Director-Grant and Research Development

at  Eastern Washington University

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

N/A

JOB SUMMARY

The Office of Grant and Research Development at Eastern Washington University is currently seeking skilled and team-oriented applicants for our position of Director, Grant and Research Development.
The Director of Grant and Research Development leads the Office of Grant and Research Development (OGRD) in service to EWU’s mission, vision, values, and strategic plan. OGRD’s mission is to inspire, support, and equip faculty and staff with the tools they need to pursue grants and research successfully within a cohesive community of practice. Over the past year, EWU has significantly advanced this mission through strategic investments in new positions, including a senior grant writer, a special assistant to the provost for research and grants, and a program specialist. The new positions have led to a notable increase in the number and quality of proposals, and a surge in new awards. In summer 2024, OGRD’s inaugural summer proposal development academy prepared 13 faculty and staff members to submit 11 grants, further fostering a vibrant grants and research culture across campus. Supported by deans and the provost, OGRD’s vision is to create a collaborative environment where grant-seekers and project directors feel confident and supported within a thriving community of peers. OGRD continues to grow through a recently awarded GRANTED planning grant from the National Science Foundation, with plans to submit for a full GRANTED project in the upcoming year, and through the recent purchase of grants management software to be integrated and implemented over the next year.
The Director of Grant and Research Administration will oversee compliance, pre-award, and research administration, and will manage post-award functions within OGRD. This role ensures the efficient operation of OGRD through process improvement and collaboration. The ideal candidate will foster a supportive culture of grant-writing and research at EWU, and will oversee the project implementation of Cayuse, a grant management software to enhance pre-award and post-award processes at EWU. Additionally, the Director ensures that contracts administered by OGRD are handled in alignment with institutional and sponsor guidelines. The Director, in collaboration with the Special Assistant to the Provost, cultivates relationships with faculty and campus stakeholders to support faculty research, scholarship, and creative activities aligned with the university’s mission and strategic priorities. This includes organizing training sessions, developing project timelines, and working closely with various administrative offices to ensure the effective and transparent administration of pre- and post-award activities, compliance, and research administration.

In order to be effective in this position, the director will:

• Participate fully and effectively in professional development activities
• Participate effectively in university-wide activities and initiatives as assigned
• Act professionally, performing their job in a way that reflects positively upon EWU and the Office of Grant & Research Development
• Maintain confidentiality when required
• Perform their job according to best practices in the field
• Keep the vice provost informed in a timely manner regarding status of program activities and identification of any areas of concern
• Work collaboratively and effectively with colleagues

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

The director must have demonstrated skills and abilities in a management capacity relevant to grants and contracts administration. The director must possess the following attributes: leadership ability and good interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to work as part of a team, and the ability to make complex decisions with a high level of initiative and judgment in a variety of situations. This individual must maintain a broad network of internal working relationships and have up-to-date knowledge of university policies and procedures and federal, state and agency/sponsor regulations, laws and guidelines.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in related field and five (5) or more years’ of progressive experience drafting, negotiating, and executing contracts for sponsored research or contracts in a university or public agency setting.
• Demonstrated advanced knowledge of and experience in regulatory compliance including Uniform Guidance
• Demonstrated experience in preparing and submitting grants and contract proposals on behalf of others
• Demonstrated experience with budget development for grants and contracts
• Experience using financial accounting systems to forecast, develop, monitor and manage operational budgets and spend plans
• Previous experience with direct supervisory supervision over a team of individuals
• Experience implementing and using grant management software.
• Demonstrated interest, ability and/or experience promoting cultural competency, universal accessibility, and/or diversity.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• A master’s degree in business administration or closely related field; or a juris doctorate.
• Project Management certification or equivalent experience in managing projects
• Eight (8) or more years of professional experience in grant and contract management.
• Strong analytical skills for problem resolution and complex contract analysis.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

The director must have demonstrated skills and abilities in a management capacity relevant to grants and contracts administration. The director must possess the following attributes: leadership ability and good interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to work as part of a team, and the ability to make complex decisions with a high level of initiative and judgment in a variety of situations. This individual must maintain a broad network of internal working relationships and have up-to-date knowledge of university policies and procedures and federal, state and agency/sponsor regulations, laws and guidelines.

