JOB
Colorado School of Mines (Mines) in Golden, Colorado, is seeking a dedicated and skilled Contract Administrator to join our Office of Research Administration (ORA).
If you are you an experienced research administrator, skilled in negotiating research contracts and drafting contract agreements, keep reading!
At Mines, we are proud of our 150-year legacy, and our R1 research designation. Nestled in the picturesque town of Golden, Colorado, we are a cornerstone of the STEM community and the state of Colorado. As a Contract Administrator, you will play a crucial role in drafting and negotiating sponsor agreements at our esteemed institution. For more about ORA and their integral work visit: https://ora.mines.edu/.
This is currently a hybrid position, successful candidates must be able to commute to Golden, CO at least twice per week. EXAMPLE OF DUTIES
Primary Responsibilities
Contract and Grant Review and Negotiation
Negotiate unacceptable terms with the research sponsor. This involves suggesting or insisting on, as appropriate, alternative language or deletion of terms and conditions. Collect relevant information and ensure approval of all terms and conditions.
Perform cost negotiations with sponsors; including a justification of costs and explanation of school polices and business practices.
Maintain awareness of contractual language regarding issues such as intellectual property rights, confidentiality, liability, indemnification, risk, publishing rights, invoice and payment terms, governing law, and confirmation of sponsor's corporate registration, and identify terms that are compliant with university policies and state law
Successfully navigate diverse workload for differing sponsors and individually prioritize research agreements in order to meet deadlines set by funding agencies.
Draft or review research-related contracts, and other agreements, funded and unfunded, such as research and research services and consulting, memoranda of understanding, material transfer agreements, confidentiality agreements, master agreements, cooperative research and development agreements, data use, equipment loans, proprietary information, intergovernmental personnel assignments, and other agreements.
Review sponsored research agreements, both initial and modifications, received from external organizations to Mines. Analyze the agreement to determine if the terms and conditions meet federal and state regulations, Mines policies, and project requirements.
Escalate non-standard contract terms, as needed, in accordance with approved escalation procedures.
Contract and Grant Management
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Determine if changes to a research project require prior approval from the project’s sponsor and coordinate with the faculty member to create and submit the change request.
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Submit and approve requests for no-cost time extensions, budget deviations, and pre-award spending based on sponsor requirements
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Perform initial reviews on deficit spending requests (currently, At-Risk Spending Requests) to determine if the financial risk to Mines is acceptable under current policy and practices.
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If issues arise during the performance of a research project, this position will work with the applicable faculty members, ORA staff members, other departments and/or project sponsor, as applicable, to address such concerns.
Subcontracts
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Responsible for initiating, negotiating and managing research subcontracts including a review of the subcontractor’s proposal; determining which subcontract template is applicable, determining the applicable prime contract flow-down terms and conditions; negotiating the subcontract; maintaining subcontract documentation to meet federal and state audit requirements; and manage annual review of subrecipients.
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Work with applicable departments to establish the payment mechanisms for subcontractor invoices.
Communication & Outreach
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Maintain communication with faculty to ensure all information for sponsored research agreement is outlined along with the process to negotiate the agreement. Effective communication is critical to the success of this position.
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Interpret and explain federal, state, and Mines regulations and policies to faculty and other Mines personnel in order to help them understand the contracting process and how the regulations apply to individual agreements.
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Ongoing contact with sponsoring agencies and other external personnel for the purpose of agreement negotiation and management including outline of Mines policies, business practices, and other applicable regulations.
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Meet with faculty to answer questions and/or assist with a sponsored research agreement.
Institutional Data Repository
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Responsible for ensuring accurate data is entered into the data repository, including contract and project information and notes.
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Upload all fully executed agreements, modifications, and sponsor prior approvals into the system.
Training & Process Improvement
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Provide formal and informal training to faculty members and departmental staff regarding school policy and procedures and sponsoring agency rules and regulations in relation to negotiating and accepting a sponsored research agreement.
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Provide support for Contract Administrator unit, particularly regarding contract language and University initiatives
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Actively participate in office wide process evaluation and reengineering efforts. Critically evaluate process and procedures with a goal of efficiency and optimal resource utilization. Make recommendations for improvements to management and lead improvement efforts if approved.
