Senior Pre-Award Coordinator - OSP

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JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) is seeking a dynamic, hard-working, innovative, and highly skilled professional for a unique opportunity of Senior Pre-Award Coordinator (Proposal and Award Generalist – Senior Professional). This position will serve as a Pre-Award Coordinator to provide proposal submission services to College Research Offices experiencing a high volume of proposal submissions or as relief to College Research Offices with acute workforce needs such as leaves for illness, maternity, or paternity, etc. and units without a Pre-award Authorized Organizational Representative.  This position will report directly to the OSP Pre-Award Manager.

Responsibilities: The responsibilities of this position include but are not limited to the following:

• Developing, preparing, and finalizing all aspects of a proposal submission; including but not limited to: proposal budget and cost share; preparing proposal forms, representations and certifications, and budget justification; obtaining cost share approvals
• Collaborating with college/unit offices on funding opportunities requiring special handling such as limited submissions, RFA (Request for Application), RFP (Request for Proposal), ITQ (Intent to Qualify) and other solicitations
• Liaisoning with OSP, ORP (Office of Research Protections), OTT (Office of Technology Transfer), Risk Management or other central units as needed to support proposal development
• Leading and/or participating in meetings with faculty or department heads on funding opportunities, team formation and responses to opportunities; providing recommendations to improve proposal success rate and effectiveness of award management
• Prioritizing timelines/schedules through interpretation of potential funding opportunities
• Assisting faculty or others with proposal preparation through reviewing sponsor and University guidelines and submission requirements
• Resolving issues and implementing solutions; initiating process improvements to address systemic roadblocks
• Prioritizing proposal assistance requests and workload with input from Pre-Award Manager
• Providing training and mentoring to pre-award coordinators

Exceptional customer service is a must as the liaison between OSP and College Research Offices, sponsors, and faculty.

Work Arrangement: The Office of Sponsored Programs is supportive of flexible work arrangements when aligned with the ability to meet the needs of the unit and the essential duties of the position. The location of this position is flexible and can operate fully remote within the United States, fully in-person at our University Park Campus, or in a hybrid model of both in-person and remote. Standard working hours are in the eastern time zone. Individuals working fully remotely may be asked to travel to Penn State to participate in certain on campus activities. Such travel costs will be covered by Penn State.

Education and Experience: Successful candidates are typically expected to have a Bachelor’s Degree and 6+ years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Experience in proposal preparation is required.

Additional Preferred Education, Experience, or Certifications: The successful candidate must have a working knowledge of federal government regulations, especially the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200). Familiarity with Strategic Information Management System (SIMS), and completion of the ACOR Certification and Education Series (ACES) is preferred.  Experience in financial aspects of research administration is helpful but not required.

Qualification for and maintenance of delegated signature authority is vital to this position.

Additional Required Competencies: The successful candidate must have self-management skills, including the ability to prioritize and maintain a large volume workload in a fast-paced environment, the ability to interpret information, ideas, and instructions clearly and accurately both verbally and in writing, the ability to determine causes of unusual occurrences and apply standard principles and practices to identify and implement solutions, and the ability to maintain effective relationships with peers and others in a diverse environment.

Application: Candidates should submit a cover letter expressing their interest and qualifications in the position, as well as a resume describing their education and work experience.

The Pennsylvania State University is committed to and accountable for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in all its forms. We embrace individual uniqueness, foster a culture of inclusive excellence that supports both broad and specific diversity initiatives, leverage the educational and institutional benefits of diversity, and engage all individuals to help them thrive. We value inclusive excellence as a core strength and an essential element of our public service mission.

Penn State offers competitive benefits to full-time employees, including medical, dental, vision, and retirement plans, in addition to tuition discounts (75% discount for spouse and children), and paid holidays. Please visit https://hr.psu.edu/current-employee/benefits for more detailed information.

The salary range for this position, including all possible grades is:

Salary Structure - additional information on Penn State's job and salary structure. 

CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS:

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here.

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies. 

EEO IS THE LAW

Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473.

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