• 2210824

Administrative Officer

Job Summary:

The Administrative Officer for Research Administration provides oversight of a large and complex grant and contract portfolio for VUMC departments/divisions/centers. Provides strong knowledge and understanding of pre- and post-award grants and contracts management. Independently prepares and assembles grant proposals and contracts in compliance with sponsor, Medical Center, and federal guidelines and deadlines in conjunction with faculty and administrative leadership. Interacts with other departments, external institutions and agencies to facilitate the development, submission, and administration of grant proposals and contracts. Independently manages budget responsibilities for grants and contracts. Monitor terms and agreements of pre- and post-award grants and contracts for compliance. Serves as the primary resource for providing guidance and oversight on issues related to fiscal, administrative, and regulatory management of a portfolio of grants, contracts, and sponsored programs from award receipt through closeout.

Department/Unit Summary:

Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) is a leader in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The centers world-renowned team of experts provides a integrated, personalized and patient-centered approach to cancer care, including treatment, research, support, education and outreach. From a wide variety of wellness programs to a leading REACH for Survivorship Clinic, patients find support from diagnosis through survivorship. VICC is a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, one of just two centers in Tennessee and 51 in the country to earn this highest distinction, and ranks in the top 10 nationwide for cancer research grant support. Here is a link to our website - http://www.vicc.org/

Position Shift:

• Days

View how Vanderbilt Health employees celebrate the difference they make every day:

Discover Vanderbilt University Medical Center:

Located in Nashville, Tennessee, and operating at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery and patient care, VUMC is a community of individuals who come to work each day with the simple aim of changing the world. It is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded and your abilities challenged. It is a place where your diversity — of culture, thinking, learning and leading — is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt’s mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research.

VUMC Recent Accomplishments

Because we are committed to providing the best in patient care, education and research, we are proud of our recent accomplishments:

• US News & World Report: #1 Adult Hospital in Tennessee and metropolitan Nashville, named to the Best Hospitals Honor Roll of the top 20 adult hospitals, 10 nationally ranked adult specialty programs, with 3 specialties rated in the top 10 nationally, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt named as one of the Best Children’s Hospital in the nation, with 10 out of 10 pediatric specialties nationally ranked.

• Healthcare’s Most Wired: Among the nation’s 100 “most-wired” hospitals and health systems for its efforts in innovative medical technology.

• Becker’s Hospital Review: named as one of the “100 Great Hospitals in America”, in the roster of 100 Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Oncology Programs and to its list of the 100 Hospitals with Great Heart Programs.

• The Leapfrog Group: One of only 10 children’s hospitals in the to be named at Leapfrog Top Hospital.

• American Association for the Advancement of Science: The School of Medicine has 112 elected fellows

• Magnet Recognition Program: Received our third consecutive Magnet designations.

• National Academy of Medicine: 22 members, elected by their peers in recognition of outstanding achievement

• Human Rights Campaign Healthcare Equality Index: 6th year in a row that Vanderbilt University Medical Center was a Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality.

Additional Key Elements/ Responsibilities:

• Directly responsible for the day-to-day management of large complex grants including but not limited to NIH (e.g., P and U mechanisms, etc.), DOD, industry, foundations and cross-institutional sponsors with many involving multiple subcontracts and the funding of clinical trials
• Exercises independent judgment, initiative, and the ability to make decisions relative to the department/division/center grants and contracts operations as well as other tasks assigned
  • Provides policy guidance and assistance to faculty with all aspects of proposal development, administrative forms, sponsored-required certifications and representations, and compliance requirements for sponsor, Medical Center, and federal guidelines and deadlines
  • Assist Principal Investigator (PI) in determining requirements, deadlines and time management for responses to funding opportunities or general application submissions in a proactive manner
  • Coordinate multiple applications under absolute deadlines
  • Work collaboratively with the PI, other departments and external institutions, the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), and/or Office of Contracts Management (OCM), to facilitate the development, submission and administration of grant proposals and contracts to achieve a professional and accurate document for submission
  • Responsible for obtaining appropriate signatures for Conflict of Interest Forms and Transmittal Forms from PI, Key Personnel and other departments concerned and forward to department/division/center administrative and financial leadership (Administrative Officer, Chief Business Officer, financial manager, Director) for review and signature
  • Assemble original application prior to submission
  • Assist PI with submission procedures and all periodic reporting requirements (as detailed in awards) ensuring the accuracy of all reporting information
  • Responsible for tracking and receiving back confirmation of submitted grant applications or fully executed contracts from OSP and/or OCM
  • Provide other departments and external institutions with biosketches, other support and ancillary data as requested
  • Independently manage budget responsibilities for grants and contracts
  • Works in conjunction with department/division/center administrative and financial leadership on new, competing, or revised grant applications or contracts in preparing initial and extended budgets, including indirect cost calculations
  • Prepares and reviews budget details with PI, including personnel, effort allocated and overall expenses, ensuring consistency, accuracy and compliance with sponsor guidelines and institutional policies and criteria
  • Partners with department/division/center administrative and financial leadership to ensure budgetary alignment with department/division/center for grant applications and contracts
  • Prepares and submits 1275 budgets to department/division/center administrative and financial leadership and VUMC Department of Finance
  • Manages and prepares submission timelines, ensures adherence to sponsor requirements, and completeness of application for progress and final reports in partnership with the PI, including detailing personnel, effort allocation and overall expenses ensuring consistent communication as to the status
  • Serves as a resource for the department/division/center; including keeping abreast of new/updated agency policies, procedures, deadlines and timeframes of new initiatives by working closely with Office of Research, OSP and OCM
  • Attends all training offered by the Office of Research and OSP as well as reading online/published materials (i.e. NCURA newsletter, NIH online updates) to ensure awareness and application of up-to-date sponsor and institutional policies, procedures and regulations
  • Keeps department/division/center administrative and financial leadership and PIs informed of any material changes
  • Monitor terms and agreements of grant awards and contracts for compliance and adherence to sponsor and institutional policies
  • Performs a monthly review of all active protocols to ensure all are current with institutional offices
  • Partners with department/division/center administrative and financial leadership to prepare and provide meaningful unobligated balance and effort matrix reports to PI’s on at least every other month cadence
  • Partners with department/division/center administrative and financial leadership to monitor post-award finances to ensure that the assigned contract/grants align with budgetary expectations, have appropriate and required effort and expenses, adhere to sponsor and institutional guidelines and regulations, are not in deficit and/or at risk for underspending, and that retroactive changes do not exceed 90 days from original charge
  • Independently works with OSP competing, or revised grant applications and OCM on new, amended, and continuing contracts to ensure timely execution and adherence to all regulatory and institutional requirements
  • Responds to sponsor requests and questions
  
