Working Title: Research Development Manager

State Role Title: N/A

Position Type: Administrative & Professional (Non-teaching Faculty)

Position Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt: Not Eligible for Overtime

College/Division: Vice President - REDI

Department: 539412 - Vice Provost - Res & Pub Svc

Pay Rate: Commensurate with Experience

Specify Range or Amount:

Is this a JMU only position? No

Is this a grant-funded position? Yes. This is a grant-funded position and is contingent upon continued funding.

Is this a Conflict of Interest designated position? No

Beginning Review Date: 11/3/2025

About JMU:

Mission
We are a community committed to preparing students to be educated and enlightened citizens who lead productive and meaningful lives.

Vision
To be the national model for the engaged university: engaged with ideas and the world.

Who We Are
Situated in the heart of Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the city of Harrisonburg is a vibrant community with a population of approximately 52,000. Harrisonburg is conveniently located approximately 120 miles from Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA.

JMU is a selective, public institution with a growing national reputation for offering experiences that lead to an outstanding education and supportive environment for students, faculty and staff. The student body includes approximately 21,000 undergraduate and 1,800 graduate students, with over 1,000 full-time instructional faculty.

JMU offers thriving programs in the liberal arts, science and technology, and professional disciplines at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels. JMU has achieved national recognition for the high quality of its academic programs, focus on maintaining strong student/faculty interaction, and innovative faculty research.

General Information:

The Research Development Manager (RDM) works directly with faculty and staff to catalyze and manage the proposal development process to help produce highly competitive proposals for research and programmatic funding. They provide strategic support in identifying and securing external funding. The RDM works with the staff in the Offices of Research Development, Office of Sponsored Programs, and Corporate and Foundation Relations to manage the development of a growing portfolio of external funding proposals for the college for new and continuing large-scale research and programmatic projects. 50% of the RDM’s time will be devoted specifically to serving the College of Education, with the remaining time devoted to the central Office of Research Development as well as strategically identified units. The RDM is also expected to prepare funding proposals to support the Office of Research Development.

This position reports to the Division of Research, Economic Development, and Innovation’s Director of Research Development and Pre-Award Services, but with a dotted line to the College of Education’s Associate Dean of Research.

Duties and Responsibilities:

#1 Enhance Sponsored Programs Participation in Assigned Units
• Identify and disseminate funding opportunities tailored for the College of Education as well as other identified units.
• Articulate college/unit research development priorities, as well as individual faculty research development priorities, to the central Office of Research Development.
• Coordinate between the central Office of Research Development and college/unit leadership to develop and implement strategic research development plans.
• Distribute communications and assist in promoting events/workshops and resources provided by the central Research Development team to the college/unit.
• Maintain regular opportunities for faculty consultations related to external funding.
• Catalyze and manage a growing and diversified portfolio of large external funding proposals.

#2 Proposal Management Support
• Generate checklists and timelines based on solicitation requirements.
• Assess and provide guidance on required proposal elements.
• Provide project management support for large and/or complex proposals to ensure timely preparation of necessary components.
• Manage external and internal review and offer feedback on proposals relative to funding program goals and review criteria.
• Coordinate with other relevant units, such as the Office of Sponsored Programs-Administrative Services, to ensure timely preparation of required proposal components.

#3 Support Centralized Research Development Efforts
• Collaborate with members of the Office of Research Development and other relevant stakeholders to develop and execute strategies aimed at enhancing sponsored programs productivity.
• Coordinate with other Research Development managers and associates to share opportunities and experiences, converge research teams, etc.
• Contribute to the development, refinement, and accessibility of resources that support proposal development.
• Build relationships with program officers from different funding agencies, particularly for the benefit of the College of Education and other assigned units.
• Develop and contribute to capacity building activities, such as organizing workshops, training sessions, and mentoring programs for faculty and other researchers.

#4 Grant Writing/Editing
• Identify opportunities and prepare funding proposals that support the activities and strategic priorities of the Office of Research Development.
• Under the guidance of the leadership of the Office of Research Development, provide limited editing support in strategically identified proposals.

#5 Perform other related duties as assigned

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications: 
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ability to handle complex tasks efficiently. 
• Proficiency in project management or willingness to learn with demonstrated related transferable skills.
• Proficiency in grant writing and review or willingness to learn with demonstrated related transferable skills.
• Ability to work with a variety of software packages and to learn new software packages quickly.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to interact professionally with faculty, staff, and external stakeholders. 
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to provide effective support and guidance.
• Attention to detail and ability to interpret and ensure compliance with federal, state, and foundation requirements for grant proposals.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines effectively and prioritize tasks under tight deadlines.
• Ability to critically review and edit technical documents.
• Capacity to maintain confidentiality and apply judgment, discretion, and initiative in coordinating complex projects.
• Ability to take initiative and work independently with minimum supervision.
• Commitment to promoting a culture of research excellence and innovation.

Preferred Qualifications: 
• Advanced degree (Master's, Ph.D., etc.)
• Three to five years of demonstrated success working with teams of faculty to develop large-scale research proposals for federal and foundation funding.
• Grant writing experience.
• Familiarity with grant proposal development processes and funding opportunities in academic or research settings. 
• Experience working in a research development or research administration .
• Familiarity with research databases and funding search engines. 

Additional Posting Information:

To apply, please complete the online application and submit the following:
• CV or Resume (submitted under “Resume”)
• Cover letter

JMU’s Dual Career and Community Resources Program is available for candidates that will be relocating to the area. For more information, please visit https://bit.ly/2OTF1NG.

Conditions of Employment:  

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a criminal background check.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. James Madison University uses the E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

EEO Statement:

James Madison University is committed to creating and supporting a diverse and inclusive work and educational community that is free of all forms of discrimination. This institution does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, parental status, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or veteran status.

We promote access, inclusion and diversity for all students, faculty, staff, constituents and programs, believing that these qualities are foundational components of an outstanding education in keeping with our mission. The university is interested in candidates whose experience and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to this core quality.

Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity: (540) 568-6991.

Reasonable Accommodation:

If you are an individual with a disability and need assistance searching or applying for jobs please contact us at (540) 568-3597 or jobs@jmu.edu. You may also visit the JMU Human Resource Office, located at 752 Ott Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22807 and we will be happy to assist you.