Req #: 239305Department: DEPARTMENT OF EPIDEMIOLOGYPosting Date: 10/02/2024Closing Info:
Closes On 10/09/2024Salary: $6,300 - $6,700 per monthLimited Recruitment: Open to UW Employees onlyShift: First ShiftAs a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to building stronger minds and a healthier world.UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits, and natural beauty.Epidemiology has an outstanding opportunity for a Program Operations Specialist to manage post-award finance activities to ensure compliance, reconcile expenditures, maintain faculty budget summary information and is a center expert for complex Workday business processes. The individual in this role will provide sponsored programs support to the Grants and Finance Manager.The National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC) was established in 1999 by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and serves as the centralized data repository, collaboration, and communication hub for the NIA’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers (ADRC) Program.The National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC) serves as the data, communication, and collaboration coordinating center for the National Institute on Aging (NIA) Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers (ADRC) Program.NACC is currently funded by a $45M grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and is home to one of the largest (45k+ participants), oldest, and most powerful Alzheimer’s datasets. Our extensive database of rich, longitudinal, standardized clinical and neuropathological data was built in collaboration with more than 37 Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers (ADRCs) across the US over the past 24+ years. NACC facilitates impactful research by serving as the data, communication, and collaboration coordinating center for the ADRC Program. NACC is driving major innovations that will modernize data collection, integration, storage, and sharing to transform and advance Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia (ADRD) research. NACC is expanding its database to integrate electronic health records, Medicare claims, digital biomarkers, and digital neuropathology data, as well as additional genetic, biospecimen, and standard imaging (MRI and PET) metadata. Additionally, NACC is developing a novel data search and visualization portal to make all these data streams readily searchable and accessible to the international research community. This work will open the door to new discoveries in Alzheimer’s, improve our understanding of the disease, and enable the development of earlier disease detection technologies and more impactful therapeutics.NACC is organized into five teams: 1) technology team, 2) project team, 3) research team, 4) grants and finance team and 5) communications team. NACC has been funded by NIA since 1999 and is based at the University of Washington, Department of Epidemiology.Position Description
The Program Operations Specialist - Grants and Contracts Specialist will be an essential member of the Grants and Finance team, providing critical grants and finance administration to the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC). This role is designed to support the CLARiTI program, which leverages NACC infrastructure to streamline and track MRI and PET image submissions from ADRCs and provide key data analyses for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias research. CLARiTi is a multi-year award study funded by the National Institute on Aging that provides cutting-edge imaging and blood-based biomarker data for researchers worldwide to advance Alzheimer’s and related dementias research.To ensure the smooth operation of the CLARiTI program, this position will assist the Grants and Finance Manager by managing the program’s complex funding streams, allocating resources, and overseeing compliance with financial and regulatory requirements, including HIPAA. This role will be involved in monitoring budgets, tracking expenses, and supporting the integration of new case report forms. As the program progresses into its second year, this position will also be responsible for managing grant expenditures, reporting, and overall financial administration to help meet program objectives. Reporting directly to the Grants & Finance Manager, this role will be integral to the Grants & Finance Team, focusing on post-award activities and finance administration for the CLARiTI program.NACC is funded by various federal grants and contracts for about $17M/year, and it provides subcontract funds throughout the year to 37 Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers (ADRC). NACC is responsible for successfully issuing subcontracts to the ADRCs continuously throughout the budget year in a timely manner and ensuring compliance with funding agency regulations through regular internal expenses & subcontract invoice review. In addition to the contract & grant aspects of the center administrations, NACC provides critical administrative support for the ADRC community in collaboration with NIH/NIA such as maintaining its research and administrative personnel database and facilitating meetings. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills are essential, as the person in this position will work on initiating and reviewing a request for complex subcontracts after determining their eligibility as well as managing all the subcontract requests and their fiscal status. Additionally, this position is expected to conduct audits and reconciliation of all expenses under the guidance of the Grants & Finance Manager. Excellent communication and organization skills are required as the person in this position is expected to support for the center's complex operations daily, and work in close collaboration with various internal and external stakeholders including funding agencies, subcontractors (ADRCs), vendors, UW units, and NACC faculty and staff. It is critical that the person occupying this position can work in harmony with various personnel from diverse backgrounds and multiple institutions. Strong communication skills and possessing characteristics of professionalism are critical as the person in this position will represent the center and the University through constant collaboration with external stakeholders.Additionally, the Program Operations Specialist processes and tracks department finance details to ensure actions are correct and in compliance, reconciles expenditures and maintains faculty and staff budget summary information.DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Post-Award Administration
Manage a portfolio of approximately 35 sub-awards for the CLARiTI program, including sub-budget allocations, expenses, and sub-contract accounts. Ensure compliance with budget and fiscal policies, procedures, monitoring, reconciliation, and reporting.
Oversee and manage grants, contracts, and research sub-award agreements. Ensure they are executed promptly, monitored regularly, and communicate the status with appropriate internal and external partners.
Administer CLARiTI sub-award setup, invoicing, and monitoring to ensure timely and accurate execution of sub-recipient agreements and payments.
Create and maintain a system for managing the review and tracking of sub-award invoices, ensuring the administration of this system for approximately 35 sub-awards.
Oversee and manage complex expenditure transactions. Ensure compliance and accuracy across UW tracking systems for award activity and independently resolve discrepancies in expenditures.
Perform regular financial analysis to ensure expenditure compliance, and independently correct or adjust discrepancies to maintain compliance.
Create financial policies for establishing and maintaining account management procedures, including preparation and/or approval of monthly budget reports and ensuring accurate monthly reconciliation of expenditures with UW accounting systems and relevant grant award requirements.
Evaluate post-award activities periodically as the CLARiTI program evolves and propose and implement process improvements.
Identify, initiate, and monitor sub-budget allocations, expenses, and sub-contract accounts. Coordinate with other UW departments and external partners to ensure compliance and accuracy.Program and Operational Support
Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to oversee the CLARiTI program’s financial activities. This includes creating a finance project timeline for the timely collection, review, and management of subcontractor-related documentation such as Institutional Agreements, letters of support, budgets, budget justifications, Statements of Work (SOW), and Human Subject approvals to ensure compliance and alignment with project objectives. Additionally, establish, manage, and execute clear processes for purchase orders, requisitions, reimbursements, honorariums, and expense transfers using Workday.
Manage Pre-award program related responsibilities including preparing and updating Bio sketches, NIH Grant Other Support, Grant Equipment documents, and documentation for grant proposals. Assist in preparing and updating Just-In-time materials.
Create and establish a tracking system for the Budget Projection Sheets for the Center, monitoring the total cost for personnel and preparing periodic reports for spending analysis, and forecast future needs.
Assist with the preparation of annual reports for the grant cycle, ensuring that expenses are accurately and comprehensively summarized. Responsible for validating all financial data, ensuring adherence to compliance and transparency requirements, and presenting final reports to key stakeholders for review.
Ensure accurate forecasting of future funding needs and monitor budget performance to ensure alignment with grant requirements and organizational goals.
Develop systems and tools to provide regular updates to faculty and department administrators regarding changes in federal and university research directives, as well as changes to departmental procedures.
Manage the proposal process, ensuring that all sponsor requirements are adhered to, as needed. This may include creating administrative proposal documents, processing the eGC1, uploading proposal documents via sponsor websites, and obtaining verification successful applicant transmittal to sponsor.
Collaborate with the Epi HR, grant, and finance teams to evaluate, improve, and document Workday business processes and workflows, focusing on enhancing finance and program administration functions.
Monitor payroll activity to ensure salary allocations comply with UW and sponsor regulations. Perform expense transfers as needed. Partner with Epi HR to ensure accurate HR system entry such as FTE changes, comp changes, terminations and LOA related entries in Workday.
Responsible for maintenance of day-to-day office activities and will responsibilities for facilities management, surplus, inventory and special projects.
Assist with the annual ADRC meetings, such as purchasing, contract reviews, reimbursement for travel, etc.
Attend trainings and regular meetings related to Workday and campus HR and serve as the department Workday subject matter expert. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Bachelor's in Accounting, Finance, Research Administration or related field.
Minimum 2 years of experience in finance management, including budget planning, analysis, and reporting, in addition to general principles and processes of accounting. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Ability to synthesize and communicate budget and policy information to a diverse audience.
Demonstrated ability to maintain harmonious relationships and effectively address complex and sensitive administrative issues.
Demonstrated ability and/or experience handling high volume of diverse tasks, under deadlines, with consistently excellent accuracy and attention to detail.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
High degree of proficiency in Microsoft Office suite
Proven leadership and communication skills.
Proven ability to organize complex tasks.
Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration. DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Prior experience in research administration within a large academic institution.
Knowledge of University of Washington’s Workday HR/Payroll system and SAGE grants system.
Experience managing federal grants and contracts, with a preference for experience in basic science and clinical research programs.
Prior experience in grant-funded environment.
Working knowledge of University of Washington’s policies and procedures. Application Process: The application process may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment, you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are access ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.
University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, among other things, race, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.
