D'Youville seeks an accomplished grants leader with deep experience in federal proposal development and grants compliance to expand the University's portfolio of state and federal funding. Building on D'Youville's strong reputation in healthcare education, the Director will translate institutional strengths and promising ideas into competitive proposals that increase educational access, strengthen the workforce, and respond to pressing community needs.
This is an opportunity for a strategic thinker and exceptional grant writer who wants to build programs, develop partnerships, and see funded initiatives produce meaningful results. Working directly with the President and collaborating with academic leaders, faculty, and external partners, the Director will help advance initiatives that connect education, healthcare, and economic opportunity.
SummaryThe Director of Sponsored Programs and Research leads the University's sponsored funding strategy, from identifying opportunities and developing proposals through award administration, compliance, reporting, and closeout.
The Director combines hands-on grant writing with institutional leadership: developing a strong funding pipeline, guiding complex submissions, strengthening grants infrastructure, and helping faculty and staff become successful project leaders. The role serves as the University's primary liaison to federal and state funding agencies and manages relationships with external grant-writing consultants.
During the first year, the Director of Sponsored Programs and Research will establish a comprehensive sponsored funding strategy, develop a prioritized pipeline of competitive opportunities, strengthen institutional grant development and compliance processes, increase faculty and staff engagement in sponsored programs, and advance a portfolio of high-quality proposals aligned with the University's strategic priorities for expanded educational opportunity, a stronger workforce, and lasting community impact.
Responsibilities: Build a strategic funding portfolio
- Work with the President, deans, and University leaders to establish funding priorities aligned with institutional strategy, student success, workforce demand, and community needs.
- Identify and assess federal and state opportunities supporting healthcare education, workforce preparation, educational access, student persistence and completion, research, and community partnerships.
- Develop a multiyear funding strategy and an actionable proposal calendar that balances institutional ambition with eligibility, capacity, and readiness.
- Cultivate relationships with agency program officers, healthcare organizations, employers, educational institutions, and community partners to develop strong, collaborative proposals.
- Proactively pursue competitive, multiyear funding opportunities from federal and state agencies, with particular emphasis on significant grants that advance institutional priorities, expand academic programs, and strengthen the University's financial position.
Lead compelling, competitive proposals
- Serve as a principal grant writer and proposal strategist for major institutional submissions.
- Translate complex academic and programmatic ideas into clear, persuasive narratives supported by evidence, measurable outcomes, credible implementation plans, and sustainable budgets.
- Lead proposal development from concept through submission, coordinating faculty, staff, partners, consultants, and institutional approvals.
- Partner with the Business Office/Finance and project leaders to develop budgets, budget justifications, evaluation plans, and any required institutional commitments.
- Ensure applications are complete, responsive to funding requirements, and submitted on time.
- Work with University leadership and project directors to assess the long-term financial and operational sustainability of grant-funded initiatives.
Lead award administration and compliance
- Oversee sponsored programs throughout the award lifecycle in partnership with principal investigators, project directors, and other responsible offices.
- Interpret sponsor requirements and guide project teams in meeting applicable federal, state, and institutional obligations.
- Establish and maintain clear responsibilities among Sponsored Programs, Finance, principal investigators, and project directors for proposed approvals, financial administration, program implementation, reporting, and closeout.
- Establish clear processes for award acceptance, project startup, reporting, budget changes, required approvals, extensions, and closeout.
- Coordinate monitoring of expenditures, personnel effort, deliverables, and award timelines; identify concerns early and help resolve them.
- Coordinate subaward administration and monitoring with appropriate University offices.
- Maintain complete, accessible award records and support audit readiness, accurate reporting, and responsible stewardship of funds.
- Serve as the University's principal liaison regarding sponsored funding compliance, including applicable federal regulations, Uniform Guidance, sponsor requirements, institutional policies, and internal controls.
Build institutional capacity and demonstrate impact
- Serve as the University's primary point of contact for external grant consultants, coordinating priorities, institutional information, proposal schedules, internal reviews, and the division of responsibilities.
- Develop, implement, and maintain University policies, procedures, and tools for grant pursuit decisions, application routing, budget review, award acceptance, project startup, reporting, and records management. Provide training to support consistent use across departments.
- Create practical tools, training, and guidance that help faculty and staff develop fundable ideas and manage successful projects.
- Strengthen coordination among academic programs, Finance, Human Resources, Advancement, and other offices supporting sponsored activities.
- Track proposal activity, awards, project outcomes, and compliance milestones, providing regular updates to the President and University leadership.
- Use proposal feedback and project results to improve future submissions and build a sustainable funding portfolio.
Required Qualifications: Education:
- Bachelor's degree and substantial, progressively responsible experience in sponsored programs, federal grant development, and award administration.
Experience:
- Has at least five years of relevant experience, including demonstrated responsibility for both competitive proposalsdevelopment and post-award administration.
- Demonstrated experience developing grant policies and procedures, coordinating institution-wide approvals, and managing federal application and reporting systems.
- Higher education sponsored programs experience required.
- Demonstrated success securing and/or administering competitive federal awards from agencies such as the U.S. Department of Education, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), or other relevant federal funding agencies.
- Strong experience interpreting and applying federal grant requirements and managing compliance throughout the award lifecycle.
- Experience developing complex proposals, project budgets, evaluation frameworks, and partnerships involving multiple organizations.
Skills & Abilities:
- Exceptional writing, editing, analytical, organizational, and project management skills.
- Ability to advise senior leaders while working collaboratively and effectively with faculty, staff, and external partners.
- Sound judgment, attention to detail, and a record of managing competing priorities and firm deadlines.
- Familiarity with federal grant submission and award management systems, including Grants.gov, SAM.gov, and relevant agency-specific electronic platforms.
Preferred Qualifications- Master's degree or other relevant advanced degree.
- Experience securing funding for healthcare education, workforce development, educational access, student success, or community health.
- Experience with higher education institutions, healthcare organizations, or comparable mission-driven organizations.
- Success securing state and local grants and building partnerships with public agencies, employers, and community organizations.
- Experience developing or strengthening a sponsored programs office, including its systems, policies, and faculty support.
Work Remotely - No
Work Location: Buffalo, NY
Job Type: Full-time, Exempt
Pay: TBD Annually
Additional Salary InformationThe salary range reflects our good faith and reasonable estimate of the possible compensation at the time of posting, the role and associated responsibilities, and the experience, education, and training of the selected candidate.
