Contract Administrator Jobs in Rialto, CA (NOW HIRING)

Position Code: 7982
DEPARTMENT/ADMINISTRATION: Office of Development and Finance
POSITION: Exempt (12 months), Full-time (40 Hours)
SALARY RANGE: $80,000- $85,000
HIRING RANGE: Anticipated hiring range is near or at the minimum of the classification,
commensurate with candidate's education, experience, skills, and training.
AVAILABLE: Immediately
POSTING DATE: July 16th, 2026
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Open Until Filled, Apply Immediately.
Definition of Classification:
The Grant Administrator is a dual-function professional of the Sponsored Program Development office, supporting both Sponsored Program Development and the Business and Finance team. The role ensures responsible financial stewardship of externally funded research and program awards through grant budgeting, accounting, compliance, and financial reporting. This position focuses on grant-specific financial management and does not participate in institutional budget development.
Working closely with department administrators, Sponsored Program Development leadership, the Office of Business and Finance, and Principal Investigators (PIs), the Analyst promotes compliance with sponsor requirements, strengthens research operations, and supports accurate financial stewardship across the grant lifecycle.
Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
Pre-Award Budget Development and Proposal Preparation

• Collaborates with Principal Investigators (PIs), program directors, and departmental staff to develop competitive, compliant, and financially sound grant budgets.
• Advises faculty and staff on sponsor cost principles, budget limitations, allowability, allocability, and reasonableness of expenses under Uniform Guidance and other sponsor rules.
• Develops complete budget packages, including salary calculations, fringe benefits, indirect cost (F&A) recovery, subaward budgets, cost share documentation, and procurement considerations.
• Drafts and reviews budget justifications to ensure alignment with project scope, sponsor priorities, and institutional policy.
• Provides guidance on pre-award administrative requirements (e.g., effort commitments, institutional approvals, regulatory compliance, procurement timing, consultant arrangements).
• Supports the creation and submission of grant proposal materials in collaboration with Sponsored Program Development (SPD) leadership.
• Ensures proposed budgets align with sponsor requirements, internal policies, and downstream post-award management needs.
• Reviews and interprets sponsor solicitations, award terms, and compliance requirements to ensure accurate proposal preparation.

Grant Compliance, Training, and Policy Development

• Reviews award documents to confirm budget, restrictions, reporting requirements, and compliance terms, and coordinates with Finance to establish spending categories, budget lines, and internal controls.
• Oversees subrecipient monitoring, as applicable, including collecting subrecipient risk assessments, ensuring subaward agreements include required federal clauses, and reviewing subrecipient invoices for allowability and performance.
• Interprets, applies, and provides training on federal regulations (Uniform Guidance), state requirements, and sponsor-specific policies for faculty, staff, and administrative partners.
• Develops and delivers training sessions, workshops, and resource materials on grant budgeting, allowability, compliance obligations, and institutional expectations.
• Maintains and updates internal grant-related policies, procedures, templates, standard operating guidelines (SOPs), and workflow documentation to strengthen institutional consistency and reduce compliance risk.
• Partners with Finance, SPD leadership, Human Resources, Procurement, and academic units to ensure coordinated compliance related to procurement, contracting, payroll, effort certification, cost transfers, and record retention.
• Provides proactive outreach to campus units on upcoming regulatory changes, sponsor updates, compliance risks, and best practices in grants management.
• Supports internal control enhancements, audit readiness, and implementation of corrective action plans following internal or external audit findings.
• Maintains complete, organized, audit-ready grant files and ensures documentation retention meets federal and institutional requirements.