SEE JOB DUTIES SECTION FOR DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE POSITION’S RESPONSIBILITIES.

The salary range for this position is $85,793 (minimum) – $102,952. Where the hired candidate will begin within this range is dependent on education, experience, and skills. On top of salary, the university offers a comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, life and disability insurance and retirement. In addition, EWU offers generous vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays per year and fringe benefits, such as tuition waiver for employees, discounted EWU sports tickets and free transportation through STA buses. For additional information regarding insurance benefits please see our Benefits page: https://inside.ewu.edu/hr/benefits/insurance/.
Applications are open and accepted until recruitment is closed. Screening of applications will begin on September 18, 2024 and will continue to be screened until recruitment is closed.
EWU expands opportunities for personal transformation through excellence in learning.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POSITION:

• Plan, direct and manage the operations, budget, programs and services of the Office of Grant & Research Development, including pre-award activities, post-award administration and regulatory compliance functions on behalf of the university administration, and keep supervisor informed.
• Negotiate contractual agreements and scopes of work for awards, and process grant awards and contractual agreements.
• Develop, contribute to, implement and administer university policies and procedures for compliance with federal and state regulations affecting grants, contracts, cooperative agreements and subawards.
• Oversee areas of regulatory compliance that affect grants and contracts, including but not limited to, intellectual property, responsible conduct of research, research integrity, effort reporting, and conflicts of interest.
• Lead and guide faculty and staff in effective organization, planning and preparation of grant proposals for federal and non-federal agencies.
• Coordinate electronic research administration (eRA).
• Supervise and guide pre-award staff, post-award staff, program specialist, and student employees; some supervision may be delegated to other OGRD staff.
• Provide assistance to post-award staff in grant and contract administration.
• Serve as a university Authorized Organization Representative (AOR).
• Represent OGRD in university-wide initiatives related to research development and administration.

Major Duties:

• Serve as an authorized signatory for all grant and contract submissions.
• Serve as PI/Co-PI on grants and contracts submitted by OGRD to build its capacity.
• Lead and collaborate with IT to manage the implementation of technology and software systems.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of laws and regulations that apply to grants and contracts, as well as federal, state, institutional and sponsor guidelines.
• Negotiate contractual agreements and scopes of work for awards, and process grant awards and contractual agreements.
• Analyze, manage and provide leadership to ensure adherence to proposal and funder requirements.
• Communicate OGRD processes to University stakeholders.
• Oversee and manage eRA systems and assignments, including Workspace – grants.gov, Fastlane and Research.gov – NSF, and eraCommons – NIH.
• Facilitate eRA for post-award processes, including financial and programmatic reporting when necessary.
• Monitor and enforce responsible conduct of research (RCR) and other training required for faculty and student researchers who receive federal funding.
• Design and disseminate policies, procedures and informational materials that provide guidance on regulatory requirements.
• Analyze grant activity, calculate, prepare, and submit monthly, quarterly, annual, and/or final financial reports.
• Work collaboratively with post-award staff to build their understanding of funding agency requirements, to solve problems, and to improve PI and support staff training.
• Evaluate, facilitate and approve no-cost extensions, budget modification and other post-award changes as needed.
• Resolve complex issues of awarded grants and contracts to ensure terms and conditions are met.
• Oversee and report on areas within OGRD: pre-award, post-award, compliance, and research administration.
• Oversee and monitor risk assessment on subawards and ensure university compliance with subrecipient monitoring.
• Continuously evaluate, revise, & improve internal OGRD policies & procedures.
• Manage OGRD budget.
• Manage and update content on the OGRD webpages.
• Supervise staff in OGRD.

In order to be effective in this position, the director will:

• Participate fully and effectively in professional development activities
• Participate effectively in university-wide activities and initiatives as assigned
• Act professionally, performing their job in a way that reflects positively upon EWU and the Office of Grant & Research Development
• Maintain confidentiality when required
• Perform their job according to best practices in the field
• Keep the vice provost informed in a timely manner regarding status of program activities and identification of any areas of concern
• Work collaboratively and effectively with colleagues