Contract & Grant/Spons Pgms Asst Dir

MSU Internal Job Postings Details • East Lansing, MI

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

The primary responsibility of the Sponsored Programs Assistant Director is to lead the drafting, negotiation, and execution of contracts, subcontracts, and related documents that align with the strategic goals of Michigan State University (MSU) and its for-profit research partners. This includes ensuring full compliance with university policies, business practices, and applicable legal and regulatory standards. This position plays a critical role in cultivating and managing corporate partnerships that advance MSU’s research and innovation agenda. It requires regular collaboration with internal units responsible for regulatory oversight, financial management, and sponsored program administration. This role oversees a team dedicated to contract development and execution, ensuring that proposal management and accounting systems are effectively integrated to support research objectives. Through direct engagement with for-profit sponsors and subcontractors, and close coordination with University Principal Investigators and research administrators, the position secures agreements that are both mutually beneficial and compliant, supporting the long-term success of MSU’s research mission. This hybrid role requires a minimum of two in-office days per week and may involve occasional travel to off-site locations. Regular communication is expected with faculty, research administrators, and internal compliance partners, as well as external legal representatives from partnering organizations. The Sponsored Programs Assistant Director reports directly to the Executive Director of MSU Business Connect.

Requirements

• Knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in Accounting, Business or Administration.
• Five to eight years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in contract negotiation, supervision and management; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Proficiency with use of a computer, MS Office suite, Adobe, video conferencing software (Zoom, Teams).
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Negotiation skills.
• Collaboration skills.
• Leadership skills.
• Adaptability.
• Organizational skills.
• Ability to balance competing priorities and multiple deadlines.

Nice To Haves

• A Juris Doctor with subsequent professional experience in contract law.
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in the area of university-for-profit relations and clinical trials.
• Evidence of creative solutions in complex negotiations.
• Experience in negotiating typical productive contract terms in university-for-profit settings.

Responsibilities

• Lead the drafting, negotiation, and execution of contracts, subcontracts, and related documents.
• Ensure full compliance with university policies, business practices, and applicable legal and regulatory standards.
• Cultivate and manage corporate partnerships that advance MSU’s research and innovation agenda.
• Collaborate with internal units responsible for regulatory oversight, financial management, and sponsored program administration.
• Oversee a team dedicated to contract development and execution.
• Ensure proposal management and accounting systems are effectively integrated to support research objectives.
• Secure agreements that are both mutually beneficial and compliant.
• Communicate regularly with faculty, research administrators, internal compliance partners, and external legal representatives.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager