Associate Director for Research Development

University of Texas at Austin

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Director for Research Development will be vital in establishing a robust LRI research development program and lead the planning, development, submission, and ongoing monitoring of LRI proposals and research. This role involves consulting with the Director to establish a comprehensive grant management tracking platform, producing metrics to articulate LRI’s success, and working closely with various university grant management teams. The position will also serve as LRI’s resident grants expert, providing support to researchers on funding agency and university policies, procedures, and deadlines, and pursuing institutional/center grants. Additionally, the Associate Director will lead the pre-award and post-award management processes, including proposal development, budget preparation, submission, and grant implementation oversight. This role requires participation in relevant staff meetings, continuous knowledge upgrading, and serving as a primary departmental contact for various university offices to facilitate proposal submission and post-award information. The Associate Director will also supervise the Academic Program Coordinator and coordinate LRI activities, facilitating communication between LRI and other college offices, and assisting the Director in communicating with affiliated faculty and student researchers. Collaboration with the Administrative Associate is key to ensure timely and accurate faculty effort percentages and financial reports.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in related field.
Five or more years of grants administration experience, with three or more years at a managerial level, including oversight of: development, preparation, processing and oversight of sponsored research proposals and awards; alignment of grant deliverables to advance institutional strategic goals; and leading research development initiatives and grants training for various constituents from a broad range of experience.
Demonstrated experience developing and managing multi-disciplinary grant collaborations across University departments and CSUs; and with local, state, national and international community partners (subawards, contracts, MOUs).
Demonstrated cultural competence and successful experience working with various constituents and community partners in multicultural, multi-lingual contexts.
Experience building positive working relationships with federal agency and foundation program officers to support faculty with interpreting and adhering to sponsor guidelines.
Ability to work in a environment with sensitive and confidential information.
Demonstrated self-starter with excellent written and oral communication skills.
Proficient use of MS Word, Excel, Outlook and Adobe Professional.
Demonstrated ability to maintain accuracy and pay close attention to detail.
Demonstrated ability to work in a "high volume" office in which there are multiple deadlines.
Equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Nice To Haves

Graduate degree in social science, humanities or related field.
Demonstrated excellence in a University position that supports researchers.
More than five years of experience in pre- and post- award research administration.
Experience managing interdisciplinary campus wide, national and international regranting, fellowship, seed funding and pilot programs for UT Austin students and faculty, and scholars external to the University.
Experience with design, implementation and evaluation studies and community-level research.
Certified Research Administrator (CRA).
Familiarity with University policies and procedures.
Knowledge of UT Austin’s financial and/or research management systems.
Experience working with high volume grant proposals.
Experience in using NSF’s Research.gov, NEH’s eGMS Reach, FLUXX, Grants.gov and/or Cayuse, and other electronic research submission systems.
Advanced organizational skills.
Multilingual, Spanish preferred.

Responsibilities

Consult with Director to establish a robust research development program that supports multidisciplinary research on Latino communities and research that is consequential for all communities.
Works closely with Latino Research Institute (LRI) affiliates and other UT Austin faculty and graduate students to pursue grants which align with the UT Austin’s mission more broadly.
Work with the Director and Associate Director of Research to strategically lead LRI research, programs, and grant management objectives.
Assists the Director in establishing a comprehensive grant management tracking platform that monitors all LRI grants and programs, including the areas of focus (e.g., AI, transportation, housing, education, labor participation, social engagement, public health, and safety), professional development, and research and social impact of grants.
Work with the Director to produce metrics to articulate LRI’s success for annual and ad hoc reporting.
Work closely with COLA and OVPR grant management teams on all pre and post grant management processes.
Provide faculty, students and key collaborators with ongoing grant opportunities that align with the LRI mission.
Serve as LRI’s resident grants expert and provide timely and responsive support to researchers on a broad range of funding agency and university policies, procedures, and deadlines.
Pursue and manage institutional/center grants to support LRI core operations and activities and expand institutional objectives and initiatives.
Notify researchers of relevant policy initiatives and changes from the university and sponsors (e.g., indirect cost agreements, tuition increases, UT fringe rate policy, sponsors’ fiscal policies, cost-share policies, conflict of interest policies, funding rules and regulations).
Consult with PIs throughout pre- and post-award phases to integrate key aspects of LRI institutional mission and strategic goals into grants.
Develop protocol documents, documenting formal grant application submission policies and procedures for the LRI.
Continually refine and update internal policies and procedures.
Lead the LRI pre-award management/proposal process and development.
Identify and circulate grant opportunities concerning research of LRI affiliates and other UT Austin researchers.
Assist LRI affiliated faculty, researchers, and other academic and staff personnel with proposal development, document and budget preparation, copy editing of proposal documents, and submission of funding applications to federal and private funding agencies.
As appropriate, consult with PIs to strengthen their proposals through constructive feedback on scope of work, implementation plan, timelines and other proposal aspects.
As appropriate, advise PIs about existing resources that might complement their projects and strengthen their proposals.
At the direction of the PI, serve as primary contact with sub-award entities during the pre-award application process and throughout the post-award period.
Review sponsor guidelines, university and external policies and procedures to ensure compliance.
Lead the LRI post-award management.
Provide oversight and ensure compliance during grant implementation, including assistance with progress reports; funding extensions; amendments, grant close-outs; facilitation of grant transfers, contracts, purchases, budget and SOW modifications, sub-award invoices, and overall expense management.
Hold regular meetings with PIs and relevant LRI staff to monitor grant performance, establish best practices, and consider future opportunities.
Participate in LRI and COLA staff meetings as relevant to position.
Continually upgrade knowledge and skills through active membership in UT’s Association of Research Administrators, classes, workshops, committees, and other training opportunities.
Serve as primary departmental contact for the College Research Support Office (RSO), the Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP), COLA and UT Foundation Relations, and the Office of the Vice President for Research, Scholarship and Creative Endeavors (OVPR) to facilitate timely, accurate, and complete proposal submission and post-award information requests.
Serve as liaison between researchers and OSP; communicate with OSP reviewers, negotiators, and award administrators.
Supervise the Academic Program Coordinator.
Coordinate LRI activities with the Director and initiatives.
Facilitate communication between LRI and other college offices.
Assist the Director in communicating with faculty and student researchers affiliated with the LRI.
Work closely with the LRI’s Administrative Associate to ensure availability of timely and accurate faculty effort percentages and financial reports to PIs and stakeholders.