Director of the Office of Sponsored Research

SUMMARY OF POSITION: Reporting to the Provost, the Director of the Office of Sponsored Research coordinates the university's efforts to lead, expand, and guide research, scholarship, and creative endeavors for students, faculty, and staff. The Director encourages the development and implementation of high-quality research initiatives and provides support for the submission and management of research grants in collaboration with the Assistant Vice President of Advancement Services and the Business Office. The Director also coordinates campus opportunities to showcase scholarly and creative achievements and will oversee quarterly/annual symposia. The Director will align the office's goals with the University's strategic priorities and collect data as required for reporting to accreditation agencies.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/ NON-ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Oversight of Scholarly and Creative Efforts 30%

-Plans, organizes, and supports the overall research and scholarship efforts of the University's faculty, staff, and students

-Promotes and fosters internal and external collaborations to enhance research and scholarly experiences

-Develops opportunities and encourages the engagement of students in mentored research experiences through public and class presentations.

-Supports Admissions in the development of a proactive recruitment strategy that highlights on-campus opportunities for research and scholarly activities

Grants Management 30%

*In collaboration with the Assistant Vice President of Advancement Services,

-Provides oversight for internal and external academic grant processes, including ensuring compliance with reporting requirements and aiding in pre- and post-award obligations.

-Aids colleagues in the development of competitive grant proposals and opportunities that align with academic and research priorities

-Reviews applications for internal research funding opportunities and limited submission opportunities.

-Assists Principal Investigators (PIs) in obtaining appropriate internal approvals and support letters and assures proposals meet regulatory rules and policies from the sponsoring agency and university.

*In collaboration with the Vice President for Operations and Chief Financial Officer, oversees the distribution of F&A funds, budget development, and post-award reporting and invoicing requirements.

Event Planning & Scholastic Recognition 20%

-Coordinates the planning, organizing, and execution of research symposia and other opportunities to showcase the scholarly and creative contributions of Converse faculty, staff, and students, most notably the annual Research, Internship, and Arts Experiential Learning (RISE) symposium.

-Provides support to faculty, staff, and students to increase the visibility of their research and scholarly activities to a wide range of audiences via promoting outputs, including but not limited to publication of books and journal articles, participation in editorial memberships, professional leaderships, seminars, and workshops.

-Collaborates with standing committees to recognize scholarly achievements.

-Nominates faculty, staff, students, and alumni for external awards in recognition of their scholarly accomplishments

Data Collection and Management 10%

-Provides oversight for data collection and management for research and scholarly activity

-Prepares an annual report on the research and scholarly accomplishment activities to be presented to the President and other audiences as appropriate.

-Provides data and prepares narratives for accreditation reports as needed.

Generalist Responsibilities 10%

-Attend monthly staff meetings

-Stays abreast of national, state, and regional funding trends and funding priorities

-Other duties as assigned by the Provost

JOB QUALIFICATIONS:

Minimum qualifications:

-Bachelor's degree and 2 or more years of experience coordinating institutional research efforts; experience may be substituted by an equivalent combination of certification, training, or education.

-Ability to analyze financial data, records, and reports

-Skilled at exercising discretion in handling confidential financial matters

-Excellent oral and written communication skills

-Ability to interact with faculty, students, and staff of diverse cultural backgrounds

-Ability to manage tight deadlines and competing priorities

Preferred Qualifications:

-Master's degree in a related field

-Extensive knowledge and experience with grant-funded research and creative activity

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

-Ability to create, implement, and sustain interdisciplinary partnerships across the university.

-Evidence of successful management of fiscal resources and personnel.

-Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with constituents, both internal to the organization and in the public.

GUIDELINES AND SUPERVISION: The Director of the Office for Sponsored Research will report to the Provost. This individual will need to work independently as well as collaboratively. The Director's office will be housed in Carmichael Hall.

Work Schedule:

Monday - Thursday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Fridays: 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Extended or weekend hours may be needed to support university activities, events, and needs.

Licenses: None required

DISCLAIMER: The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and essential duties and responsibilities of work performed by employees within this classification. It may not contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees to do this job.

We believe that a diverse faculty and staff are essential to achieving academic excellence; thus, we strongly encourage applications from candidates from all racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds.