Grants and Contracts Manager

Duke University:

Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America’s leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

Be You.

Duke University is seeking a Grants and Contracts Manager to join our team. In this role, you will coordinate and perform both pre-award and post-award activities for a unit with a large, complex, and diverse portfolio of grants and contracts. You will ensure proposals meet agency and university guidelines, manage timelines, and oversee compliance throughout the lifecycle of awards. This position also involves managing a mid-sized unit and facilitating large projects that span multiple disciplines and faculty. You will play a critical role in supporting research excellence and ensuring financial integrity.

Be Bold.

Essential Duties:

• Coordinate and manage pre-award activities including proposal preparation, budget development, and compliance review.
• Oversee post-award activities such as detailed reconciliation of project budgets, financial reporting, and effort management.
• Serve as the primary resource for faculty and staff on grants and contracts policies and procedures.
• Manage large, multi-disciplinary projects and facilitate subcontract agreements with ORA/ORS and collaborating organizations.
• Develop and review budgets and justifications, ensuring accuracy and consistency across all components.
• Monitor compliance with agency and University regulations regarding submission and reporting.
• Prepare project management plans, reconcile monthly budget reports, and implement necessary adjustments.
• Supervise grants and contracts staff and recommend personnel actions including hiring and performance appraisals.

Choose Duke.

Join a collaborative and innovative environment where your expertise in research administration supports groundbreaking discoveries. Our department values excellence, integrity, and teamwork, and offers opportunities for professional growth through Duke’s Research Administration Academy and Advanced Grants Management programs. Learn more about Duke University’s competitive benefits package.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and strong communication, analytical, and organizational skills.
• Completion of Research Administration Academy (RAA) and Advanced Grants Management (AGM) within required timelines.
• Three years of relevant grants and contracts experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong financial acumen
• 5 or more years of experience is preferred.
• Experience managing complex grant portfolios.
• Previous managerial experience.

Skills

• Ability to complete Advanced Grants Management training.
• Demonstrated skills in analyzing data and formulating conclusions.
• Ability to learn changing technologies related to grants and contracts management.
• Ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects/tasks simultaneously.
• Ability to create verbal and written reports.
• Understand and apply knowledge of national compliance issues to circumstances at Duke University.
• Understanding of asset management for funded projects as applied to Duke University policies and practices; able to direct others and troubleshoot asset management issues.
• Understand and apply basic concepts of export controls as they relate to proposal submission and award management.
• Apply federal rules to contract negotiations and management.
• Apply budget management principles to contracts.
• Assist others in understanding Federal and Duke University rules, regulations, and requirements of IRB, IACUC, COI, IBC, and Misconduct Science.
• Communicate clearly with faculty regarding compliance obligations and escalate issues when necessary.
• Establish and maintain systems to ensure timely compliance with RCR requirements.
• Operationalize internal controls within a Duke University unit and apply basic internal control concepts to daily management of Federal awards.
• Understand and apply basic concepts of clinical research in the Duke University compliance environment.
• Manage effort allocation for individuals compensated from federal awards, including complex scenarios involving multiple appointment types.
• Develop strategies for meeting compliance expectations within a dedicated unit and/or assigned portfolio.

Anticipated Pay Range:

Duke University provides an annual base salary range for this position as USD $61,535.00 to USD $95,880.00. Duke University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position; candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills; internal peer equity; as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.

Your total compensation goes beyond the dollars on your paycheck. Duke provides comprehensive and competitive medical and dental care programs, generous retirement benefits, and a wide array of family-friendly and cultural programs to eligible team members. Learn more at https://hr.duke.edu/benefits/

Job Code: 00002648 GRANTS AND CONTRACTS MANAGER
Job Level: 82

Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation or military status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions:

Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.