Position Title: Grants Facilitator

Department: WIT-Office of the Dean

Advertised Pay: Low $60,000's

Campus Location: Washburn Tech

Application Deadline:  Application review will begin as applications are received and will continue until the position is filled. Applicants can be assured of full consideration if submitted by: June 16, 2025.

Position Summary: Washburn University is a teaching-focused, student-centered, public institution located in the metropolitan setting of Topeka that has earned national recognition for its high-impact programs for first-generation students. Washburn has a student body of over 5,500 undergraduate, graduate, and law students, a significant and growing number of whom are first-generation and Pell-Grant eligible. The University has created educational pathways for all students to be successful and achieve their educational goals.

Washburn is dedicated to recruiting and retaining a dynamic faculty, staff, and student body and cultivating a robust learning and working environment and curriculum. We employ more than one thousand faculty and staff on our campuses throughout Topeka and strive to offer competitive wages, an excellent benefits program, and a supportive culture and a healthy work/life balance. Washburn seeks to create an environment that reflects our core values for creating positive IMPACT: inclusion, modernization, partnership, achievement, community and transformation. In 2024, Washburn was recognized as one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to Great Colleges to Work For® program.

The WIT Grants Facilitator coordinates pre- and post-award grant activity relating to sponsored project proposals at WIT. The position facilitates internal controls, development, implementation, and compliance of sponsored projects at WIT and serves as an Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) point of contact between WIT staff, administration, and various award agencies.

Essential Functions:
• Report to the WIT Assistant Dean for Curriculum, Programs & Grants. Will work with the Assistant Dean, independently, and with Washburn Tech instructors/staff to conduct research and identify potential funding sources and grant opportunities. Develop professional relationships with instructors, staff, and administration to understand departmental needs. Work collaboratively with Washburn departments and external organizations to bridge the needs of WIT and the opportunity of grantees/awarding agencies.
• Responsible for writing and/or editing grant applications to ensure information is clear, complete, and appropriate for the funding opportunity. Work with Accountants to ensure proposal budget is complete, accurate, and proper rates are utilized. Make recommendations to administration as needed. Prepare/assemble supporting documentation for grant proposals to ensure grant proposals are strong and can be completed within the time frame of the grant, including staffing plan (if applicable), quotes from vendors, etc.
• Understand the various requirements (procurement, goal measures, etc.) of each awarding agency and clearly communicate those needs to the Principal Investigators/Project Directors. Verify that each grant opportunity is one that Washburn Tech can complete within compliance and capacity. Work with the necessary institutional employees to develop success measures, goals and/or outcomes.
• Coordinate and/or assist with training to increase proficiency in grant-related research and proposal development. Coordinate with the Office of Sponsored Projects to ensure grants are processed, tracked, implemented and closed out according to established procedures.
• Review grant award documents, regulations, and requirements to identify/confirm implementation. Track and report requirements. Assist receiving departments with establishing processes that meet grant requirements. In conjunction with the Assistant Dean for Curriculum, Programs & Grants and Accountants, review potential discrepancies and develop a communication plan for both the Principal Investigator/Project Director and Awarding Agency.
• Meet with Principal Investigators/Project Directors to discuss all award areas. Develop a timeline for each grant, including any material dates that must be met. Develop a hiring plan when/if a grant funds an employment position. Establish the stakeholders, coordinate the hiring process, and serve on the selection committee for each grant funded employee. Collaborate with the Assistant Dean of Curriculum, Programs & Grants and Accountants to develop a spending plan to ensure all grant funds are spent in a timely manner in accordance with all regulatory agencies. Develop a plan for the recording/tracking and reporting of the grant related outcomes/success measures.
• Review all grant funded expenditures and personnel reports, both prior to occurring and after completion, to ensure all procurement regulations are met prior to submission to Accountants and OSP. Investigate and correct, if any concerns arise.
• Prepare budget modifications to ensure overall spending in each category remains within the approved budget and scope of the project for each grant. Submit any budget modifications to OSP and Accountants for review and approval prior to submission to the funding agency.
• Provide direction to employees traveling on grant funded dollars, to ensure the travel expenses are in compliance. Collaborate with Accounts Payable staff for travel regulations and guidance. Maintain log of travel completed under each grant for grant reporting.
• Work directly with the Budget Office to maintain a list of employees paid through a grant. Notify the OSP Accountant, Budgeting Office, Human Resources, and Payroll of any changes in personnel.
• Collaborate regularly with appropriate staff on all campuses, to keep all stakeholders apprised of planned grant activity.
• Serve as the Principal Investigator for grants that are not tied solely to one department or at the discretion of administration. Develop and maintain an active and inactive grant database that includes all necessary information for each grant. Maintain and update the WIT Grant Department shared drive with all necessary grant related documents.
• Oversee the writing of and/or review and editing, as needed, from Principal Investigators/Project Directors, of all grant reports to be submitted to OSP for submission approval to the awarding /funding agency. Ensure each report is completed in a concise, professional, accurate, and timely manner.
• Responsible for filing the necessary forms to notify the OSP of an intent to submit a grant application, the application, grant monitoring review forms, final report submissions, etc. Comply with all OSP and Washburn University Policies, Regulations and Procedures.
• Attend and participate in Washburn University and WIT staff meetings as required or needed.
• Perform additional job-related duties as assigned or as appropriate.

Required Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s Degree.
• Two years of experience writing grant applications and/or monitoring grant implementation and/or program/project management experience, or related professional- level experience.
• Proven effective writing and editing skills.
• Demonstrated effective communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively and build positive professional relationships.
• This person will need to demonstrate understanding and administration of sponsored project systems and funding agencies.

Preferred Qualifications:
• Master's Degree.
• Experience working in higher education and/or Career & Technical Education.
• Prior experience working with grants, accounting, budget management, data analysis, and/or report/document preparation that demonstrates research, writing, and editing skills.

Exempt, Full-time, Mon-Fri,    
Background Check Required