MIRAEL PARKER-DAVIS

Remote US Employee

Hours worked per week 40; Current Salary (GS-12 Step 01) $92,293 Annual; Address: National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) Finance & Acquisition Center ; Supervisor Waid Harper at 412-638-8243 or waid.harper@netl.doe.gov

In this position, my role is to provide expertise as a specialist in grants management by providing advice, reviewing applications, and developing criteria and standards for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of applications. The mission of the DOE is national in scope, with a wide variety of recipient organizations, types of award programs, and governing policies. The requirements of this positions includes evaluating applications and obligating funds for approved awards consistent with applicable rules and policies to ensure vital research efforts are provided; provide appropriate support and analyze and resolve complex problems in the grants administration and management processes. The work affects a wide range of grant management activities and facilitates the work of partner organizations, affecting the efficiency and timeliness of research. My responsibilities are as follows:

Pre-award Activities

• Participate in the planning and business management of the full range of assigned funding opportunities and award negotiations. Work cooperatively with the sponsoring program in evaluating, negotiating, and processing the management aspects of grant and cooperative agreement applications. Review applications and ascertain the allowability, allocability, reasonableness, and consistency of recommended costs.
• Evaluate budget justifications and financial arrangements, including cost analysis, review of accounting systems, adequacy of resources, acceptability of milestones, and techniques proposed to ensure responsible stewardship of funds. Participate in the negotiation of the budget, award period, and terms and conditions for financial assistance awards. Advise applicants and grantees on financial and business management issues relevant to their applications. Participate in project and administrative site and staff visits to evaluate the appropriateness of budgetary requests, provide technical assistance, and assist in the resolution of administrative issues related to the application or pending award.
• Provide administration of the portfolio including setting appropriate work priorities, applying knowledge of organizational needs and deadlines, and consistent follow-up to assure receipt of required documentation. Issue award notices and perform relevant tasks. Ensure that the selected applicant is in compliance with established administrative and financial policies, procedures, and sound business practices.
• Process a full range of grant/agreement applications used to determine the selection of grant/agreement awards. Review grant/agreement applications for clarity and completeness. Provide advice and assistance in the development of criteria for evaluation of the grants.
• Provide expertise in negotiation, and preparation of grants and agreements, interpret the impact of new laws and regulations, and carry out or assist with special assignments. Stay abreast of changes in policy, regulations, and legal authorities affecting agreements.
• Provides advice and guidance on the administrative aspects of partnership agreements including cooperative agreements, cost-share agreements, and/or participating agreements.
• Facilitates preparation and administration of funding opportunities and associated pre-award activities including developing instruments, reviewing, and analyzing responses, and recommending acceptance by higher authority. Determines the appropriate written instrument to document and execute the agreement. Ensures all applicable clauses for provisions are incorporated. Establishes adequate provisions for internal administrative and financial management controls or systems.
• Provides expertise and guidance to other Grants Management Specialists. Addresses complex and controversial grants management issues and advises on the “next steps” to resolve difficult or precedent setting situations.

Post-award Activities

• Performs post-award monitoring of financial assistance awards similar to those noted above under pre-
  award activities. Reviews requested changes and ensures they are consistent with federal regulation and agency policies and procedures prior to recommending the contracting officer approval. Resolves complex and controversial problems, working with program and administrative personnel and with similar staff of recipient organizations. Provides advice, interpretation, and guidance on statutes, regulations, policies, and procedures as they relate to the award program in general and award specific issues. Consults with grants management staff, program officials, and the recipient for joint consideration of precedent-setting actions. Ensures compliance with terms and conditions of grants/agreements, negotiates with recipients to resolve problems of fund obligations, and determines what action should be taken. Continually monitors assigned program allowances to track the pace of expenditures and prevent lapse of funds or over expenditures. Initiates correspondence to recipient institutions regarding award-related questions and problems, clarification of policy and procedures, or requests for additional information.
• Performs administrative analysis and appraisal of continuation and renewal applications, and checks reports of expenditures to ensure compliance with Federal government fiscal and administrative policies and regulations. Evaluates the reasonableness, adequacy, and reliability of costs specified in grant and agreement financial documents.
• Initiates actions that set-in motion the sequence and processing of the full range of grants/agreements closure and disposition processes.

Policy/Special Projects

• Contributes to the initiation, refinement, and implementation of applicable policies and procedural guidance. Identifies inefficiencies, gaps, or inconsistencies in existing procedures and suggests modifications. Reviews proposed DOE policies, determines their impact on assigned grants
  management operations, and suggests modifications or clarification as appropriate. Provides guidance and/or training to lower-graded grants management staff.
• Generates correspondence with recipient institutions concerning unusual or unresolved problems, to obtain information for adequate documentation or to suggest modifications or changes in budgets in accordance with policies, regulations, and procedures. Reviews, analyzes, processes, and distributes to appropriate staff financial, performance, management, and other required reports for the management of financial assistance. Tracks trends and patterns, including statistical analysis, of recipient financial performance.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

• Managed day-to-day business operations, including accounting, finance, HR, marketing and public relations.
• Established and administered annual budget with effective controls to prevent overages, minimize burn rate and support sustainability objectives.
• Reduced personnel turnover and promoted employee development by recruiting team-oriented candidates and implementing new training practices.
• Established, optimized and enforced business policies to maintain consistency and high-quality standards across post-graduate operations.
• Recruited, hired and trained initial personnel, working to establish key internal functions and outline scope of positions for new organization.
• Maintained up-to-date administrative records to monitor operational conditions.
• Conducted target market research to scope out industry competition and identify advantageous trends.
• Developed key operational initiatives to drive and maintain substantial business growth.
• Applied human resources expertise to optimize hiring, training and performance.
• Managed 16 employees by supervising daily tasks.
• Set, enforced and optimized internal policies to maintain efficiency and responsiveness to demands.
• Founded and served as Secretary of the Southern Atlantic Post Graduate Conference (SPGC). Provided secretarial support for 12 conference teams across the Southern Region. Voted " 2018 Southern Atlantic Post Graduate Conference Executive Director of the Year.”
• Founded and served as President of the Southern Post Graduate Conference (SPGC). Oversaw and managed 9 conference teams in the Southern Region and voted “2020 Southern Post Graduate Conference Executive Director of the Year.”

