Team-Based Research Development Associate Director (Proposal Development Specialist)
Indiana University

Department

RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT (UA-RSDE-IUINA)

Department Information

The Office for Research Development (ORD) guides faculty and researchers in pursuing research funding, forming cross-disciplinary science teams, and developing collaborative research proposals.

Job Summary

The Team-Based Research Development (TBRD) Associate Director (AD), reporting to the TBRD Executive Director, will work to increase Indiana University (IU)'s competitiveness in capturing large-scale (at least $1 million) extramural funding opportunities aligned with the IU 2030 Strategic Plan's research objectives.

Department-Specific Responsibilities

• Helps build collaborative, often interdisciplinary teams of faculty members and researchers to pursue relevant grant opportunities.
• Supports existing teams of researchers in developing and refining their strategy for pursuing extramural funding.
• Identifies anticipated or confirmed funding opportunities and share them with relevant teams or academic leaders as quickly as possible.
• Coordinates with ORD colleagues, particularly Proposal Development Services (PDS), to advance the goals and priorities of IU Research.
• Assists in the formation of research teams equipped to apply for and win large-scale funding opportunities that are aligned with the strategic interests of the IU research enterprise.
• Coordinates kick-off meetings, budget discussions, and both tactical and strategic reviews.
• Analyzes IU's proposal data, funded awards, and sponsor funding trends, as well as contribute to the development of strategies to increase institutional competitiveness for extramural funding.
• Identifies funding opportunities aligned with institutional priorities and disseminate them to appropriate personnel; Monitors all amendments or modifications to the solicitation or program over time.
• Maintains familiarity with federal agency funding trends, strategies, and priorities.
• Contributes to the growth of IU's research forecasting capabilities and to a systemic process for distributing and acting on intelligence.
• Assists with the planning and conceptualization of large, impactful proposals, including teaming strategies, partner negotiations, intelligence collection, and site visit preparation.
• Assists PDS in developing competitive proposals by connecting teams with additional internal and external resources.

General Responsibilities

• Consults, directs, and assists investigators on the development of external funding proposals including preparation, submission, acceptance, and administration; investigates and answers questions from external agencies, researchers, fiscal officers, research administrators and others; counsels researchers and staff on the preparation of budgets, completion of certifications, and institutional information to ensure compliance with university policies, federal regulations, and agency guidelines.
• Ascertains the status of proposals, awards, research risk approvals, internal approvals such as route sheets, and related documents; initiates action to resolve problems when necessary; assists faculty and staff in identifying documents or forms needed in connection with pending or funded projects; follows up on all correspondence to ensure that appropriate action is taken or information provided.
• Provides comprehensive project management services including establishing timelines and processes for proposal production, helping to convene potential collaborators, organize faculty project teams, and lead proposal development meetings of the project team; edits proposals for concision, clarity, and consistency of style.
• Provides strategic analysis and guidance for investigators and research teams; connects investigators with relevant internal and external professionals for development of certain proposal sections; suggests, when appropriate, faculty or researchers who may collaborate to strengthen proposals, particularly on large projects involving interdisciplinary and intercampus cooperation; advises on positioning of a project idea in relation to agency mission, active or anticipated funding opportunities, and program criteria; reviews and provides non-technical reviewer-focused feedback on proposal text for content and structure; discusses reviews for declined proposals and advises on potential revisions.
• Provides analysis, writing, or other support to senior leaders for proposal-relevant strategic initiatives; analyzes funder priorities, communicates with agency personnel to better understand current and upcoming funding opportunities that are appropriate for IU faculty and/or researchers, and disseminates opportunities that align with institutional strategic priorities; offers consulting support to research interest groups involved in strategic initiatives.
• Develops and presents content for workshops, web-based materials, tailored presentations for investigators, schools and departments; participates and leads other educational initiatives to assist faculty in finding funding opportunities and developing competitive grant proposals.
• Facilitates effective communication, consensus building, team building, and team management to work effectively and collaboratively with agency contacts, project leaders/team members, senior administration, project management staff, internal units, and/or external contacts.

Qualifications

Combinations of related education and experience may be considered. Education beyond the minimum required may be substituted for work experience. Work experience beyond the minimum required may be substituted for education.

EDUCATION

Required

• Bachelor's degree preferably in related field

Preferred

• Master's degree

WORK EXPERIENCE

Required

• 3 years in proposal and/or research writing or related experience

Preferred

• Experience in a higher education research setting
• Experience with private, state and/or federal granting agencies and an understanding of the policies and procedures of external granting agencies or capture planning in academia or industry
• Experience in a higher education research setting and sponsored programs
• Experience with private, state and/or federal granting agencies and an understanding of the policies and procedures of external granting agencies
• Experience in budget development

SKILLS

Required

• Maintains a high degree of professionalism
• Demonstrated time management and priority setting skills
• Demonstrates a high commitment to quality
• Possesses flexibility to work in a fast paced, dynamic environment
• Seeks to acquire knowledge in area of specialty
• Highly thorough and dependable
• Demonstrates a high level of accuracy, even under pressure

Working Conditions / Demands

This role requires the ability to effectively communicate and to operate a computer and other standard office productivity equipment. The position involves sedentary work as well as periods of time moving around an office environment and the campus. The person in this role must be able to perform the essential functions with or without an accommodation.

Work Location

Indianapolis, Indiana or Bloomington, Indiana

Benefits Overview

For full-time staff employees, Indiana University offers a wide array of benefits including:

• Multiple plan options for medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Health Savings Account with generous IU contribution
• Life insurance, LTD, and AD&D options
• Base retirement plan contribution from IU, subject to vesting
• Additional supplemental retirement plan options
• Tuition benefit for IU classes
• 10 paid holidays per year
• Generous Paid Time Off
• Paid Parental Leave
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Learn more about our benefits by reviewing our online Benefits Brochure.

Job Classification

Career Level: Career

FLSA: Exempt

Job Function: Research

Job Family: Research Development
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Posting Disclaimer

This posting is scheduled to close at 11:59 pm EST on the advertised Close Date. This posting may be closed at any time at the discretion of the University, but will remain open for a minimum of 5 business days. To guarantee full consideration, please submit your application within 5 business days of the Posted Date.

If you wish to include a cover letter, you may include it with your resume when uploading attachments.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Indiana University is an equal employment and affirmative action employer and a provider of ADA services. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment based on individual qualifications. Indiana University prohibits discrimination based on age, ethnicity, color, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, national origin, disability status or protected veteran status. Indiana University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its educational programs and activities, including employment and admission, as required by Title IX. Questions or complaints regarding Title IX may be referred to the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights or the university Title IX Coordinator. See Indiana University's Notice of Non-Discrimination here which includes contact information.

Campus Safety and Security

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, containing policy statements, crime and fire statistics for all Indiana University campuses, is available online. You may also request a physical copy by emailing IU Public Safety at iups@iu.edu or by visiting IUPD.

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Telephone: 812-856-1234

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