1060 Director of Sponsored Research and Programs
POSITION IDENTIFICATION
TITLE Director of Sponsored Research and Programs
CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 1060
GRADE 49
IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR Vice President for Research and Economic Development
MAJOR ADMINISTRATOR President
GENERAL FUNCTION
The Director of Sponsored Research and Programs increases external funding, particularly government grant funding, by being aware of and communicating funding opportunities to faculty, stimulating and working with faculty to develop competitive proposals, working closely with academic administrators to identify targets of opportunity and to organize and work with faculty to develop proposals that respond to these opportunities, and developing and conducting training programs in grant preparation for faculty. The Director of Sponsored Research and Programs works with external consultants to effectively identify and commercialize the University’s intellectual property and participates in collaborative relationships with other universities and local economic development organizations to promote increased funding for research and training from which Missouri State University might benefit.
MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Education: A Master's degree is required. A Doctorate is preferred.
Experience: At least five years of professional experience in the administration of externally-funded sponsored research and associated funding agencies are required. Five years of increasingly responsible supervisory experience is preferred. A record of significant leadership experience in research and administrative operations is preferred. A successful record of obtaining government grants in an academic setting, particularly in collaboration with faculty groups, is preferred. Experience in establishing and maintaining relationships with government funding agencies is preferred.
Skills: Evidence of strong writing and editorial skills and excellent interpersonal skills are required. Demonstrated ability to work effectively with people from diverse disciplines and at varying organizational levels, including the ability to promote a working environment that builds collaborations, encourages interdisciplinary teamwork, and promotes diversity, is required. Proficiency with word processing and spreadsheet applications is required. Experience using a pre- and post-award grants management system is preferred. The ability to lead a research administration office, establish strategic priorities, and advocate effectively for internal and external support of research, scholarship and creative activity to advance the mission of the University is preferred. Familiarity with research environments and infrastructure, patenting and licensing, current federal and state research compliance regulations, policies, and practices, federal and state funding opportunities and trends, national and international research organizations, faculty fellowship programs, and institutional partnerships and research collaborations, is preferred.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Provides service to the faculty by facilitating their efforts to pursue scholarly activities, professional development, creative endeavors, training programs, equipment acquisition, and community service through the acquisition of extramural funding.
2. Promotes externally sponsored instructional, research and public service programs by disseminating information on funding sources to faculty, including publishing a newsletter and conducting periodic grant information workshops.
3. Provides pre-award administrative assistance to faculty applying to external agencies for project funding by reviewing proposals, assisting in the development of proposal budgets, critiquing proposals, ascertaining that required certifications and institutional assurances and endorsements are prepared for signature by an authorized institutional representative, obtaining the approval of appropriate University administrators, providing the required number of copies for the sponsoring agency, forwarding the proposal with a transmittal letter and other pertinent information, as required, to the sponsor.
4. Evaluates adherence to University, sponsor, federal, and state laws, regulations, and policies governing funded projects by reviewing all proposals, contracts and other agreements, submitted to external agencies by faculty and staff.
5. Assists faculty in locating potential funding opportunities by researching publications and electronic databases, and disseminating information on funding sources to faculty and staff.
6. Maintains a research library of potential sponsors by subscribing to newsletters, bulletins, directories, and electronic databases and corresponding directly with funding sponsors.
7. Assists in coordination of post-award processes by working with University administration, faculty, staff and funding agencies.
8. Contributes to the overall success of the Office of Research and Economic Development by performing all other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
The Director of Sponsored Research and Programs receives supervision from the Vice President for Research and Economic Development and exercises supervision of professional and administrative staff.
JOB FAMILY 4
Factor 1: Professional Knowledge, Skill, and Technical Mastery
Level 6 - 4500 Points: Knowledge of a wide range of concepts, principles, and methods of an administrative, academic, managerial, or professional field. Knowledge permits the employee to develop new or substantially modified approaches that diverge from standard methods to improve administrative and/or line operations. Knowledge also permits the employee to plan steps and carry out multi-phase projects requiring problem definition and modified techniques, to coordinate work with others, and to modify methods and procedures to solve a wide variety of problems. Knowledge requirements may include evidence of the ability to manage programs and/or lead and direct other professionals. Knowledge requirements for jobs at this level typically include a level of education beyond the Bachelor?s degree with comprehensive related work experience, frequently including substantial administrative or supervisory experience, and knowledge of higher education processes, policies, and procedures. Alternatively, this level may require a professional or clinical specialty beyond the Bachelor?s with moderate related work experience. The knowledge requirement at this level may also include a terminal academic degree with an appropriate level of leadership and/or administrative experience.
Factor 2: Supervisory Responsibility
Level 5 - 730 Points: Supervision of (a) several work teams or work team leaders, (b) a rather large group of operative, administrative support, or paraprofessional employees, (c) a work group involving direction of skilled technical employees, (d) professionals in technical and skilled areas, and/or (e) subordinate supervisory personnel. The incumbent performs a full range of supervisory responsibilities including the authority to hire, train, transfer, promote, reward, or discipline others. Supervision will likely be general rather than close supervision of others. At this level, supervisory responsibilities consume significant amounts of work time and include substantial responsibility for work planning activities, staffing, and performance management as well as budgeting and planning functions.
Factor 3: Interactions with Others
Level 5 - 850 Points: Interactions are highly unstructured and incumbents are often required to resolve difficult and unstructured problems. Interactions are commonly with administrators, cost-center heads, high level committees, or external constituents in order to defend, negotiate, or resolve controversial and/or long-range issues and problems. Interactions occur in situations subject to divergent views, skepticism, resistance, uncooperative attitudes, and conflicting objectives. Interactions often require high levels of interpersonal skill and require the ability to influence, interrogate, or control others through debate, persuasion, or authoritative recognition and require strong analytical and decision-making skills.
Factor 4: Job Controls and Guidelines
Level 4 - 850 Points: The employee operates under administrative supervision and makes decisions based on broadly-stated University objectives and available resources. Administrative guidelines are expressed in terms of project or program outcomes and deadlines with few comprehensive guidelines. Decisions are based on inadequate guidelines that require considerable interpretation and force the employee to plan all phases of the assignment. Assignments may be unrelated in function and the work requires many different processes and methods and a great deal of analysis to identify the nature and extent of problems. The work may require the employee to develop new methods and to deal with many variables, including some that are unclear or conflicting. Characteristic jobs at this level may involve directing large and/or complex programs, projects, or departments in which the work cuts across functional lines or requires dealing with unprecedented issues.
Factor 5: Managerial Responsibility
Level 5 - 2350 Points: Work involves primary accountability for a larger department, program, or process. Work activities involve managerial decisions that directly affect the efficiency, costs, reputation, and service quality of the department, program, or process. Work affects a limited range of professional projects or administrative activities of the University, influences internal or external operations, or impacts students, faculty, and/or staff. Work activities have a direct and significant impact on the department. Work activities also have a significant effect on the efficiency and reputation of the cost center and represent a relatively major function within the cost center. At this level would be jobs in which the incumbent may have responsibility for developing budgets, distributing budgeted funds, and exercising primary control over a moderately-sized budget.