Research Development Program Manager

University of Chicago•Hyde Park, IL

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Research Development Program Manager provides operational leadership for the BSD Research Development Team (RDT), driving initiatives that expand the division's capacity to secure external research funding. Core responsibilities include overseeing complex proposal development, supervising Research Development Specialists, and building the programs, resources, and processes that position BSD researchers for competitive success. Reporting to the Associate Dean for Basic Science, this role serves as a strategic partner to faculty and divisional leadership — advancing institutional research priorities and cultivating a culture of collaboration and scientific excellence.

Requirements

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Nice To Haves

PhD in STEM-related field strongly preferred.
Experience working with faculty in an academic setting and familiarity with academic values and culture strongly preferred.
Experience working with NIH program projects or cooperative agreements (e.g., P30, P50, U19, U54 etc.), Foundation proposals, as well as ARPA-H, NSF, and other related federal agencies strongly preferred.
Significant knowledge of the full sponsored award lifecycle—from pre-award administration and proposal development through award management and closeout strongly preferred.
Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously, set priorities, and meet tight deadlines strongly preferred.
Excellent communication skills strongly preferred.
Attention to detail and a commitment to providing a high level of service strongly preferred.
High degree of professionalism, diplomacy skills, and ability to handle confidential information strongly preferred.
Ability to interact with and win the trust and confidence of both faculty and administration strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead implementation of RDT initiatives that support BSD strategic priorities, including complex proposal development, strategic investigator support, and institutional research initiatives.
Lead the ongoing development of the RDT by evaluating service models, implementing new operational approaches, identifying opportunities to expand institutional impact, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
Manage the Division's portfolio of complex and high-impact funding opportunities by prioritizing projects, allocating Research Development resources, and ensuring alignment with institutional goals.
Supervise, mentor, and evaluate Research Development Specialists while fostering professional development, establishing consistent service standards, and promoting effective project management practices.
Lead development and implementation of standardized proposal management processes, collaborative workflows, templates, timelines, and project management systems that improve efficiency, accountability, and proposal quality.
Leverage advanced expertise in pre-award research administration, sponsor policies, and institutional processes to guide proposal strategy, ensure regulatory compliance, and facilitate successful submission of complex funding applications.
Apply comprehensive knowledge of the full sponsored research lifecycle—from proposal development through award management and closeout—to anticipate downstream administrative and operational considerations that strengthen proposal competitiveness and long-term project success.
Partner with divisional leadership, department administrators, faculty, and University administrative offices to coordinate research development activities and facilitate successful multidisciplinary and multi-institutional funding initiatives.
Help support the development and delivery of research development programming, educational resources, faculty outreach activities, and investigator support initiatives that increase BSD's long-term research competitiveness.
Advise faculty and institutional leadership on proposal strategy, funding opportunities, team science initiatives, and proposal readiness to strengthen the Division's external funding portfolio.
Monitor and evaluate RDT performance through operational metrics, process assessment, post-submission evaluations, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Identify emerging funding trends, strategic research opportunities, and institutional priorities, and translate those into actionable research development activities and services.
Implements objectives, as well as some long-term strategic plans respective to the department's focus.
Maintains external partners to advance strategic priorities.
Communicates and collaborates with internal and external community members and leadership to achieve strategic priorities.
Performs other related work as needed.