Pay Grade/Pay Range: Minimum: $83,500 - Midpoint: $112,700 (Salaried E13)
Department/Organization: 702201 - Sponsored Program Admin
Normal Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm
Job Summary: The Associate Director of Sponsored Programs assists with oversight of the administration of externally sponsored grants and contracts at the University, including sponsored research, instruction, and other sponsored activities. The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) supports the research community by establishing policies and procedures, providing guidance and consultation, and serving as the liaison with external sponsors on administrative changes throughout the life of an award.
Additional Department Summary: Provides operational management of the central pre-award function within the Office for Sponsored Programs (OSP), including post-award activities that occur prior to or in support of award acceptance and setup. Oversees the day-to-day management, supervision, and quality control of institution-wide pre-award proposal development and submission activities across an assorted sponsor portfolio.
The Office for Sponsored Programs currently supports approximately 1,300 proposal submissions annually and 800–900 new awards and amendments annually, spanning federal, state, non-profit, and industry sponsors. This position oversees central grant and contract specialists who support proposals across multiple sponsor types, funding mechanisms, and academic disciplines, ensuring consistent, high-quality operational performance across the office.
Required Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor's degree and four (4) years of research administration or project management experience; OR master's degree and two (2) years of research administration or project management experience.
Skills and Knowledge: Ability to independently assess proposal risk, manage competing deadlines, and make operational decisions in a high-volume environment. Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to work effectively with faculty, department administrators, and senior leadership.
Preferred Qualifications: Master’s degree. Certified Research Administrator (CRA) credential. Eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in sponsored programs administration, with at least five (5) years focused on central pre-award proposal development and submission across multiple sponsor types. Three (3) years of direct supervisory experience managing professional pre-award staff in a central sponsored programs office. Experience supporting institution-wide research portfolios exceeding $300 million annually. Experience leading or supporting enterprise-wide eRA system implementations. Experience supervising pre-award staff supporting proposals across multiple academic units. Experience overseeing proposal submissions across a broad range of federal sponsors (e.g., NIH, NSF, DoD) and non-federal sponsors. Advanced working knowledge of federal research regulations, including Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200). Experience with multiple sponsor submission systems (e.g., Grants.gov, eRA Commons, Research.gov, et al.) and institutional eRA platforms.
Background Investigation Statement: Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation and information obtained from social media and other internet sources. A prior conviction reported as a result of the background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags will receive an individualized review of the prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags before a hiring decision is made.
Equal Employment Opportunity: The University of Alabama is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment or volunteer status without regard to any legally protected basis and will not be discriminated against because of their protected status. Applicants and employees of this institution are protected under Federal law from discrimination on several bases. More information is available in the EEOC’s Know Your Rights: Workplace discrimination is illegal poster.
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