  

CORE ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Organizational Impact: Directs activities to achieve operational plans with some near term effect on results of the department/area.
• Problem Solving/ Complexity of work: Identifies issues, gathers facts to resolve technical and operational problems.
• Breadth of Knowledge: Applies in-depth knowledge and skills of a professional/technical area and basic management knowledge to manage the work of the team.
• Team Interaction: Leads a complex department with a focus on implementation. Typically executes on a short to medium term strategies.

CORE CAPABILITIES:

SUPPORTING COLLEAGUES:

• Develops Self and Others: Invests time, energy and enthusiasm in developing self/others to help improve performance and gain knowledge in new areas.
• Builds and Maintains Relationships: Maintains regular contact with key colleagues and stakeholders using formal and informal opportunities to expand and strengthen relationships.
• Communicates Effectively: Recognizes group interactions and modifies one's own communication style to suit different situations and audiences.

DELIVERING EXCELLENT SERVICES:

• Serves Others with Compassion: Seeks to understand current and future needs of relevant stakeholders and customizes services to better address them.
• Solves Complex Problems: Approaches problems from different angles; Identifies new possibilities to interpret opportunities and develop concrete solutions.
• Offers Meaningful Advice and Support: Provides ongoing support and coaching in a constructive manner to increase employees' effectiveness.

ENSURING HIGH QUALITY:

• Performs Excellent Work: Engages regularly in formal and informal dialogue about quality; directly addresses quality issues promptly.
• Ensures Continuous Improvement: Applies various learning experiences by looking beyond symptoms to uncover underlying causes of problems and identifies ways to resolve them.
• Fulfills Safety and Regulatory Requirements: Understands all aspects of providing a safe environment and performs routine safety checks to prevent safety hazards from occurring.

MANAGING RESOURCES EFFECTIVELY:

• Demonstrates Accountability: Demonstrates a sense of ownership, focusing on and driving critical issues to closure.
• Stewards Organizational Resources: Applies understanding of the departmental work to effectively manage resources for a department/area.
• Makes Data Driven Decisions: Demonstrates strong understanding of the information or data to identify and elevate opportunities.

FOSTERING INNOVATION:

• Generates New Ideas: Proactively identifies new ideas/opportunities from multiple sources or methods to improve processes beyond conventional approaches.
• Applies Technology: Demonstrates an enthusiasm for learning new technologies, tools, and procedures to address short-term challenges.
• Adapts to Change: Views difficult situations and/or problems as opportunities for improvement; actively embraces change instead of emphasizing negative elements.

Position Qualifications:

Bachelor's Degree (or equivalent experience) and 3 years experience

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

• Master's Degree (Preferred)
• 5 years of relevant experience (Preferred)
• Previous experience developing budgets for grant proposals
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience with NIH policies and sponsored research regulations
• Strong written and oral communication skills, excellent organizational skills, strong analytical capabilities, detail-oriented

Physical Requirements/Strengths needed & Physical Demands:

Movement

• Occasional: Sitting: Remaining in seated position
• Occasional: Standing: Remaining on one's feet without moving.
• Occasional: Walking: Moving about on foot.
• Occasional: Lifting under 35 lbs: Raising and lowering objects under 35 lbs from one level to another
• Occasional: Push/Pull: Exerting force to move objects away from or toward.
• Occasional: Bending/Stooping: Trunk bending downward and forward by bending spine at waist requiring full use of lower extremities and back muscles
• Occasional: Reaching below shoulders: Extending arms in any direction below shoulders.
• Occasional: Handling: Seizing, holding, grasping, turning or otherwise working with hand or hands.

Sensory

• Occasional: Vision: Clarity of near vision at 20 inches or less and far vision at 20 feet or more with depth perception, peripheral vision, color vision.
• Frequent: Noise: May include exposure to occupational noise levels which equal or exceed an 8-hr time-weighted average of 85 decibels, requiring enrollment in VUMC's Hearing Conservation Program which includes training, use of hearing protection, and periodic audiometry.
• Continuous: Communication: Expressing or exchanging written/verbal/electronic information.