Director of Sponsored Research and Grants

Alumnae Relations & Development Job Description

Job Summary

Manage a high functioning team to identify, realize and steward grant and foundation opportunities aligned with Smith's strategic plan, highest priority needs and to highlight scholarly research. Reporting to Advancement, the position will collaborate closely with the Office of the Provost, the Finance Department, academic centers and programs to match targets of opportunity supporting operating, capital, programmatic, research and scholarly activities. This role will ensure pre and post award management and compliance. Collaborate with trustees, alumnae, parents and other friends to identify foundation and corporate grant opportunities.

Essential Functions

Strategy and Program Leadership - 40%

• Cultivate vision and strategy for institutional grants go-forward plan
• Lead efforts to secure institutional grants by identifying new sources of funding and assessing alignment of institutional priorities with potential funders
• Serve on various campus wide strategic planning committees including liaison to the Science Center, arts initiative and social justice work
• Coordinate efforts with the major curricular and co-curricular centers including the Jandon Center for Community Engagement, the Jill Ker Conway Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center, Wurtele Center for Leadership, Lewis Center for Global Studies, Lazarus Career Services Center, and Picker Engineering Program
• Serve as active member of the Advancement Directors group engaged in strategic planning, supporting the overall philanthropic and alumnae engagement efforts of the college

Program Administration - 40%

• Manage and cultivate a portfolio of corporate foundation and governmental funding agencies
• Develop budgets for grant applications and assess short and long term financial implications of institutional grant activities
• Manage departmental budget and participate in setting annual fundraising strategy and goals
• Develop and implement procedures and processes necessary to ensure compliance with all grantor requirements, including fiscal management, reporting, and record retention
• Enhance grant compliance monitoring, including funder site visits, financial analysis and meetings with project directors
• Remain current with developments and changes in government regulations, court decisions, and higher education practices related to grant funding and directives and policies initiated by the State and the college
• Develop and deliver training to grant project directors and campus finance designees as it relates to grant administration, compliance, and organizational policies
• Provide senior level grant writing, working with partners to develop competitive proposal, respond to and manage RFP grant opportunities, and coordinate work with individual faculty members
• Oversee composition of acknowledgement letters and other grant related correspondence for key administrators and faculty
• Ensure close collaboration with the Provost's Office and the Finance Department; creating goals that encompass the needs of all areas
• Facilitate meetings and information sessions with key partners so all are informed about new and ongoing programs to match potential funding sources with areas of need

Departmental Leadership - 20%

• Build an engaged newly integrated team with clarity of roles, collaboration, information sharing and cross training
• Lead a team of employees encompassing sponsored research, grants administration, corporate and foundation relations, and foundations relations and stewardship
• Manage a coordinated, well defined team that provides excellent support to faculty investigators and other grant leads, tracks pre and post compliance with federal, college and private sponsor regulations, and develops relationships with ongoing and new targets of funding opportunities

Other Functions

• Other duties, projects as assigned.
  
  

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 a minimum of 5 - 7 years of proven successful experience with grant writing and grant development, with a preference for higher education development experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience working with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Preferred Qualifications

Advanced degree preferred.

Skills

• Inspirational leader
• Innovative, entrepreneurial thinking
• Proven ability to write persuasively and fluently in a number of different areas, including the sciences and arts and humanities
• Knowledge of federal regulations, sponsor guidelines, and the Federal Office of Management and Budget Uniform Guidance (2C.F.R. Part 200), as they relate to sponsored program activity
• Ability to set clear goals and priorities related to the college’s core mission and needs
• Experience with major fundraising campaign desired
• Project management and execution skills
• Deep understanding of the grant lifecycle from pre-award to proposal to post award requirements
• Familiarity with current online research skills and grant tracking tools
• Outstanding interpersonal skills; ability to communicate effectively with faculty, staff, students and external stakeholders
• Highly organized and able to manage/delegate multiple priorities
• Continual commitment to learning and development of self and team
  

Additional Information

Regular travel necessary

Smith College has retained the search firm Deerfield Associates to conduct this search. Inquiries should be sent directly to the firm; jobs@ deerfieldassociates.com .

A full search announcement may be viewed at https://deerfieldassociates.com/smith-college-director-of-sponsored-research-and-grants/

Please attach BOTH a current resume and a cover letter in order for your application to be considered for this position . You may combine your resume and cover letter into a single file or attach multiple files to your application, but 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 begin

August 30, 2021

Compensation Grade:

Grade E

Position 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.

Smith College is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, age, color, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression or veteran status in the recruitment and employment of faculty and staff, and the operation of any of its programs and activities, as specified by all applicable laws and regulations. Women, minorities, veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.