Director of Sponsored Research and Foundation Relations

Williams College, London•Williamstown, MA

2d•$110,000 - $130,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Williams College is seeking a Director of Sponsored Research and Foundation Relations to lead the Grants Office and support faculty in securing external funding for research and creative work. The Director partners with faculty and the Grants Office team to oversee the full grant lifecycle, including pre-award application review for compliance, competitiveness, and completeness; post-award support; negotiation of award terms and conditions; and issuance of sub-awards. The Director serves as an authorized organizational representative for signing grant agreements and contracts, stays current on federal regulations, and ensures compliance throughout the award process. The Director is also responsible for broadening the college’s institutional grant portfolio and strengthening foundation and corporate support. Working with the Dean of Faculty’s office, the Development office, and Senior Staff, the Director identifies college priorities and initiatives suitable for foundation funding, develops fundraising strategy and proposals, and facilitates relationships between funders and college representatives. This is a full-time, year-round, in-person administrative staff position with frequent interactions across campus. The Director reports to the Dean of the Faculty and works closely with the Office of College Relations, the Provost’s Office, and the Finance Office. Hybrid on-site/remote arrangements may be available for up to one remote day per week for employees based in Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, or Vermont, following a fully in-person onboarding period.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
A minimum of 5 years of highly relevant professional experience.
Skill in fundraising techniques, particularly proposal development from conception to submission, and budget development and analysis.
Superior writing and editing skills.
Confidence representing Williams through written and oral communications.
Ability to work within the hierarchical structure of the faculty, respect faculty autonomy as teachers and scholars, and foster faculty commitment to institutional programs and initiatives.
Ability to manage faculty effectively during individual grant application processes while respecting their autonomy.
Familiarity with the goals and traditions of liberal arts education and with the structure and operation of academic institutions.
Ability to discuss and describe issues and topics across a variety of academic disciplines.
Familiarity with Microsoft Office products, Google Suite, web-based databases and documents, budgeting systems, and online application portals such as research.gov and eRA-Commons/ASSIST.

Nice To Haves

Certified Research Administration (CRA) certification.
Master’s degree in Research Administration.

Responsibilities

Oversee pre-award faculty grant support, including locating funding sources, developing application strategies, and preparing and reviewing applications and budgets.
Ensure appropriate research compliance infrastructure is in place.
Oversee post-award faculty grant support, including negotiating award terms and conditions, accepting awards, and managing sub-awards.
Collaborate with the Dean of Faculty’s office, the Development office, and Senior Staff to identify college priorities, initiatives, and projects suitable for foundation funding.
Establish annual fundraising goals and solicitation calendars.
Develop, write, and submit competitive grant proposals in support of college initiatives and resources and in response to funder requests for proposals and college priorities.
Write reports for institutional funders and facilitate communication between grantors and college representatives.
Design and implement outreach activities to foster a strong campus grant culture.
Maintain active engagement with the academic and administrative life of the college.
Network with peer institutions and attend industry conferences, including SCAFRO, CLASP, NCURA, and NORDP, to stay current on best practices.
Directly supervise, evaluate, and manage the performance of the Associate Director and Grants Office Coordinator.
Serve as an authorized organizational representative for signing grant agreements and contracts, stay current on federal regulations, and ensure compliance at every stage of an award.