Assistant Director, Pre-Award - Sponsored Research

Assistant Director, Pre-Award

The Assistant Director, Pre-Award is responsible for overseeing the University's review and submission of sponsored research proposal submissions to federal and non-federal sponsors, and submission of required pre-award documentation. The Assistant Director supervises a team of pre-award specialists, providing daily guidance and mentoring on operational and policy issues, as well as routine activities. The Assistant Director reviews and monitors the daily workflow of proposals and other pre-award tasks, and reassigns work as needed to ensure smooth and timely submissions.

This position is a member of the Sponsored Research office's leadership team, reporting to the Director of Pre-Award and Award Management. As a member of the leadership team, the Assistant Director is responsible for cross-team collaborations and problem solving to address issues and maintain a high service standard to the research community.

The Assistant Director, Pre-Award will support the OR mission and values of understanding empathy, modeling accountability, ensuring fairness, embracing community, and valuing creativity.

Specific responsibilities include :

• Managing a team of 9 pre-award specialists. Provides daily guidance and mentoring to staff on operational and policy issues, as well as routine activities. Reviews and monitors the daily workflow of proposals, and other pre-award tasks, and reassigns work as needed.
• Maintaining awareness of major sponsor deadlines.
• Monitoring individual workloads as well as the overall flow of proposals and other administrative activities.
• Ensuring team awareness of and compliance with both university and sponsor policies related to proposal submissions, including those related to conflict of interest and foreign influence.
• Providing input to office-wide meetings.
• Facilitating cross-team collaborations to address issues and to ensure seamless handoffs between teams internal to SR, and partners across NU.
• Hiring, promoting, evaluating and counseling staff with input from Director and Assistant Vice President, Sponsored Research (AVP-SR).
• Exercising delegated signature authority from the Assistant Vice President. Reviews, and signs proposal applications and pre-award documents as authorized by the University president.
• Safeguarding university interests with respect to intellectual property, publications, export controls, liability, effort reporting, and compliance issues.
• Supporting a team of pre-award specialists and ensuring that a high level of service support is provided to principal investigators and departmental, center, school and central administrators.
• Evaluating and escalating items with potential risks, such as non-standard terms and conditions.
• Serving as expert in proposal management. Participating in establishing standard operating procedures for pre-award service delivery.
• Monitoring internal performance metrics to ensure high levels of service and accomplishment of objectives.
• Soliciting input from faculty, staff, and other central administrative offices, as appropriate.
• Representing Sponsored Research in meetings with principal investigators, school administrators, and senior university administrators in areas related to sponsored research. Accurately conveying current practices in research administration and working collaboratively across all sectors of the university to develop appropriate changes in procedures and policies, and implement best practices that will benefit the research community.
• Presenting as needed to a variety of constituents including campus-wide and national meetings.
• Participating in the development and implementation of new policies and revisions to existing policies.
• Developing, implementing and training staff in standard procedures that support Northwestern University policies. Coordinating with other units to ensure the timing and integrity of the sponsored research life cycle. Communicating and presenting procedures and policy within SR and externally to the university community.
• Assisting in the development of the agenda for University-wide sponsored research meetings.
• Monitoring policy changes implemented by external sponsors (related to electronic research administration and otherwise).
• Assisting faculty and staff in electronic proposal submissions and award monitoring.
• Providing significant input to optimize enterprise-level systems supporting research administration and participating in managing change within the research administration community.
• Providing education, training and research information for SR staff and NU departments, schools and Centers through a variety of venues. Participating in designing and implementing research administration training programs.
• Leading ongoing service excellence and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Optimizing staff skills and organizational structure and is responsible for staff development and continuing education. Providing staff with feedback and direction.
• Advising Director and AVP-SR on emerging and pressing issues.
• Participating in resolution of issues.

Minimum qualifications include : successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience. 5 years previous work experience in the administration of sponsored research at an educational institution, in the federal government, or entity engaged in sponsored research. Previous, proven experience supervising and mentoring staff. Capable of presenting at various meetings across campus including faculty meetings and campus-wide meetings and at professional organizations. Advanced knowledge and application of federal regulations necessary to administer and manage externally funded sponsored research. Advanced knowledge of federal proposal submission systems. Excellent written and verbal communications skills.

Preferred qualifications include : Master's degree. Past experience in a central sponsored research or other research-related office is strongly preferred. Demonstrated ability to conduct training sessions. Demonstrated ability to effectively manage staff.

Target hiring range for this position will be between $107,000-$125,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.