Negotiator - Office of Sponsored Programs - Morgantown, United States - West Virginia University

Description

West Virginia University Office of Sponsored Programs is currently accepting applications for a (Remote) Negotiator.

About the Opportunity

As a Negotiator, you will be responsible for reviewing and negotiating grants, contracts, and other agreements to confirm that the terms and conditions: protect the interests of WVU faculty members and students, protect WVU's institutional interests, are consistent with WVU's policies and mission statement, and are consistent with all applicable state and federal laws.

OSP Award Negotiation works with leaders in a variety of compliance departments, including, but not limited to, the Export Control Office, the Office of Technology Transfer, the Office of Human Research Protection, the Office of Animal Welfare, and WVU General Counsel. Work effort has considerable impact on client services, program and project image, with potential legal liabilities.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year
• 18 sick days per year (for when you're ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family's, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits (this position is a benefits-eligible non-classified staff position)
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQs.
• Wellness programs

What you'll do:

• Independently review contractual documents (e.g., agreements, purchase orders, grant awards) ensuring that all terms and conditions are acceptable to WVU, the WVU Research Office, the WVU Research Corporation, the WVU Board of Trustees, and the Principal Investigator.
• Employ professional judgment and independent decision-making skills to negotiate terms and conditions with sponsors based on university policies and under the supervision of the Director of OSP, Award Negotiation and the Vice President for Research.
• Prepare and send letters of exception to sponsors, describing any terms and conditions that are unacceptable, suggesting alternative terms, and providing justification for revision.
• Manage issues consistent with WVU procedures and objectives.
• Work with appropriate agency and sponsor contacts to ensure that corrections and/or exceptions are incorporated into the terms and conditions, as directed.
• Use in-depth knowledge of University policies and procedures to provide guidance to faculty and staff regarding sponsored programs as they may relate to compliance issues including, but not limited to, export control, data security and data use, and human subjects.
• Independently ensure that proper approvals are obtained from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) for the Protection of Human Subjects, the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), and the Office of Export Control upon completion of the review process.
• Contact sponsors and researchers to establish rapport, understanding and/or information, as well as to facilitate the use of the organization's services.
• Employ professional judgment and independent decision-making skills to prepare and negotiate subcontract agreements that protect the interests WVU by ensuring that subcontract agreements are in compliance with the prime sponsor guidelines, contractual requirements, federal regulations, including Uniform Guidance and federal funding accountability and transparency act (FFATA) requirements, and University policy considerations in the areas of intellectual property, copyright, insurance, governing laws, indemnification, and payment schedules.
• Independently assess sponsor type, activity, and statement of work to determine the appropriate flow-down clauses.
• Assess subrecipient eligibility and risk.
• Establish subcontract payment schedules to create mandatory audit documentation and ensure efficient cashflow.
• Apply organizational policies and procedures to resolve moderate to complex matters.
• Apply independent judgment and resourcefulness to adapt to the business circumstance.
• Provide internal and external customer service to include addressing sponsor and customer verbal and written inquiries.
• Make referrals to the OSP website or the appropriate WVU staff and/or faculty for additional information to state, federal, or other government agencies and departments, and other sponsors of research.
• Facilitate daily communication with the Award Negotiation Director, sponsors, and WVU faculty and staff.
• Provide program, as well as direct internal and external client, support services.
• Independently respond to inquiries.
• Coordinate with the Manager of the Award Initiation and Management sub-department to assist with the establishment of sponsored awards within ORACLE.
• Facilitate the progression of the award lifecycle from Award Negotiation to the Award Initiation stage by providing clear, substantive documentation highlighting unique post-award management requirements, and provide information sufficient to issue subawards, as necessary.
• Utilize the OSP platform, Kuali Coeus (KC), to create and locate reference documents, activity, and route logs.
• Utilize the OSP platform, DMS, to maintain meticulous records.
• Prioritize time-sensitive material for appropriate action.
• Build and maintain positive business relationships with internal and external customers, including college, department, and center leaders.
