Pre and Post Award Research Grants Project Manager

WHO WE ARE & THE OPPORTUNITY

Vitalief is an innovative Healthcare consulting company, focused on empowering Research and transforming Clinical Trials.

We seek a highly organized and detail-oriented Pre and Post Award Research Grants Project Manager (as a full-time, fully benefited Vitalief employee) to support a unique program for one of our premier clients in New Jersey.

This program aims to revolutionize how surgical site infections are predicted, detected, and managed, enhancing patient outcomes and reducing healthcare disparities.

The Project Manager will assist in developing the administrative structure required to effectively manage the project and coordinate our client’s responses to concerns of and requests for information by the sponsor during the pre-award phase.

Once awarded, and under the direction of the PI’s, the project manager will assist with the planning, executing, and monitoring our client’s and subrecipient research activities, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and study protocols.

The candidate will liaise between the PI / Project team and relevant administrative offices throughout our client, such as the Human Subjects Protection Program that supports the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and the pre-award and post-award units in the Office for Research.

WHY VITALIEF?

• You can actively contribute to our clients’ mission of advancing scientific discoveries that have the potential to change patients' lives for the better.
• Our PEOPLE FIRST culture prioritizes personal and professional growth for all Vitalief employees.
• We give everyone a seat at the table we encourage innovation.
• Life / work balance that includes 20 PTO (Paid Time Off) days plus 9 paid Holidays annually.
• Other benefits include Company paid life insurance and short / long term disability coverage; 401K retirement program; Robust healthcare plans to choose from.

Salary Range : Market competitive - based on experience level.

Work Location : Hybrid role work from home about 80%, and occasional travel to client site in Piscataway, NJ.

Responsibilities :

Provide oversight and management of project timelines, sponsor requests, budget preparation, and deliverables. Participate in grant project meeting coordination and meeting management.

Support the preparation and processing of proposals, acceptance of awards, and negotiation of agreements, including subawards.

• Ensure all research activities comply with regulatory requirements, including IRB submissions and approvals. Guides the grant project’s regulatory activities, including required training and reporting, management of IRB submissions, etc.
• Oversee data management plans and ensure procedures are effectively communicated within the team while ensuring accuracy and confidentiality.
• Serve as a liaison between project stakeholders, including the Principal Investigator / project team (consisting of 20 team members), central administrative offices and regulatory bodies, and external collaborators, such as sub-recipients and vendors, on administrative issues, identifying solutions for exceptional circumstances and resolve problems at all stages of the sponsored programs lifecycle.
• Advise and / or assist PI with the following : prevent over expenditures (resolve deficit situations), allowable and unallowable expenditures on grants;
• on processes, such as : travel reimbursements, purchase order requisitions, and check requests for assigned grants / contracts;
• process cost transfers in a timely manner proactively identify and avoid the need for cost transfers; closeout grants / contracts at end of award period;

completing progress reports, carry forward, and other requests to Sponsor; closeout grants / contracts at end of award period.

Work with post award and contracts team to ensure that new awards set up properly and timely.

Required Skills :

• Minimum of 8 years of project management experience with emphasis on managing complex pre and post award grant administration projects relative to human clinical trials in a research consortium setting.
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field (e.g., life sciences, public health, healthcare administration).
• Strong leadership and project management skills, including managing international collaborations and complex multi-sub award contracts.
• Demonstrated experience building positive relationships and working effectively with PI’s, all levels within the client organization, as well as external grantor agencies and subcontracting institutions, ensuring successful and timely grant submission.
• Experience with the following : preparing and / or reviewing administrative material for grant submissions; budget forecasting and management;
• ongoing monitoring of fund statements; financial management and monitoring of awarded grants, resolution of accounting problems / errors;

functioning as a liaison to federal and non-federal grantor agencies and subcontracting institutions; monitoring grants and contracts for compliance issues.

• Expert knowledge of AHA, NIH (P and U grants), Center grants (P30, P50) and other federal agencies, foundation regulations and proposal requirements.
• Critical thinking and decision-making skills ability to evaluate all aspects of a situation and to independently make appropriate and timely decisions.
• Excellent oral and written communication, presentation and interpersonal skills.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and computer-based information systems.
• Periodic travel (up to 20%) to the client location in Piscataway, NJ.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS : Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer . Standing, walking, visual perception, talking and hearing. Lifting up to 20lbs.