BASIC JOB FUNCTION

The Proposal Development Associate will be responsible for supporting research and sponsored programs development in the winning of new awards for Howard University. The Proposals Development Associate will assist faculty in the preparation and organization of high quality research and sponsored programs proposals and budgets for funding and/or funding continuation, including individualized advising, organizing, editing, and proofreading of competitive grant and contract proposals, providing grantsmanship resources, advising faculty on federal and non-federal funding opportunities, coordinating the establishment of faculty teams and more.

NATURE AND SCOPE

• Analyze sponsor guidelines and past awards to advise the PI on sponsor expectations and help guide responsive grant and contract proposal concept development.

• Manage the entire proposal development process in consultation with the research administrator and PI.

• Provide coaching  services  on strategic proposal development, including high-level conceptualization to match sponsor priorities; effective team organization, and effective administrative, management, education/outreach and/or data sharing plans to assist investigators in the process of developing competitive proposals.

• Design, develop and execute training and workshops oftentimes involving funding agency representatives to increase application competitiveness.

• Assist the Research Development Leadership with the execution of intramural funding programs and limited submission competitions.   

• Assist the Research Development Leadership in facilitating networking, teambuilding, proposal planning and coordination for large-scale, multidisciplinary, multi-institutional and multi-center collaborations

• Review agency program goals and guidelines to ensure proposals align with both agency and institutional goals and capabilities.

• Convene strategic teams of faculty that are interdisciplinary in nature to create and pursue grant and contract opportunities.

• Maintain information on proposal preparation requirements for relevant federal, state, local sponsors, private foundations and industry partners.

• Advise faculty on the development of non-research components of proposals, including broader impacts, management plans, budgets, budget justifications and other required non-technical proposal requirements.

• Plan, develop and facilitate workshops, meetings, networking sessions or conferences with high impact on program and/or participants.

• Ensure that goals and objectives specified for the funding opportunity are accomplished in accordance with priorities, time and funding limitations, or other specifications.

• Prepare reports on grant and contract development program activities, progress, status or related special reports for the Research Development Unit Head.

• Develop templates and guidance for proposal materials, based on sponsor guidelines, solicitation instructions and effective practice.

• Develop and deliver in-person and virtual research development seminars, workshops, and guidance materials to train faculty in grant writing

• Review and distribute funding announcements.

• Facilitate bringing teams of faculty investigators together to pursue multidisciplinary funding opportunities

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES           

• Work with individuals at all levels in the proposal development process (e.g., other research development staff, sponsored research administrators, school/college grant staff) to ensure successful integration of all grant application components and full compliance with all funding program and sponsor requirements.

• Work with the AVP and Director to develop templates, toolkits, newsletters, tips, and other written resource materials to help the Campus community with proposal development.

• Contribute to targeted funding opportunity dissemination.

• Perform other related duties as assigned.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

• Extensive knowledge of federal and non-federal sponsors supporting research and education activities, preferably in a university environment.

• Excellent critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills, ability to drive decisions, ability to see the big picture and grasp complex interconnections.

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team to manage an unpredictable and time-sensitive caseload of complex assignments while providing quality service and meeting deadlines.

• Demonstrated ability to analyze and synthesize large amounts of data.

• Strong interpersonal and organizations skills with a demonstrated ability to build consensus and lead teams to achieve desired outcomes.

• Skill in the operation of computers, related software applications (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access) and standard office equipment.

• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective and harmonious work relations with faculty, staff, students, and customers.

• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to effectively convey complex information.

• Ability to plan, organize and coordinate with coworkers.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited institution of higher education is required. A Master’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education is preferred.

• Minimum Five Years of relevant experience or the equivalent, is  preferred.

• At least four years of experience working on a high functioning research development team is preferred. Specifically, experience in proposal development and project coordination.

• Higher education, foundation, or federal funding agency experience is strongly preferred.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.