Heather Skrzecz
Pasadena,MD
Summary
Results-driven Grants & Contracts Manager with nine years of experience in federal, foundation, and industry-sponsored research administration. Specializes in pre-award and post-award processes, financial oversight, compliance, and strategic budget planning. Led research administration teams, managed complex portfolios, and ensured compliance with regulations while fostering collaboration with faculty and leadership to enhance research funding success.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
Grant and contracts Manager-Computer Science
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore , MD
11.2025 - Current
- Serve as department/division liaison for Departmental Sponsored Projects Office, Office of Research Administration and University Shared Services.
- Supervise team of Sr. GCA's who perform the primary transactional actions related to grants, subawards, and/or contracts.
- Manage the performance and efficiency of other members of the departmental grants and contracts team.
- Provide regulatory and compliance oversight and guidance to research administration staff related to university policies and procedures and all applicable rules, regulations, and sponsor guidelines. Monitor risk and compliance concerns.
- Partner with and act as final point of contact with departmental faculty and/or budgetary staff and the Office of Research Administration toward the planning and development of application submissions to various federal offices, private agencies/foundations and commercial companies.
- Manage the sponsored portfolios of various departmental faculty.
- Manage internal sponsored audits and the development of an account reconciliation system for sponsored accounts.
- Provide on-going guidance, facilitation & expertise to faculty in their grant pursuit efforts by providing analysis of all grant and contract applications.
- Ensure compliance in all other areas related to grant and contract management, including sponsoring organization guidelines, internal protocols, accurate protocol information within grant documents, conflicts of interest, etc.
- Ensure that post-award responsibilities are completed, including budget distribution, account reconciliation, e-form setup, effort reporting, cost transfers, paying invoices and paperwork finalization related to subcontract setup.
- Oversee and direct all aspects of complex award management activities and provide oversight to other members of the grants & contracts team, including monitoring and managing accounts, audits, evaluations and reporting.
Grants and Contracts Manager - Physics & Astronomy
Johns Hopkins University
02.2024 - Current
- Supervise and coordinate activities and workflow for a financial team consisting of, three Sr. Grants & Contracts Analysts, two Grants & Contracts Analysts, and three Grants and contracts specialists.
- This includes the review and approval of budgets and budget justifications for appropriateness, accuracy and completeness of content and comparing budget detail to budget justification.
- Work closely with the department Administrator, Sr. Financial manager and department Chair to ensure compliance with departmental policies and procedures, JHU internal controls and government regulations to effectively carry out the mission and long- term goals of the department and institution.
- Assess current policies and practices and develop and implement new administrative processes and procedures in collaboration with the Department Administrator, Sr. Financial manager, other managers and department Chair.
- Develop reports for the annual Research Base Projections, including charts, and graphs for presentation.
- Collaborate with the management team and GCAs & Sr. GCAs to develop and manage budgets (i.e. operating budget).
- Responsible for high level oversight of sponsored, non-sponsored and service center activity for assigned groups.
Administrative Manager -Affective Disorders
Johns Hopkins University
12.2022 - 02.2024
- Manages the division’s sponsored pre-and post-award grant/contract activities with awards averaging in excess of $8 million per year, 30+ sponsored projects.
- Creates and reviews sponsored budgets, budget justifications, and other administrative data for submission to appropriate federal and non-federal funding agencies.
- Directly supervise and train Grants and Contracts Coordinator in federal and non-federal grant submissions.
- Advise faculty and staff on changes in sponsored research policies.
- Submit and coordinate submission of grant proposals ensuring that all applicable direct and indirect cost rates have been applied.
- Manage and reconcile non-sponsored accounts – 98 total internal orders in this division (e.g., gift funds, general funds, clinical, endowment)
- Ensure that post-award responsibilities are completed, including budget distribution, account reconciliation, e-form setup, effort reporting, cost transfers, paying invoices and paperwork finalization related to subcontract setup.
- Ensure that all closeouts handled by other members of the grants & contracts team have been handled appropriately.
- Assist Division Director and departmental administration in long-term financial planning.
Sr. Grants & Contracts Analyst Affective Disorders
Johns Hopkins University
03.2019 - 12.2022
- Partner with and act as final point of contact with departmental faculty and/or budgetary staff and the Office of Research Administration toward the planning and development of application submissions to various federal offices, private agencies/foundations and commercial companies.
- Review all sponsored project proposals for assigned faculty prior to them being forwarded to the Grants & Contracts Manager and ORA for signature. Review invoices for accuracy, content, adherence to all relevant guidelines.
- Responsible for the timely preparation of proposal budget for Principal Investigator Review.
- Ensure compliance in all other areas related to grant and contract management, including sponsoring organization guidelines, internal protocols, accurate protocol information within grant documents, conflicts of interest.
- Maintain ongoing updates and communications related to current grants and contracts. This includes regular auditing and reporting to principal investigators on financial status of grants, contracts and discretionary accounts. Also provide relevant updates and reports to departmental leadership, as needed.
- Ensure that post-award responsibilities are completed, including budget distribution, account reconciliation, e-form setup, effort reporting, cost transfers, paying invoices and paperwork finalization related to subcontract setup.
Grants & Contracts Analyst Affective Disorders
Johns Hopkins University
04.2017 - 03.2019
- Collaborated with departmental faculty and Office of Research Administration to develop and submit grant applications to federal offices, private agencies, foundations, and commercial companies.
- Managed Mood Division grant submissions, ensuring timely and accurate application delivery.
Education
Masters of Health Science - Health Administration
Towson University
Towson, MDPost-baccalaureate Certificate - Autism Studies
Towson University
Baltimore, MDBachelor of Science - Speech Language Pathology and Audiology
Towson University
Baltimore, MDSkills
- Grant management
- Conflict resolution
- Project management
- Grant software proficiency
- Analytical thinking
- Compliance management
- Developed problem-solving strategies with strong leadership qualities
- Advanced interpersonal and conflict resolution skills
- Effective communication
- Team collaboration
References
Available upon request.
Timeline
Grant and contracts Manager-Computer Science
Johns Hopkins University
11.2025 - Current
Grants and Contracts Manager - Physics & Astronomy
Johns Hopkins University
02.2024 - Current
Administrative Manager -Affective Disorders
Johns Hopkins University
12.2022 - 02.2024
Sr. Grants & Contracts Analyst Affective Disorders
Johns Hopkins University
03.2019 - 12.2022
Grants & Contracts Analyst Affective Disorders
Johns Hopkins University
04.2017 - 03.2019
Masters of Health Science - Health Administration
Towson University
Post-baccalaureate Certificate - Autism Studies
Towson University
Bachelor of Science - Speech Language Pathology and Audiology
Towson University