Hours worked per week 40; Final Salary $68,000; Address: 301 Sparkman Dr., Huntsville, AL 35899; Supervisor Kenya S. Cole at 256-824-2647 or colek@uah.edu.

I provided contract administrative support to state, federal and commercial agencies. I also served as the Contracts & Grants Administrator for the UAH College of Engineering Department, the UAH Propulsion Research Center, the Mechanical Aerospace & Engineering Department, and the Research Institute. I am a former member of the UAH Staff Senate where I served on the Events Committee and the Outreach Committee. Details of my position are as follows:

• Provided administrative support at the institutional level assigned to several departments/centers through the Office of Sponsored Programs for the administration of government contracts/grants/agreements for several state/federal government and commercials projects including contract and grant term negotiation, proposal development assistance, budget development, review and approval, award review, contract and grant management (firm fixed price, fixed price and cost
  reimbursement awards), and contracts or grants funded
  equipment management.
• Assists with the formalization of individual contracts and grants by negotiating and coordinating terms and conditions of agreements and informing appropriate parties. Review of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFAR) clauses and their applicability to
  awarded contracts and proposals.
• Assists in the administrative management of awards by
  approving and coordinating change orders, time extensions, budget reallocation, supplemental agreements and modifications, terminations, and monitoring reporting from inception to closeout.
• Serve as liaison between faculty, staff, and sponsors to advise and/or assist with the preparation and submission of proposals,review documentation for compliance with University, legal, and cost accounting standards, and other guidelines.
• Assigned a group of contracts and performs the full range of contract administration functions, up to the point of signature to include contract/grants/agreements, contract administration and contract closeout.
• Monitors contractor performance for compliance with applicable contract laws, FAR and DFAR clauses, delivery schedules, payment provisions, contract data reporting requirements, and other contractual requirements.
• Coordinates with the buying office on contractor's requests for waivers or deviations from contract terms.
• Performs final closeout of assigned contracts; e.g., assures delivery, inspection and acceptance of contractual end items and that all administrative and reporting actions have been resolved and any cost share obligations are met before recommending final closeout of the contract.
• Researches policies and performs substantial coordination, integration and implementation of contract administrative services.
• Performs various contract administration functions, including resolving canceling funds, funds reconciliation, contract closeouts, database integrity, and verifying contractor progress for approval of contract financing, and problem solving.
• Participated in continuous training opportunities to hone craft and build leadership skills….export control certified, CITI COI and RCR training.
• Team Lead- responsible for supervising, training, and assisting Junior Contract Administrators in all aspects or contract administration and proposal development and submission.

• Contributed to the planning and implementation of the strategic plan regarding activities relating to donor solicitations and other club fundraising efforts.
• Contributed to attaining financial support: wrote grant proposals for foundation support; worked with club management to solicit corporations and civic groups for donations and other support; planned and implemented special fundraising events.
• Managed administrative and operational systems to: tracked fundraising income, compiled income status reports and variance reports; and recognized contributions with acknowledgment letters and special recognition events.
• Ensured a productive working environment, provided staff support to Club management on fundraising issues.
• Represented staff at various committee meetings, assisted in mailings, wrote follow up letters and entered necessary data regarding club donors.
• Marketing and Public Relations.
• Performed other related duties and responsibilities as required or as assigned.
• Office Manager: Trained and supervised lower-level staff.
• Director of Finance: Managed all financial functions including: accounting, payroll, financial operations, personnel, property management, employee benefits, insurance coverage, legal requirements and donor records.
• Accounting & Human Resources Clerk: Processed and recorded all assigned financial transactions (payables and/or receivables) in the general ledger.
• Compiled regular reports to monitor adherence to budget targets and prepared regular financial statements for senior management and government/regulatory agencies.
• Prepared tax filings and coordinated annual audit activities with external auditors.
• Managed and administered Club human resources functions, including recruitment, compensation, benefits, safety, employee relations, performance management and staff development.
• Provided advice and counsel to management in the development and implementation of policies and practices that comply with all applicable regulations and are consistent with Boys and Girls Clubs mission and values.
• Receptionist: Provided regular clerical and administrative support to the Chief Professional Officer or other Club senior staff, as necessary.
• Prepared correspondence and reports, maintained schedule and calendar, answered telephones and maintained electronic and hard copy files.

• Received and processed incoming phone calls for dedicated clients, which included obtaining, entering, and verifying customer information (e.g.
• Names, addresses, social security numbers, etc.), answered questions, resolved issues, and adhered to scripts in regards to insurance claims and benefits.
• Strived to enhance the department's relationship with customers, ensured the highest quality, and provided responsive service.
• Made return phone calls to customers if technical problems were incurred during the customers initial phone call.
• Ensured that calls were processed I strict adherence to established policies, procedures, and quality standards, as well as any federal laws and regulations.
• Successfully completed initial classroom and on-the-job training, as well as any new product or on-going training.