Director, Sponsored Programs
Overview
The Office of Research at the University of Central Florida, is seeking an experienced Director, Sponsored Programs, to join a dynamic team at one of the largest universities in the nation!
The Director, Sponsored Programs is responsible for the management and oversight of the pursuit and implementation of sponsored programs for research; successfully proposing and directing funds to support the mission and strategic priorities of the University related to the research mission. The Director manages activities related to grants and contracts funding research, establishes and oversees processes to ensure compliance with funder, federal, and accepted industry standards, provides support to administration, faculty, and staff in the UCF research community, and provides resources and training to support a culture of effective sponsored research program management. Acts as a liaison with research sponsors on behalf of the University.
Responsibilities for this position include:
Provides effective leadership, direction, supervision, training, and mentorship to research development and contracts and grants personnel in support of the Vice President of Research and Associate VP for Research and the missions of the office and university.
Knowledgeable of federal and other sponsor regulations governing grant and contract administration, including Office of Management & Budget Circulars and Federal Acquisition Regulations. General knowledge of laws, regulations, and policies relating to the protection of human subjects, animal welfare, intellectual property, conflict of interest, cost-accounting standards and other compliance related activities.
Knowledgeable of the necessary infrastructure needed to maximize successful proposal preparation including managing the support for technical writing, graphics, budgeting, and building coalitions for inter/multi-disciplinary proposal submissions.
Supports research development, proposal review and approval, negotiations of research contracts and grants and consummate applicable grants and contracts with funding agencies. Thorough understanding of primary granting agency programs/processes and award terms and conditions pertinent to grant-funded research.
Develops policies for the Office of Research to promote improvement of processes with adherence to relevant university, state, and federal guidelines.
Gathers and reports on meaningful metrics in order to assist in reaching strategic goals for research.
Creates and fosters an environment of support for the University research community through relationships with Deans, Associate Deans for Research, and research faculty by extending and supporting their research endeavors to secure funding.
Coordinate with Grants Accounting for the fiscal administration, budgeting, and other compliance issues related to research grants, contract accounts, or other sponsored internal and external programs as appropriate.
Promote constant review and improvement of the administrative procedures governing sponsored research to ensure the highest quality service is provided to all principal investigators.
Serve as liaison with a variety of agencies and professional groups to keep abreast of current developments and to ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations. Work closely with faculty from a variety of disciplines, Office of Business Administration and Finance & Accounting to encourage a culture of excellence in grantsmanship.
Coordinate training, coaching, and mentoring to pre- and post-award and other personnel in the Office of Research and the research community.
Promote constant review and improvement of the administrative procedures governing sponsored research to ensure the highest quality service is provided to all principal investigators.
Serve as liaison with a variety of agencies and professional groups to keep abreast of current developments and to ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations. Work closely with faculty from a variety of disciplines, Office of Business Administration, and Finance & Accounting to encourage a culture of excellence in grantsmanship.
Coordinate training, coaching, and mentoring to pre- and post-award and other personnel in the Office of Research and the research community.
Responsible for setting the annual budgets for Pre-award and Training and working with the AVP for Research Administration to insure the budget is on track.
Interact with other Office of Research and University personnel to ensure effective communication, cooperation, and collaborations.
Facilitate communication in regard to research administration issues to the university community at large in a timely manner.
Coordinate and oversee research administration training for Office of Research and research coordinators in the UCF Research community at large through regular and ad hoc training events and programs.
Provide other support to the Associate VP for Research Administration and Vice President of Research as required.
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor's or Master's degree and 8+ years of relevant experience, including 3+ years of leadership experience.
Preferred Qualifications:
Broad experience in research administration, strong interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to work with diverse populations.
Exceptional ability to coordinate and communicate with senior management, research administrators, principle investigators and other university stakeholders.
Previous experience working in a university setting preferred.
Ideal candidates will hold a Certified Research Administrator (CRA), Certified Pre-award Research Administrator (CPRA), or Certified Financial research Administrator (CFRA) certification.
Master’s in Research Administration preferred.
Demonstrates excellent problem-solving skills and critical analyses abilities.
Possess strong skillset to train, develop, and motivate a large research administration sponsored programs, pre-award team.
Proven ability to interpret federal and state laws, including 2CFR 200, Federal Acquisition Regulations.