Contract Administrator

Job Description

This member of the Contracts Administration team at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University will manage both pre-award and post-award activities for an assigned portfolio of contracts within the Office of Sponsored Research. The role requires knowledge of contract management rules and regulations, financial budget management, technical expertise, and analytical skills. The Contract Administrator will provide guidance on contractual issues that may present compliance liabilities to the university.

The Contract Administrator is involved in the entire contract lifecycle, including pre-award and post-award support. Responsibilities include coordinating with Principal Investigators (PIs) in the pre-award phase for proposal development, budget preparation and justification, and proposal package submission. In the post-award phase, the individual will work in partnership with Accounting and Budget staff to set up, fund, and fiscally manage awards. The Contract Administrator will also manage sub-agreements and modifications as needed, track progress by monitoring deliverables and project tasks, oversee budget management, and report to sponsors for contracts awarded to the university.

Additionally, the position involves performing data entry in relevant administrative systems, such as MS Workday, managing award closeout, and providing reports as needed for internal and external audits. The Contract Administrator is responsible for guiding principal investigators on compliance with federal and private contract administration, including adherence to internal policies and procedures, FAR, DFAR, OMB, and other government rules and regulations, as well as sponsoring agency terms and conditions.

This position requires collaboration with internal and external stakeholders on contract proposals and awards, including project sponsors from federal, state, municipal, or private organizations. The incumbent will be expected to provide clear and concise communication to all stakeholders across the university and externally with sponsors.

The position offers the possibility of hybrid/remote work locations.

Responsibilities include the following:

• Pre-award activity: Support in the proposal preparation, budget justification and submissions for government and industry research contracts.  Pre-award responsibilities include providing guidance to principal investigators, project budget creation and review, compliance review, and interpretation of funding agency regulations, and submitting approved proposals to sponsors. Perform data entry in appropriate administrative systems to include MS Workday.
• Post-award activity: Manage awarded research contracts, including fiscal management, invoicing, monitoring of allowable expenses, effort monitoring, cost sharing, tracking and reporting contract performance and overall financial administration of contracts. Perform data entry in appropriate administrative systems to include MS Workday.
• Maintain contract files, sub-contracts, contract modifications, consulting agreements, split-funding forms, effort reporting, sub-recipient monitoring, record retention of contract documents.
• Coordinate other activities, special reports, projects, and other related duties as assigned. Generate reports as requested, and raise potential concerns involving contract budget management, administration, compliance issues and other key issues regarding contract administration and compliance.  

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree. 
• Combination of related education and experience may be considered. Education beyond the minimum required may be substituted for work experience. Work experience beyond the minimum required may be substituted for education.
• Finance/Accounting experience in preparing and managing budgets, highly recommended.
• 5+ years with multiple contracts management experience.
• Analytical skills with an in depth knowledge of information systems and technical expertise with Microsoft operating systems, Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook/email, Workday, and Internet end-user applications. 
• Proficient communication skills
• Maintains a high degree of professionalism
• Demonstrates time management and priority setting skills
• Demonstrates a high commitment to quality
• Possesses flexibility to work in a fast paced, dynamic environment
• Highly thorough and dependable
• Demonstrates a high level of accuracy, even under pressure

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with contracting guidelines as detailed in the FAR, ITAR and CFR.
• Experience working in higher education with knowledge of Sponsored Research, including the principles, methods, and procedures of contract administration and compliance.
• Master's degree