Proposal Development Manager, Research

Educational Testing Service•Princeton, NJ

33d

About The Position

ETS is seeking a dynamic and strategic Manager of Research Proposal Development to lead the end-to-end proposal process for federal and non-federal funding opportunities. This role is central to advancing ETS's mission by securing resources that fuel innovation across the ETS Research Institute and enterprise-wide initiatives. You'll manage a high-volume pipeline of proposals, guide researchers through complex funding landscapes, and ensure every submission meets the highest standards of quality, compliance, and impact. This is a high-impact, high-visibility position. You'll work with confidential materials, lead strategic initiatives, and represent ETS to government agencies and private foundations. Your leadership ensures ETS secures the funding needed to advance research that powers human progress.

Requirements

Position requires a Bachelor's degree and 5+ years of directly relevant experience.
Requires strong writing, interpersonal, and organizational skills, as well as the ability to work effectively as part of a team.
Requires the ability to exercise a significant amount of judgement, technical expertise, professionalism, and experience.
Must be knowledgeable of the policies and procedures of federal funding agencies, private foundations and corporations and other funding bodies.
Must have some knowledge of the electronic proposal submission and project management systems.
Must be able to communicate effectively with ETS researchers and the representatives of federal funding agencies, private foundations and corporations and other funding bodies.
Requires not only operational knowledge but also a scholarly understanding of the evolving funding landscape-including agency missions, program call structures, and peer-review practices-to anticipate shifts in priorities and guide ETS researchers accordingly.

Responsibilities

Serve as a trusted advisor to researchers, guiding engagement with program officers and navigating regulatory requirements-especially with NSF, IES, and other key agencies and foundations.
Interpret funding structures and review cultures to align proposals with agency priorities and long-term trends.
Foster collaboration across ETS and with external partners to support proposal and budget development.
Contribute to the evolution of Strategic Research Alliances' strategy and stay informed on emerging trends and best practices.
Identify and share relevant funding opportunities, encouraging timely and strategic proposal submissions.
Provide insights into funding cycles and program structures to align ETS initiatives with external opportunities.
Maintain proposal calendars and assign writers based on expertise and capacity.
Manage a pipeline of 40-60 proposals annually using Salesforce and grants management tools.
Support proposal drafting, including boilerplate content, staffing charts, budget justifications, and organizational materials.
Repurpose technical documentation for future opportunities when appropriate.
Review and edit proposals for clarity, consistency, and alignment with funder requirements.
Ensure compliance with federal, state, and institutional guidelines, including FAR and agency-specific standards.
Proactively identify and resolve compliance issues, keeping leadership informed of risks and solutions.
Track proposal outcomes and lead post-submission reviews to drive continuous improvement.
Provide regular status updates and maintain RFP distribution lists.
Draft proposal budgets and narratives aligned with ETS best practices.
Implement process improvements, including external proposal platforms.
Advise leadership on budgetary risks and collaborate with finance teams to monitor project expenses.

Benefits

As a not-for-profit organization we will encourage you to lean in to your passion for volunteering.
At ETS you may qualify for up to an additional 8 hours of PTO for volunteer work on causes that are important to you!

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