Post-Award Accounting, Administration and Financial Reporting

• Provides comprehensive post-award financial management for sponsored grants and contracts from account setup through closeout, ensuring compliance with sponsor terms, federal regulations, and University policies.
• Oversees budgeting, expenditure monitoring, grant accounting, invoicing, sponsor drawdowns, and financial reporting to ensure accurate stewardship and timely revenue collection.
• Collaborates with PIs, departments, Finance, and SPD leadership to manage salary allocations, cost transfers, budget revisions, and project burn rates.
• Coordinates and monitors effort reporting across the grant lifecycle, ensuring accurate salary allocations, timely certification, and full compliance with federal and institutional requirements.
• Reviews expenditures for allowability, allocability, reasonableness, and compliance with sponsor and institutional requirements.
• Prepares and submits interim and final financial reports, tracks reporting deadlines, and supports internal and external audits through thorough documentation and reconciliation.
• Processes award amendments and modifications, including funding increases, time extensions, and updated terms and conditions, and ensure internal systems reflect changes accurately.
• Manages closeout activities, including final reconciliation, equipment disposition, record retention, and support for indirect cost rate development and negotiation.
• Ensures all technical, financial, and administrative closeout requirements are met and communicates deadlines and responsibilities to PIs and departments

Qualification Guidelines
Any combination equivalent to, but not limited to, the following:
Experience/Training/Education:
Required

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Public Administration, or related field.
• Three or more years of experience in higher education finance, grant administration, or sponsored program administration.
• Knowledge of federal grant regulations (Uniform Guidance; 2 CFR 200).
• Experience working with enterprise financial systems such as Banner, PeopleSoft, Workday, Oracle, or similar.
• Advanced Excel skills and strong financial analysis ability.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to explain financial concepts to faculty and non-financial audiences.

Preferred

• Prior experience in a university Sponsored Programs or Research Administration office.
• Familiarity with effort reporting systems and indirect cost recovery.
• Knowledge of cost accounting standards related to higher education.
• Experience supporting faculty research, grant management, or program operations.
• CGMS Certified Grants Management Specialist or similar certification.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Commitment to compliance, stewardship, and institutional accountability.
• Ability to build collaborative relationships with faculty, staff, and administrative units.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• High attention to detail with exceptional organizational abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a deadline-driven environment.
• Professional discretion in handling confidential financial information.

Physical Requirements/Working Conditions:
Working Conditions:
Standard office setting. Duties performed are primarily in an office environment while sitting at a desk or computer workstation or in meetings. At least minimal environmental controls to assure health and comfort.
Physical Demands:
Incumbents regularly sit for long periods; walk short distances on a regular basis; may travel to various locations to attend meetings, conduct work and make deliveries; use hands and fingers to operate an electronic keyboard or other office machines; reach with hands and arms; stoop or kneel or crouch to file; climb stairs; speak clearly and distinctly to answer telephones and to provide information; see to read fine print and operate computer; hear and understand voices over telephone and in person; and lift, carry and/or move objects weighing up to 25 pounds.
TO APPLY: A resume/CV and cover letter are required. In compliance with The Americans with Disabilities Act, if selected for the interview process and accommodations are needed, please call (909) 748-8040. If you are unable to complete an application due to a disability, contact us at (909) 748-8040 to ask for accommodation or an alternative application process.
HIRING RANGE: Anticipated hiring range is near or at the minimum of the classification, commensurate with candidate's education, experience, skills, and training. The University of Redlands is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. This range considers the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience. The full salary range for this position is defined as the Full Pay Range. The budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is defined as the Hiring Range. Placement within the Hiring Range is determined by internal equity, and relevant qualifications.
BACKGROUND CHECK: Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment. The University will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current employee who was conditionally offered the position.
DRIVER'S LICENSE CHECK: Possession of a valid Driver's License is required for certain positions. Employees in positions that require a valid Driver's License will be enrolled in the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Government Employer Pull Notice Program which confirms possession of a valid driver's license and reflects driving record.
PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMS: For certain positions typically in Public Safety, Facilities, Athletics and Information Technology Services departments, employment is contingent upon a candidate passing a pre-employment physical exam with the ability to lift in excess of 50 lbs. Public Safety Officers, in addition to a pre-employment physical exam, will also be required to pass a psychological evaluation.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT
Human Resources (redlands.edu)
SUBMISSION OF A RESUME OR APPLICATION INDICATES AGREEMENT THAT THE UNIVERSITY MAY VERIFY ANY AND ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED THEREIN.
MEMBERS OF UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.