The Associate Director of Sponsored Research supports the development, submission, administration, and oversight of the university's sponsored research and other externally funded programs. Working closely with the Director, faculty, administrators, and external sponsors, this position provides leadership across the full grant and contract lifecycle, including proposal development, award management, compliance, financial monitoring, reporting, and closeout. The Associate Director serves as a resource to faculty and staff on sponsored program processes and requirements, ensures compliance with applicable regulations and policies, and supports strategic initiatives, budget oversight, and continuous improvement efforts to advance the university's research mission.
Responsibilities Include:Sponsored Programs Administration- Assist in the oversight and administration of sponsored research and other externally funded programs throughout the full award lifecycle, including proposal development, submission, award acceptance, modifications, compliance monitoring, and closeout.
- Ensure compliance with sponsor requirements, Uniform Guidance, federal and state regulations, and university policies and procedures.
- Review grant and contract proposals and budgets for accuracy, completeness, and adherence to sponsor and institutional requirements.
- Provide guidance and training to faculty, principal investigators, and departmental staff on sponsored program administration, proposal development, and compliance requirements.
- Serve as a subject matter expert and resource for pre-award and post-award activities.
Research Reporting and Systems Support- Compile, analyze, and report data related to proposal submissions, awards, expenditures, and other research performance metrics.
- Support the administration, optimization, and continuous improvement of research administration systems and business processes.
- Develop reports, dashboards, and other tools to support sponsored project management, compliance, and institutional decision-making.
Project Management and Strategic Initiatives- Serve as project manager for major sponsored research, compliance, and institutional initiatives.
- Coordinate activities across multiple departments and stakeholders, monitor project progress, manage risks, and communicate updates to leadership.
- Support strategic initiatives that enhance research administration services, strengthen institutional research capacity, and improve operational effectiveness.
Qualifications Required:- Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
- Three (3) or more years of progressively responsible experience in research administration, grants management, sponsored programs, or a related field.
- Knowledge of federal regulations, Uniform Guidance, sponsor requirements, and research administration best practices.
- Strong project management, analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work effectively with faculty, staff, sponsors, and senior leadership.
Preferred- Experience in both pre-award and post-award research administration within a higher education environment.
- Experience with research administration and enterprise systems, including Workday Grants, Cayuse, or similar grants management platforms.
- Experience developing reports, dashboards, and business process improvements.
- Professional certification such as Certified Research Administrator (CRA), Certified Financial Research Administrator (CFRA), or related credential.
