Smith College Hiring for Associate Director for Sponsored Research at Smith College Full Time

If you have any questions about the position or our application process, reach out to us at [email protected].Alumnae Relations & DevelopmentJob Description

Job Summary

As a member of the Office of Grants and Sponsored Research (GSR), serve as Smith College’s principal pre-award sponsored research officer, overseeing the acquisition and management of external federal research grants. Assist faculty with the preparation of budgets, project descriptions, and supporting documentation for all pre-grant and pre-contract faculty research activities. helping to ensure that proposals comply with sponsoring agency regulations. Develop proposal and subaward review and submission procedures, interact with internal and external entities, and align proposals with college and grantor or lending agency regulations and laws. Serve as the primary GSR reviewer for federal and state proposals of considerable complexity, requiring independent judgment, initiative, and extensive knowledge of the organization, accounting, and policies and procedures of the various federal, state and local agencies. Develop and refine training programs and written/web resources for faculty grant-seekers. Serve as a secondary contact for and reviewer of complex institutional grant proposals. Partner with campus stakeholders to educate the campus community about sponsored research policies and procedures. Partner with Assistant Director of Grants Administration to ensure seamless transition to post-award management.

Take appropriate actions to support a diverse workforce and participate in the College’s efforts to create a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming work environment.

Essential Functions

Sponsored Research Administration and Campus Outreach (80%)

Work as a primary liaison between the Smith College community, administrative offices, grants offices and researchers at other institutions, and granting agencies in sponsored research matters; guide faculty and staff in grant application procedures, including (but not limited to) reviewing grant proposals and coaching faculty on budget, narrative, and subaward development as needed., Interpret funding agency requirements, coordinate online submission of grants and maintenance of user accounts. Draft letters of endorsement or institutional support and ensure cognizant college administrators review and approve grants prior to submission. Stay apprised of federal regulations pertaining to research administration. Represent the GSR office on campus and in national professional organizations on matters related to sponsored research at Smith. With the Assistant Director of Grant Administration, partner to support faculty and staff with post-award issues and queries such as those pertaining to hiring and tracking of grant expenses. Provide information to the Grants Coordinator to facilitate maintenance of databases for tracking grant activity and awards. Advise the Associate Provost and the Director of Sponsored Research and Grants on the college’s regulatory boards for human subjects, biosafety, radiation safety, vertebrate animals, and safety in research and instruction; oversee production of appointment letters for those committees by the Grants Coordinator. Serve as co-coordinator of the Export Control Task Force. Serve as the business process owner for pre-award sponsored activities.

• Assist faculty members in identifying and applying to grant sources for their individual research and teaching interests.

• Contribute with other GSR team members to a library of boilerplate information of broad relevance to multiple organizational funders–collect and regularly update this data.

• Gather grant opportunities, guidelines, and deadlines and with support from the Grants Coordinator, share this information with department chairs and individual faculty members.

• Contribute to tracking outreach (i.e., distribution of opportunities and points of contact) for metrics and historical record, and provide guidance and oversight to the Grants Coordinator on questions of GSR information management.

• Give demonstrations/training to staff and faculty on the college’s grant sources research tools (Pivot and GrantForward), when necessary

• Help to develop and deliver workshops and other training opportunities for faculty to increase their knowledge of and success with external funding sources.

Policy Development (10%)

Coordinate activities and procedures related to grant applications and pre-award administration, with stakeholders such as the Controller’s Office, the Provost’s Office, the Grants and Sponsored Research Office, principal investigators, and other campus constituencies. Contribute to the development of college-wide sponsored research policies and guidelines, in partnership with the Assistant Director of Grants Administration. Recommend and help implement changes to college policies, and ensure compliance with college policies.

Other Functions (5%)

Staff and/or participate in team meetings, task forces and committees as required. Back up other staff needs as necessary. Perform related duties as required.

All employees are expected to participate in the College’s efforts to create a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming work environment.

Minimum Qualifications (knowledge, skills, education, experience, certifications, licenses)

Bachelor’s degree plus at least five years’ experience in a higher education, nonprofit, or research environment, or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience. Experience involving grants processes and financial/regulatory accountability within higher education. Extensive knowledge of federal funding agencies and regulations.

Experience working with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Skills

Excellent organizational, interpersonal and communication skills. Effective time management and the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously; strong attention to detail and accuracy; strong quantitative skills; good judgment, discretion and ability to maintain confidentiality; and project management skills. Advanced proficiency in word processing and spreadsheets (MS Office Suite), integrated database technology and ERP systems.

Ability to maintain accurate and detailed records. Ability to oversee work of the Grants Coordinator on relevant projects. Ability to work independently while coordinating with multiple groups and diverse constituencies on projects involving complex proposals and high levels of financial impact.

#ALMDEV#

Please attach BOTH a current resume and a cover letter in order for your application to be considered for this position . Be sure you have provided all attachments before submitting your application. You will NOT be able to attach additional files after you have hit the Submit button.Review of applications will beginJanuary 3, 2024Compensation Grade:Grade HPosition Type:Regular

About Smith College

Located in Northampton, MA, Smith College is one of the largest women’s colleges in the country and is dedicated to excellence in teaching and research across the liberal arts. A faculty of outstanding scholars interact with students in small classes, as advisors, and through student-faculty research projects. The College is a member of the Five College Consortium with Amherst, Hampshire and Mt. Holyoke Colleges, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Students cross-enroll and faculty cross-teach across the Five Colleges.

Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 151B, it is the policy of Smith College to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of employment, including the application process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact our recruiting team at [email protected].

As set forth in our mission and values, Smith College is committed to promoting a culture of equity and inclusion among students, staff and faculty. The College will not discriminate in employment on the basis of age, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, genetic information, age, veteran status, physical or mental disability, or any other classification protected by law. Smith College is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all state and federal laws that prohibit discrimination.