including a review of the subcontractor's proposal; determining which subcontract template is applicable, determining the applicable prime contract flow-down terms and conditions; negotiating the subcontract; maintaining subcontract documentation to meet federal and state audit requirements; and manage annual review of subrecipients.
• Work with applicable departments to establish the payment mechanisms for subcontractor invoices.
• Maintain communication with faculty to ensure all information for sponsored research agreement is outlined along with the process to negotiate the agreement. Effective communication is critical to the success of this position.
• Interpret and explain federal, state, and Mines regulations and policies to faculty and other Mines personnel in order to help them understand the contracting process and how the regulations apply to individual agreements.
• Ongoing contact with sponsoring agencies and other external personnel for the purpose of agreement negotiation and management including outline of Mines policies, business practices, and other applicable regulations.
• Meet with faculty to answer questions and/or assist with a sponsored research agreement.
• Responsible for ensuring accurate data is entered into the data repository, including contract and project information and notes.
• Upload all fully executed agreements, modifications, and sponsor prior approvals into the system.
• Provide formal and informal training to faculty members and departmental staff regarding school policy and procedures and sponsoring agency rules and regulations in relation to negotiating and accepting a sponsored research agreement.
• Provide support for Contract Administrator unit, particularly regarding contract language and University initiatives
• Actively participate in office wide process evaluation and reengineering efforts. Critically evaluate process and procedures with a goal of efficiency and optimal resource utilization. Make recommendations for improvements to management and lead improvement efforts if approved.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Minimum Qualifications

• Baccalaureate degree in business or related field. Work experience or associate's degree which provides the same kind, amount and level of knowledge acquired for a BA may be substituted for the degree
• 3 or more years in research administration
• Knowledge and experience with implementation of government regulations
• Demonstrated customer service skills, the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community and ability to meet multiple deadlines
• Analyzation and problem-solving skills including the ability to use independent judgment
• Ability to use databases, presentation software, and enterprise financial systems
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills
• Skill in establishing and fostering a cooperative work environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Contract negotiation experience
• Knowledge of University environment and policies
• Master's degree

Salary and Benefits

Contract Administrator II: $72,000 - $80,000 annual salary

Mines takes into consideration a combination of candidate's education, training and experience as well as the position's scope and complexity, the discretion and latitude required in the role, work location, and external market and internal value when determining a salary level for potential new employees.

Colorado School of Mines offers a robust portfolio of benefits for all employees. For this role, that includes:

• Flexible health and dental care options
• Generous sick/vacation time: 13 paid holidays per year – including a week-long winter break for entire campus.
• Fully vested retirement plan on first day of employment, with generous employer contribution
• Tuition benefits (6 credits per year for employees, 50 percent discount for dependents)
• Free RTD Ecopass

All Mines employees also have access to discount programs through the State of Colorado and free tickets for Mines Athletics home games, as well as access to the state of the art Recreation Center (fitness classes and training, swimming pool and more) and equipment rentals through the Outdoor Rec Center. We are proud to have recently opened an on campus daycare center. For more details about benefits at Mines, visit mines.edu/human-resources/benefits.