Assistant Director, Proposal Development

Harvard University • Cambridge, MA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Office for Sponsored Programs (OSP) is a department within Harvard University’s Financial Administration (FAD) focused on providing high-quality administrative and financial assistance to faculty and other University affiliates performing sponsored research. OSP collaborates with researchers and schools across Harvard to assist with obtaining and negotiating awards from sponsoring agencies, grant proposal preparation, ensuring compliance with federal regulations and University policies, providing financial support including financial reporting and billing and collection services, assisting with audits, and promoting knowledge of sponsored research administration through training and educational programs.

The Assistant Director, Proposal Development oversees three managers, each leading a team of proposal development staff, and reports to the Senior Director of Pre-Award in OSP. This role leads school- and department-level pre-award efforts across the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS), setting standards, priorities, and expectations for proposal development and Just-in-Time (JIT). In partnership with the Senior Director, the Assistant Director provides leadership, builds community, and evaluates, designs, and refines team structure, workflows, business processes, and resource allocation across the school- and department-level pre-award lifecycle.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required
• Minimum of 8 years’ relevant work experience
• Advanced knowledge of sponsored research regulations
• Supervisory experience

Nice To Haves

• A minimum of 5 years of supervisory experience preferred.
• Strong management skills, including staff and performance management.
• Demonstrated leadership ability, including ability to build consensus.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to resolve problems with diplomacy.
• Experience with business systems and process design.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and ability to work collaboratively with diverse teams at all levels.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and supervision for an OSP-based proposal development team embedded in FAS, including developing long-term strategy and business objectives, workload planning, assignment of complex proposals, performance management, and staff development to deliver consistent, high quality proposal development and pre-award support.
• Serve as a recognized subject matter expert and thought leader in research administration.
• Oversee the full pre award lifecycle for the team’s portfolio, from concept development through final submission and sponsor-required pre-award actions including JIT, setting standards, timelines, and review processes that ensure compliance with sponsor, school, and University requirements.
• Serve as primary central office liaison to FAS research administration leadership and central partners (e.g., OSP, OVPR, OGC, OTD), resolving escalated policy and risk issues and aligning proposal and pre award strategies with institutional research priorities.
• Represent the school / department / university to senior FAS leadership and external groups and collaborate with management and university partners to develop initiatives and processes.
• Develop, implement, and refine proposal development policies, templates, tools, and metrics; analyze proposal volume, turnaround times, pre-award activity, and success rates to identify gaps and drive process improvements, training, and resource allocation decisions.
• Direct and coordinate the team’s management of pre-award operations, actions and other time sensitive sponsor requests for complex or high risk proposals, ensuring consistent interpretation of requirements, rigorous quality control, and timely, accurate submissions across supported departments.
• Develop and steward partnerships among faculty, funding agencies, collaborating institutions, and FAS offices and represent OSP and FAS.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off including parental leave
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one
• Retirement plans with university contributions
• Wellbeing and mental health resources
• Support for families and caregivers
• Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement
• Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: Associate degree