Senior Grants Specialist

Responsibilities

• Administer the full lifecycle of internal base funds and external research grants, including pre-award, post-award, and closeout processes.
• Assist faculty in proposal development, budget formulation, and ensuring alignment with sponsor guidelines and institutional policies.
• Oversee post-award administration, monitoring award budgets, expenditures, and cost-sharing requirements.
• Coordinate with Finance and Budget teams to process invoices, progress reports, and financial statements.
• Implement and optimize grant management systems and workflows, including the integration of research administration technologies.
• Maintain a centralized grants database to track submissions, awards, deadlines, and compliance outcomes.
• Conduct periodic compliance reviews and provide training to faculty and staff on grant management best practices.
• Identify and address potential risks, such as financial discrepancies or non-compliance, and implement corrective actions.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Public Administration, or Higher Education Administration.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in research/grants administration or financial management within a higher education or research institution.
• Strong understanding of government funding practices and research compliance regulations.
• Proven experience in developing grant proposals, complex budgets, and financial reports.
• Demonstrated ability to manage grant-funded projects and track expenditures accurately.
• Excellent relationship management skills with the ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders and Principal Investigators.

About the Company

Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) is a research-driven institution dedicated to advancing the field of artificial intelligence through cutting-edge research and academic excellence.