• Collaborate with OSP Pre-Award and Award Initiation sub-departments to help move forward initiatives related to OSP's goals and enhance the level of success in achieving OSP's overall objectives.
• Ensure proper follow-up to requests pertaining to the review of sponsored research agreements.
• Respond to faculty inquiries regarding OSP Award Negotiation procedures.
• Develop and maintain subrecipient monitoring materials, including subrecipient commitment forms and other resources for vetting subaward institutions at the subaward stage.
• Perform rotating Award Negotiation tasks, including monitoring and responding to general inquiries received by the Award Negotiation vanity email accounts, ensuring appropriate and timely responses.
• Create and maintain OSP website content, including developing training resources for faculty/staff, Standard Operating Procedures, and OSP guidelines for Award Negotiation content.
• Develops and presents training or informational programs and presentations.
• Assist with drafting and maintaining award negotiation manuals and guidance to ensure consistency and compliance by the WVU community.
• Assist in the development of creating information and supportive documents for OSP.
• Proactively make recommendations for improvements to OSP and WVU processes and procedures.
• Attends on and off campus meetings as necessary concerning OSP and reports back on issues of importance. Serves on committees and task forces as directed.
• Prepare and present reports as directed.
• Complete other duties as assigned by the Director of OSP, Award Negotiation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in social sciences, liberal arts, law, or related discipline is required (Master's degree is preferred).
• Juris Doctor from a U.S. American Bar Association - accredited law school is preferred.
• A minimum of two (2) years:
  • Professional office experience.
  • Interpreting federal regulations, including a working knowledge of export control laws and regulations.
  • Interpreting complex legal terms and conditions and research accordingly.
• Interpret federal regulations, including a working knowledge of export control laws and regulations.
• Interpret complex legal terms and conditions and research accordingly.
• Working knowledge of federal and state regulatory and compliance issues, federal and state laws, and public policy.
• Working knowledge of Institutional Review Board (IRB) regulations.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), DFAR, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), OMB Circulars, and other regulatory documents.
• Ability to learn academic, administrative, and organizational policies and procedures that impact OSP, with the ability to apply these policies and procedures to daily work assignments.
• Ability to apply judgment, discretion, and initiative in coordinating many different and complex tasks, determining relative importance of each, setting priorities, and completing project in a timely fashion.
• Ability to interact with other WVU departments, including WVU General Counsel, and various funding agencies with tact, courtesy, and confidentiality in order to resolve pre-award or contract issues.
• Ability to utilize a variety of software packages.
• Ability to work accurately under short deadlines.
• Maintain skills in, or knowledge of, professional principles, legal and/or reporting requirements affecting area of responsibility.
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
• Strive to continuously build knowledge and skills; pursue training and development opportunities; assess strengths, weaknesses, and share expertise with others.
• Manage difficult or emotional matters with objectivity and openness; respond promptly to needs and requests for service and assistance; meet commitments and dates, notify others if change occurs; provide, solicit, and apply feedback; and build goodwill through balanced contributions, positive approach, respect and support of others.
• Demonstrated group presentation skills, participate in meetings, listen and get clarification, is responsive and will speak clearly and persuasively in positive and negative situations. Write and edit clearly and informatively, vary style to meet needs, present numerical data effectively, and able to read and interpret written information.
• Align work and develop strategies to meet organizational goals; seek to improve and promote quality; demonstrate accuracy and thoroughness; and uphold organizational expectations and values.
• Respond to management direction; resourcefully adapt to changes in work environment and circumstances; respond well under pressure and manage competing demands; take calculated risks, ask for and offer help when needed; exercise discretion and sound judgment; is tactful and responsible for own actions.
• Adhere to work schedule and comply with leave management responsibilities.
• Excellent communication and listening skills.
• Excellent time management skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to interact with various customers throughout WVU.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and appropriately apply discretion.
• Demonstrated problem solving skills.
• Demonstrated knowledge of research administration.
• Demonstrated ability to understand and appropriately apply Federal, State, and University policies and procedures, and interpret cost principles.
• Demonstrated to use basic math and/or accounting skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Certified Research Administrator