Associate Director of Sponsored Programs

Overview

Associate Director of Sponsored Programs

University Information    
UNC Greensboro, located in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina, is 1 of only 57 doctoral institutions recognized by the Carnegie Foundation for both higher research activity and community engagement. Founded in 1891 and one of the original three UNC System institutions, UNC Greensboro is one of the most diverse universities in the state with 20,000+ students, and 3,000+ faculty and staff members representing 90+ nationalities. With 17 Division I athletic teams, 85 undergraduate degrees in over 125 areas of study, as well as 74 master’s and 32 doctoral programs, UNC Greensboro is consistently recognized nationally among the top universities for academic excellence and value, with noted strengths in health and wellness, visual and performing arts, nursing, education, and more. For additional information, please visit uncg.edu and follow UNCG on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Primary Purpose of the Organizational Unit    
The mission of the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) is to provide comprehensive support to members of the UNCG research community engaged in the preparation and submission of proposals and the management of funded projects. As steward of the university’s externally funded research portfolio, OSP is responsible for ensuring that all research proposals and projects adhere to UNCG’s academic and research policies and meet its obligations to external sponsors.

Position Summary    
The primary role of the Associate Director of Sponsored Programs ( ADSP ) is to manage the tasks related to the life cycle of a grant which includes both pre-award and certain post-award activities. This includes, but is not limited to proposal review and submission, award review and sponsor negotiation, award processing, and sub-agreement preparation and monitoring of grants to ensure that business processes are followed in support of strategic unit/Office of Research and Engagement/Institutional goals and measures. This individual reports to the director of Sponsored Programs, who reports to the Vice-Chancellor for Research and Engagement

The Associate Director is responsible for strategic management and oversight of day-to-day operations within the Office of Sponsored Programs. The position oversees the grant specialists ensure a seamless, efficient research administration department that supports the research mission of UNCG. The Associate Director works collaboratively with the electronic research administration to ensure harmonization of data management with business processes and workflow.

Minimum Qualifications    

• Ph.D. degree from an accredited college or university plus a minimum of 3 years experience in research administration (preferably higher education) or;
• Master’s Degree and 5 years experience in research administration. 
• 3 years experience in grants management. 
• Extensive knowledge of programs, policies, and procedures of granting agencies, including federal agencies (e.g., NIH, NSF, DoED) as well as corporate and private foundations and sponsors, and knowledge of relevant Uniform Guidance and FAR regulations. 
• Experience with electronic research administration systems and software. 
• Ability to work independently and follow through and complete projects with minimal supervision.

Preferred Qualifications    

• Ability to easily navigate sponsor submission portals and expertise in using technology tools such as excel spreadsheets, fiscal databases, proposal, and report writing, and word processing tools. 
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and follow through and complete projects with minimal supervision. Demonstrated management, communication, facilitation, and customer service skills. 
• Demonstrated oral and written communication, analytical and problem-solving skills. 
• Demonstrated ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality. 
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and constructively with faculty, staff, administration, and sponsors in a fast-paced, customer service-focused environment. 
• CRA preferred.

Key Responsibilities

• Pre and Post Award Guidance, 30% of Time
  • The ADSP position leads the Sponsored Programs team providing oversight of proposal development and submission. The position manages the internal flow of proposal processes prior to submission and provides the final approval of proposals in the internal proposal routing system. The ADSP provides oversight for large, complex projects and draws on a broad scope of both pre and post-award experience with a variety of federal, state, corporate, private, and non-profit sponsors. The ADSP requires frequent and independent interface with university counsel, contract and grant accounting, university advancement, communication, and negotiation with external sponsors (federal, state, private) to resolve unique problems. The position takes the lead in complex grant management and acts as backup for the OSP Director in her absence as needed. The position also has oversight of and provides technical assistance to OSP Grants Specialists as needed.
• Grant Compliance, 30% of Time
  • Keep abreast of funding cycles, proposal submissions, and reporting deadlines. Ensure that applicants are aware of and comply with applicable deadlines. Review completed proposal applications and contracts for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with the requirements of the university, the University of North Carolina System, and the prospective funding agencies. 
  • Develop and provide targeted training on pre-award submission procedures and requirements as well as the administrative requirements of the various awards as needed to ensure compliance and success. Develop and provide targeted training on pre-award submission procedures and requirements as well as the administrative requirements of the various awards as needed to ensure compliance and success.
  • Track issues, make recommendations and collaborate with the Director of OSP to formulate resolutions to problems. Revise operating procedures and internal business processes to address problems and accommodate changes in regulatory environment and growth in the sponsored program portfolio.
  • Work with the Office of Research and Engagement offices to develop/modify internal systems, processes, workflows, and reports to promote operational efficiency, data integrity, and high-quality customer service.
  • Maintain an in-depth knowledge of external sponsor regulations and act as a liaison between OSP and assistant deans for research, university administrations offices such as Research Integrity, academic departmental administrators, and faculty investigators to interpret and communicate policies and procedures. Stay abreast of current federal regulations and pending revisions, the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Code of Federal Regulations, cost account standards, North Carolina laws, and University of North Carolina System policies and reporting requirements to ensure continued compliance.
• Contract Management and Document Development, 25% of Time
  • Negotiate the terms and conditions of grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, MOUs, etc. on behalf of the University and obtain the approval of the Director of Sponsored Programs regarding their content. Responsible for significant oversight of research-related subcontracting development, review, documentation, and administration. Draft correspondence for signatures on specified grants and contracts. Act as intermediary between the Office of Sponsored Programs and other university offices that provide assistance in research administration related tasks (i.e., Research Development Office, Contract and Grant Accounting, Office of the University Counsel, Office of Research Integrity, Associate Deans for Research Offices, etc.) with regard to the submission of proposals and the transfer of post-award documents.
• Supervision and Other duties, 15% of Time
  • Provide supervision, leadership, and support for the professional development of 4 grants specialists, ensuring that proposals are submitted on time and in a quality manner. Maintain collegial and cooperative relationships with internal and external constituents. This includes UNCG faculty, staff, senior administrators and sponsor program officers, and other administrative staff.