Job Description Summary
The Assistant Director provides leadership, guidance, and expertise in all aspects of sponsored project finance and administration activities, asset management, and proposals for the Quantum Collaborative Research Corp (QCoR) center in the Department of Physics, and assures these activities are in sync with the operations and goals of the center. This position plays a critical role in fostering an atmosphere of compliance with federal, state, and university policies, while also developing innovative strategies to expand research funding opportunities and increase proposal submissions across the College.

Job Description Summary:
The position serves as a primary point of contact between the QCoR Director, staff, faculty, and other constituents with whom the Center interacts and the leadership offices of UMD and the government sponsor. The Assistant Director works in close cooperation with HR, IT, and FM staff support in the Institute and will be required to apply a working knowledge of applicable laws and regulations to oversee the review of documents for completeness and compliance with government and sponsor regulations.

The Assistant Director plays a central leadership role in managing the financial, administrative, and research operations of the Quantum Collaborative Research Corp (QCoR) Center. This position ensures that sponsored project finance, asset management, and proposal activities align with the Center’s strategic goals while maintaining compliance with federal, state, and university regulations.
Serving as a key liaison between the QCoR Director(s), faculty, staff, university leadership, and external sponsors, the Assistant Director provides guidance on research administration, grants management, and financial oversight. The role requires close collaboration with HR, IT, Procurement, and Facilities teams, along with a strong working knowledge of regulatory requirements to support accurate and efficient operations.

The Assistant Director oversees administrative and financial functions, including grant and contract management, budgeting, procurement, reporting, and revenue tracking. They establish and maintain business processes, ensure compliant financial transactions, support Principal Investigators with pre- and post-award activities, and oversee proposal approvals.

In addition to operational leadership, the Assistant Director manages day-to-day Center activities, addresses complex administrative challenges, aligns resources with program priorities, and supervises staff, supporting professional development and high performance.

Overall, this role is critical to advancing the Center’s research mission through strong financial leadership, compliance oversight, and effective administration.

Physical demands:
Work is performed in an office environment and requires the ability to operate standard office equipment and keyboards. This position is required to have the ability to move freely about the campus to attend meetings multiple times a week. This includes the off-site location for the department.

Licenses/Certifications:
N/A

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.

Experience: Seven (7) years of professional experience managing business operations. Two (2) years of experience supervising or managing professional staff.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES:

Knowledge of business acumen to understand key business drivers, organizational communications, and data.
Knowledge of organizational and unit performances measures.
Knowledge of the impact and implications of decisions on leadership objectives.
Skill in oral and written communication.
Skill in data analytics and negotiation.
Skill in the use of Microsoft Office and Google Suite products.
Ability to exercise independent judgment and discretion.
Ability to develop and administer new policies and procedures.
Ability to interpret and apply policies, procedures, regulations, and laws.

Additional Job Details

Job Risks
Not Applicable to This Position

Financial Disclosure Required
Yes

Department
CMNS-Physics

Worker Sub-Type
Staff Regular

Salary Range
$130,000 - $140,000