Grants Specialist at University of Washington in Seattle, WA

The Department of Global Health has an outstanding opportunity for a Grants Specialist to join their team. 

Reporting to the Managing Director for Global WACh, the Grants Specialist is responsible for supporting a portfolio of research within the Department of Global Health, mainly Global WACh. The Department seeks a Grants Specialist who is passionate about coordinating complex projects, impeccably detail‑oriented, a creative problem solver, and capable of delivering excellence under deadline. Successful candidates will bring a high level of organization, strong written and verbal communication skills, and a keen ability to identify challenges and proactively develop effective solutions to support high‑impact research initiatives. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Provide comprehensive post award grants management for an assigned portfolio, including award setup, budget development, monitoring, projections, and financial reporting. 

• Serve as the primary post award resource and point of contact for faculty, staff, sponsors, and UW central offices regarding award requirements, compliance, and submissions. 

• Interpret and ensure compliance with sponsor terms and conditions, Uniform Guidance, and funder regulations through ongoing budget review and reconciliation. 

• Track and manage all post award deliverables, including financial and technical reporting deadlines, reapplication timelines, amendments, and sponsor requests. 

• Advise principal investigators on budgetary planning, payroll compliance, and short  and long term personnel projections based on monthly financial reports. 

• Maintain accurate and complete award documentation, dashboards, and filing systems, and support invoicing, consultant payments, and operational tracking. 

• Set up and implement invoice processing for expense reimbursements, vendor agreements and consultants. 

• Support continuous improvement by coordinating close outs, participating in sponsored projects trainings, and contributing to process improvements and SOP development across Global WACh and DGH. 

Required Qualifications 

To be considered for this opportunity your application must demonstrate you meet both the minimum qualifications and additional qualifications listed below. Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration. 

Minimum Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent AND three to five years of experience in grant management OR equivalent education/experience. 

• Applicants who do not meet these qualifications WILL NOT be forwarded to the Hiring Manager. 

Additional Qualifications 

• Experience with Workday and SAGE and proficiency in Microsoft Excel. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Strong grants and fiscal management experience, including at least two years of developing budgets, managing funds, or submitting grants to federal or non‑federal sponsors, ideally in an academic or research environment.  

• Exceptional organization and attention to detail, with a demonstrated ability to manage complex projects from start to finish while meeting firm deadlines in a fast‑paced setting.  

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across teams, communicate requirements clearly, and support shared goals with professionalism and diplomacy.  

• Critical thinking and problem‑solving ability, including comfort operating in ambiguity, troubleshooting challenges, and exercising sound judgment in high‑pressure situations.  

• Experience working with academic researchers on sponsored projects, including familiarity with compliance requirements and a strong customer‑service mindset when supporting faculty and research teams. 

Working Conditions 

• This position operates in a deadline-driven environment and may occasionally require extended hours.   The position will be asked to work regular work hours M-F (8-5PM) but does require participation in remote conference calls and meeting that may occur during the early morning (typically between 5-8 am) and late evening (typically 8-10 pm) in order to accommodate the time zones of the countries where DGH works. This position is remote eligible, with a preference for remote/hybrid in Seattle. 

About the Team 
The Department of Global Health was established in 2007, bridging the schools of Medicine and Public Health, with a mandate to harness the expertise and interdisciplinary power of all UW schools and colleges. Our mission is to improve health for all through research, education, training, and service; to understand and address the causes of disease and health inequities at multiple levels; and to collaborate with partners to develop and sustain locally-led, quality health systems, programs and policies. Driven by tremendous interest among both students and faculty, the Department has grown explosively to more than 400 graduate students and hundreds more undergraduates. We have more than 380 faculty and 1,000 staff working on projects across 130 countries with our deepest ties in United States, Kenya, Uganda, Peru, Mozambique, India, South Africa, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Nicaragua. 

This position will sit in the Global Center for Integrated Health of Women, Adolescents, and Children (Global WACh) but will contribute broadly to various centers across the Department of Global Health. Our mission is to make scientific discoveries, cultivate leaders, and bridge disciplines to advance the tightly connected health and well-being of women, adolescents and children. Global WACh brings together expertise in maternal health from the Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, neonatal and child health expertise from the Department of Pediatrics, and vast experience working in infectious disease, health metrics and evaluation, education, clinical research, and service delivery within the Department of Global Health.   These disciplines combine under a methodology that views women, children, and adolescents as three populations interconnected along a shared life course.