Grants Coordinator, Pre-Award - Core Administration

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Position Summary

The Department of Medicine is among the top ranked departments for NIH funding in the nation, internationally recognized in diverse areas such as diabetes, lipid metabolism, cancer biology, human genetics, developmental biology, immunology, data sciences and outcomes research.

In this role, the Grants Coordinator I will apply strong organizational, analytical, and interpersonal skills to support faculty in the submission and pre-award administration of grants and contracts. Core responsibilities include assisting principal investigators (PIs) with the development, review, and submission of grant proposals; tracking and managing application materials; contributing to budget preparation; and maintaining accurate records. This position offers the opportunity to build expertise in grants administration, including terminology, processes, technology platforms, and regulatory requirements, while progressively learning to manage the full scope of pre-award activities.

While prior experience in academic, grant-funded environments and a background in biological sciences or business are advantageous, the most critical attributes for success are a strong customer service orientation, the ability to collaborate effectively in a deadline-driven setting, and a proactive approach to problem-solving.

Responsibilities

Pre-Award Grant Administration

• Train under senior staff to build foundational knowledge of pre-award processes, with a focus on individual investigator grants.
• Assist PIs in preparing, reviewing, and submitting compliant proposals for federal, state, and foundation funding.
• Develop grant budgets and justifications; coordinate with collaborators and subcontractors.
• Maintain accurate records of biosketches, other support documents, and submission materials.
• Track application status, manage timelines, and support Just-In-Time and progress report submissions.
• Ensure completeness of documentation and maintain standardized templates, tools, and filing systems.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Management

• Collaborate with faculty, grant writers, Sponsored Projects Administration (SPA), and post-award teams.
• Foster positive relationships with funders, collaborators, and internal stakeholders.
• Communicate professionally and follow up promptly and respectfully.

Continuous Improvement

• Participate in team initiatives and utilize tracking tools to monitor progress.
• Stay current on institutional policies and complete all required trainings.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Demonstrated customer service orientation and ability to collaborate effectively across diverse constituencies.
• Ability to work independently in a deadline-driven, multi-tasking environment; sound judgment in prioritizing tasks.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Commitment to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel; willingness to learn new systems and platforms.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience in an academic, grant-funded environment.
• Bachelor's degree in biological sciences or a business-related field such as finance, accounting, business administration, public health, or public administration.

Other Requirements

• Successful completion of applicable compliance and systems training requirements.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.