Proposal Manager

NSF’s NOIRLab is the preeminent US national center for ground-based, nighttime optical and infrared astronomy. NOIRLab is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) which operates as a matrix organization, providing services across a range of programs with facilities in three geographic locations: Arizona, Chile and Hawai’i. The mission of NOIRLab is to enable breakthrough discoveries in astrophysics by developing and operating state-of-the-art ground-based observatories and providing data products and services for a diverse and inclusive community.

Within the NOIRLab Directorate, the Program Management Office (PMO) acts as the central PMO hub providing coordinated alignment and management of NOIRLab-wide business planning, information, performance and risk tracking. The PMO is accountable for the alignment of Portfolio Management functions, processes, and technology across NOIRLab.

The Proposal Manager works with the leadership team and Program Management Office to develop proposals in support of NOIRLab operations and special projects. The Proposal Manager will manage schedules, tasks, deadlines, and assignments for assembly of proposals and all of their constituent parts. This includes narrative, figures, references, budgets, supporting materials and other ancillary data and content related to the proposal. The Proposal Manager is responsible for the final assembly of the proposal package and upload to the agency portal.

The Proposal Manager reports directly to the NOIRLab Director. The position is based in Tucson, Arizona.

Essential Functions:

• Act as overall Project Manager for development of the NOIRLab five year operations proposals and other proposals    
• Responsible for the development of overall schedules for (development, completion and submission) proposals
• Comprehend requirements and apply the knowledge to perform various analyses supporting the preparation and final submittal of documents
• Assign tasks, track progress, resolve conflicts and solve problems that arise
• Schedule internal and external reviews of proposals and their constituent parts
• Interface with the many people involved in development and writing of proposals
• Keep NOIRLab leadership informed of the status of proposal development
• Format, review and copy edit proposal documents
• Ensure final documents are of the highest quality
• All AURA employees are responsible for the proper management and control of all AURA property within their work area, whether assigned to them or someone else. This responsibility includes reporting any known missing, stolen, or non-working property in their work area to their supervisor or the AURA Property Officer.
• Responsible for ensuring compliance with government award terms and conditions assigned to this position or subordinates of this position as defined in the Vela Award Management system

Other Functions:

• Other duties as assigned

Required Education/Experience/Skills/Abilities:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts (Education, English, Science) or Business Administration.
• Experience in development of proposals to US government funding agencies
• Experience in managing diverse and distributed teams in development of large documents
• Competence with Microsoft Office and related tools for production of professional documents with an advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel.  Should have the ability to cross reference information and be able to create accurate data summaries.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and work on multiple projects as come time.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Ability to develop solid working relationship with team members and communicate analysis and progress to leadership on as needed basis.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The work is mostly carried out in an office environment. Long periods of sitting and computer usage may be required. 
• Occasional travel will be necessary in and outside the contiguous United States.

AURA offers an excellent benefits package including paid time off and retirement plan contributions, competitive salary commensurate with experience, and a very attractive work environment.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion at NOIRLab.  Our managing organization, AURA, as a leader in the astronomical community, develops and supports programs that advance our organizational commitment to diversity, broaden participation, and encourage the advancement of diversity throughout the astronomical scientific workforce. Learn more at http://www.aura-astronomy.org/diversity.asp

Preference will be given to qualified internal candidates and qualified Native Americans living on or near the Tohono O'odham reservation.

Please list 3 professional references in your application (references will only be contacted later in the recruitment process) and attach: a cover letter and a CV or resume, PDF files preferred. Please name any attachments with the following format: Lastname Docname. Application documents that are not uploaded as part of the application may be sent to employment@aura-astronomy.org.

****NOIRLab has the majority of staff working remotely during COVID-19 crisis. The safety of our staff and community is our top priority. We will continue to interview and screen candidates in this new virtual landscape. Offers of employment can be extended and new hires can on-board virtually and arrangements may be made for remote work in the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, New Mexico, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C., preceding relocation to Tucson, AZ. Relocation benefits will be available to those eligible when travel can be supported**** 

Veterans, disabled individuals or wounded warriors needing assistance with the employment process should request assistance at employment@aura-astronomy.org 

The position will remain open until filled. To be considered in the first round of reviews, please submit your application by February 16, 2021. 

The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), is a consortium of over 40 US institutions and three international affiliates that operates world-class astronomical observatories. AURA’s role is to establish, nurture, and promote public observatories and facilities that advance innovative astronomical research. AURA is responsible for managing the operations of the NSF’s NOIRLab, the National Solar Observatory, and the construction of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory and the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope under cooperative agreements with the National Science Foundation and operations of the Space Telescope Science Institute under contracts with NASA. 

As a recipient of U.S. Government funding, AURA is considered a government contractor and is subject to Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action regulations. As an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer, AURA does not discriminate based on race, sex, color, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity/gender identity expression, lawful political affiliations, veteran status, disability, and/or any other legally protected status under applicable federal, state, and local equal opportunity laws.