Team Lead, Grants and Contracts (Shared Services)

Job Description

The Manager, Grants and Contracts (Shared Services) leads a team of Grants and Contracts Specialists within the Office of Sponsored Research and Accounting (OSRA), providing comprehensive lifecycle support for sponsored projects. This role is responsible for overseeing pre-award, post-award, data management, and compliance functions while ensuring consistent, high-quality service delivery across a shared services model.

The Manager partners with faculty, departments, and central administrative units to drive operational excellence, ensure regulatory compliance, and promote efficient, standardized processes. This position plays a critical leadership role in advancing the institution’s research enterprise through team development, process improvement, and strong stakeholder engagement.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership and Team Management

• Supervise, mentor, and develop a team of Grants and Contracts Specialists.
• Manage team workload distribution across a shared services model to ensure timely and high-quality service delivery.
• Establish performance expectations, monitor outcomes, and conduct regular performance evaluations.
• Foster a customer-service-oriented culture focused on responsiveness, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Identify training needs and support professional development, including compliance and sponsor knowledge.

Pre-Award Oversight

• Oversee proposal development support, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and compliance with sponsor and institutional requirements.
• Provide guidance on complex proposals, including multi-investigator, multi-site, and high-risk submissions.
• Ensure appropriate review processes are followed prior to submission to OSRA for institutional approval.
• Monitor proposal volume, deadlines, and submission success rates across the team.
• Ensure data integrity for proposal records and current/pending support documentation.

Post-Award Oversight

• Oversee award setup and maintenance in InfoEd and integration into Workday Financials.
• Provide guidance on complex award terms and conditions, including contract negotiations and subawards.
• Ensure appropriate monitoring of budgets, expenditures, and compliance across assigned portfolios.
• Oversee subaward processes, including agreement execution, risk assessment, and subrecipient monitoring.
• Ensure timely completion of prior approvals, financial activities, and award closeout processes.

Data Management and Systems Oversight

• Ensure accuracy and completeness of proposal and award data across InfoEd, Workday Financials, and sponsor systems.
• Oversee data quality initiatives and establish standards for data entry and maintenance.
• Monitor and analyze reporting outputs to support institutional leadership, compliance, and operational decisions.
• Collaborate on system enhancements, implementations, and process standardization within the shared services unit.

Compliance and Risk Management

• Ensure adherence to federal regulations (e.g., Uniform Guidance), sponsor requirements, and institutional policies.
• Oversee compliance review processes for proposals and awards, ensuring consistent application of policies.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate compliance risks; escalate complex or high-risk issues as appropriate.
• Support audit readiness and coordinate responses to internal and external audits.
• Oversee monitoring of effort reporting, cost sharing, and other compliance activities.

Stakeholder Engagement and Service Delivery

• Serve as a senior point of contact for faculty and departments, particularly for complex or escalated issues.
• Build strong partnerships with OSRA leadership, RICES (FCOI, IRB/IACUC), and OSA finance teams.
• Promote clear communication and consistent service delivery across supported units.
• Lead outreach, training, and education efforts to improve faculty and staff understanding of research administration processes.

Process Improvement and Shared Services Optimization

• Lead initiatives to improve efficiency, consistency, and scalability within the shared services model.
• Develop and document standard operating procedures (SOPs) and best practices.
• Use metrics and data to assess performance, identify gaps, and implement improvements.
• Support change management efforts related to new systems, policies, and organizational structures.

Qualifications Required

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, public administration, or related field.
• 5–8 years of progressive experience in sponsored research administration, including both pre-award and post-award functions.
• Demonstrated supervisory or team leadership experience.
• Strong knowledge of federal regulations (e.g., Uniform Guidance) and sponsor requirements.
• Experience managing complex proposals and awards.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with an emphasis on stakeholder engagement.
• Experience with enterprise systems (e.g., InfoEd, Workday Financials, or similar platforms).

Qualifications Preferred

• Experience in a shared services or centralized research administration model.
• Certified Research Administrator (CRA) or similar credential.
• Experience with system implementations, process improvement, or operational transformation initiatives.
• Knowledge of major sponsors (NIH, NSF, DoD, foundations, industry).

Core Competencies

The Manager, Grants and Contracts plays a pivotal role in shaping the effectiveness of the shared services model and advancing the institution’s research mission. By leading a high-performing team, ensuring compliance, and driving operational excellence, this position enables faculty to successfully secure and manage sponsored funding while promoting consistency, efficiency, and accountability across the research enterprise.

Department

Office of Sponsored Programs - Preaward

Compensation Range

In compliance with the New Jersey Wage Transparency Act, the annual base salary range for this position is $81,600.00 - $111,533.33. This range represents the University’s good faith estimate of possible compensation at the time of posting. Stevens Institute of Technology determines compensation based on factors including the position’s scope and responsibilities, the candidate’s experience, education, skills, internal equity, market data, and organizational considerations. The final salary will be set considering departmental budget, qualifications, and relevant credentials. This pay range represents base pay only and excludes additional forms of compensation, such as incentives, stipends, or other applicable pay components. For a full overview of our benefits offerings, please refer to the Stevens Institute of Technology Benefits Guidebook, available at:

Benefits Guidebook

EEO Statement:

Stevens Institute of Technology is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Accordingly, Stevens adheres to an employment policy that prohibits discriminatory practices or harassment against candidates or employees based on legally impermissible factor(s) including, but not necessarily limited to, race, color, religion, creed, sex, national origin, nationality, citizenship status, age, ancestry, marital or domestic partnership or civil union status, familial status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, atypical cellular or blood trait, genetic information, pregnancy or pregnancy-related medical conditions, disability, or any protected military or veteran status. 

Stevens is building a diverse faculty, staff, and student body and strongly encourages applications from people of all backgrounds. Stevens is a federal contractor under the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as well as other federal statutes. Stevens seeks candidates who will contribute to a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students, faculty and staff.