Job Posting Title:

Associate Director of Pre-Award, Office of Sponsored Projects

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Hiring Department:

Office of Sponsored Projects

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Position Open To:

All Applicants

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Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40

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FLSA Status:

Exempt

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Earliest Start Date:

Immediately

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Position Duration:

Expected to Continue

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Location:

AUSTIN, TX

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Job Details:

General Notes

The Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) serves as the coordinating office for externally funded research and sponsored projects at The University of Texas at Austin. The mission of OSP is to assist faculty and professional research staff in their efforts to secure and ensure proper stewardship of external funding. We do that by assisting research faculty and staff with the following: proposal review, authorization, and submission; award negotiations and acceptance; account management; close-out, reports, audits, collection; professional development and education; export control, and research compliance.

UT Austin offers a competitive benefits package that includes:  

100% employer-paid basic medical coverage  

Retirement contributions

Paid vacation and sick time

Paid holidays

Please visit our Human Resources (HR) website to learn more about the benefits offered.

Purpose

Support the research community at the University of Texas at Austin in the capacity of Associate Director of Pre-Award for the Office of Sponsored Projects. Assist the AVP/Director of OSP by providing leadership and direct management support to professional and administrative staff responsible for all grant and contract proposal administration aspects. Conduct final review of proposals and serve as an authorized official and signatory on associated documents.

Responsibilities

Manage Proposal Team workload and efficiency and shift assignments based on the volume of incoming proposals. Regularly monitor and revise constituency lists, as needed, to balance workload. Document recurring workflow and process issues and collaborate with other OSP leadership and campus constituents as needed to create and execute short and long-term solutions. Support management of eRA systems as they pertain to pre-award operations.

Manage and provide direct supervision of professional and administrative staff responsible for the review and submission of proposals. Hire and train (or oversee the training of) new team members. Provide ongoing coaching and mentoring to team members to ensure individuals and teams are successful. Effectively communicate policies/procedures and expectations to staff. Provide general advice or guidance to the team and assist with complex items.

Provide strong leadership, strategic thinking, direction, and grant and contract proposal administration evaluation. Establish annual goals for the Pre-Award Team and maintain metrics to assess success. Engage with faculty, department research administrators, and other campus stakeholders to develop and advance pre-award process improvement and policy initiatives and maintain positive relationships across campus.

Act as lead authorized official and signatory on all proposal submissions. Interpret University and Sponsor policies and procedures; ensure compliance with System, University, State, and Federal rules, regulations, and laws related to sponsored project proposals.

Participate in campus training and outreach initiatives around pre-award matters, including providing guidance and support to OSP Concierge Services staff.

Special projects as assigned by AVP/Director of OSP, including projects with the Office of the Vice President for Research’s office.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in business or related field.  

Seven or more years of professional experience in research administration or a related area.

Demonstrated personnel management, motivation, and development experience, including hiring and performance management of team members impacted by tight deadlines.  

General knowledge of the overall proposal, award, and post-award processes. 

Demonstrated advanced knowledge in proposal submission to private and federal sponsors.

Demonstrated advanced knowledge of general computer programs, including Microsoft Office, and development of presentation and tracking programs.  

Initiative and creativity, problem-solving skills, ability and willingness to make independent judgments quickly, with the ability and awareness to seek input as necessary.  

Excellent oral and written communication.  

Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills with the ability to handle pressure and difficult situations while maintaining a professional demeanor.  

Ability to effectively provide leadership and guidance to team members and contribute to the overall mission of OSP, The University of Texas at Austin, and The University of Texas System.

Must be eligible to work in the United States for an employer on a full-time basis.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

Master’s degree in business or related field

More than the required years of experience

CRA certification

Previous supervisory-level experience in a sponsored projects office at a university

Experience with a software system transition

Experience with the Research Management System or UTRMS

Salary Range

$125,000 + depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation

Repetitive use of standard office equipment

Access to the Internet required for remote work

Required Materials

Please mark "yes" on the application for the required materials. Failure to attach all additional materials listed may affect candidates being considered for the position.

Resume/CV

3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor

Letter of interest

Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers: You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded.  Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers: As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application. The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

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Employment Eligibility:

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

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Retirement Plan Eligibility:

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

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Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

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Equal Opportunity Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

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Pay Transparency:

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

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Employment Eligibility Verification:

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form.  You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States.  Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment.  Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

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E-Verify:

The University of Texas at Austin use E-Verify to check the work authorization of all new hires effective May 2015. The university’s company ID number for purposes of E-Verify is 854197. For more information about E-Verify, please see the following:

E-Verify Poster (English) [PDF]E-Verify Poster (Spanish) [PDF]Right To Work Poster (English) [PDF]Right To Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

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Compliance:

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act). If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031.

The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.