Director, Sponsored Projects

Position Title: Director, Sponsored Projects

Department: Office of Sponsored Projects

Advertised Pay: Mid $90,000's

Campus Location: Washburn University

Application Deadline:  Application review will begin as applications are received and will continue until the position is filled. Applicants can be assured of full consideration if submitted by June 1, 2026.

Position Summary: This position oversees and coordinates the internal review and approval process for all grant submissions and serves as Washburn’s authorized final submitter. The role is primarily focused on pre-award activities, while also supporting post-award functions managed by the Business Finance Office. In addition, the position develops and implements policies and procedures to ensure compliance with sponsored award regulations. Responsibilities also include providing support and collaborating with key stakeholders involved in grant implementation and success, including Principal Investigators (PIs), the Finance and Accounting Offices, General Counsel, and the Office of the Provost.

About Washburn University: Washburn University is a teaching-focused, student-centered, public institution located in the metropolitan setting of Topeka that has earned national recognition for its high-impact programs for first-generation students. Washburn has a student body of just over 7,000 students, a significant and growing number of whom are first-generation and Pell-Grant eligible. The University has created educational pathways for all students to be successful and achieve their educational goals.

Washburn is dedicated to recruiting and retaining a dynamic faculty, staff, and student body and cultivating a robust learning and working environment and curriculum. We employ more than one thousand faculty and staff on our campuses throughout Topeka and strive to offer competitive wages, an excellent benefits program, and a supportive culture and a healthy work/life balance. Washburn seeks to create an environment that reflects our core values for creating positive IMPACT: inclusion, modernization, partnership, achievement, community and transformation. In 2024, Washburn was recognized as one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to Great Colleges to Work For® program.

Essential Functions:
PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION (PRE-AWARD)
• Performs and oversees grant pre-award and non-fiscal management procedures.
• Develops and maintains a database of external grant proposal submissions and awards to provide a wide variety of informational reports.
• Works closely with the Finance Office (and other appropriate offices) to coordinate internal grant proposal approval activities and to ensure standardized grant administration activities for funded programs.
• Works with Washburn departments and personnel to foster grant interests and ideas, and promote faculty/staff involvement with grant activities and proposal development.
• Coordinates grant submissions from departments at Washburn, ensuring timely communication among all parties, and assures university policies and approval protocols are followed diligently by grant partners.
• Logs and updates information on projects and proposals, grant awards, funding opportunities, and faculty/staff research and professional interests to develop and maintain awareness of current grant activity, as well as potential funding needs for reference and reporting purposes, as information is needed at all stages of grant proposal and management.
• Conducts research and evaluates information on external funding sources to identify grant opportunities that support Washburn’s goals.
• Advises Washburn faculty, staff, and administrators to evaluate identified grant opportunities and ensure that such projects are consistent and compliant with the Washburn mission and priorities.
• Advises Washburn faculty, staff, and administrators of appropriate processes and procedures to ensure that grant applications are consistent with funding agency guidelines and expectations, clarifying details and verifying funding agency needs and expectations as necessary.
• Edits grant applications to ensure information is clear, complete, and appropriate for the grant; assembles and provides information for inclusion in application packets; and submits or approves submission of electronic applications.
• Consults with applicable Washburn and external review boards to ensure compliance with federal regulations and University requirements when human or animal subjects are to be involved in grant programs.
• Develops, reviews, and employs standardized reporting, budgeting, and operational formats and procedures to be used as a basis for grant application, management, and reporting activities by grant recipients at Washburn, in conjunction with the Sponsored Projects Accountant and other stakeholders.
• Serves as reviewer/editor on selected grant or sponsored project applications.
• Tracks proposal status and keeps partners and other stakeholders advised of developments relative to their grant applications.
• Cultivates beneficial working relationships with the Washburn University Foundation, funding agencies, and other organizations to develop channels for identifying and managing grants to supplement and support Washburn programs and program funding.
• Establishes and nurtures interdisciplinary links and cooperation.
• Coordinates grant-seeking activities with the Foundation, maximizing opportunities and preventing conflicting efforts.
• Develops relationships with other Institutions of Higher Learning, K-12 institutions, the community, and other groups and organizations that might serve as partners in grant development and writing for targeted projects and/or interagency project development.
• Partners with Washburn departments, faculty, and staff to foster grant interests and ideas and support faculty/staff involvement with grant/sponsored project activities and proposal development.

POST AWARD INITIATION
• Reviews terms of pending grant awards and determines acceptability in conjunction with Washburn administrators, legal counsel, staff, and the Principal Investigator.
• Reviews and signs off on all required programmatic and financial grant reports and documents.
• Participates in award negotiations and award acceptance as needed to represent University interests.
• Reviews Grant Award Notifications (GANs) and helps to develop data collection, reporting, and grant management procedures and processes.
• Drafts and submits memoranda of understanding (MOUs) for University Counsel review and submits MOUs to potential partners/sponsors on behalf of Washburn.
• Serves as point of contact for Washburn, liaising with the sponsor, relaying information, responding to inquiries and information requests, and ensuring timely communication among all parties.
• Reviews Grant Award Notifications (GANs) and helps to develop data collection, reporting, and grant management procedures and processes.
• Develops and monitors Washburn-initiated contracts, subcontracts, and sub-agreements, following rules and procedures of awarded grants, in coordination with Washburn counsel.
• Reviews applications from potential sub-recipients and develops sub-awards.
• Evaluates client-initiated subcontracts to ensure that Washburn's interests are protected.
• Develops or obtains revised budgets from sub-recipients as needed to facilitate grant management, working with the Sponsored Projects Accountant as needed.
• Serves as liaison between Washburn and grant sub-recipients to assist with grant application and management.
• Serves as the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) in federal grants submission systems.

POST AWARD MANAGEMENT
• Serves as the Administrative Point-of-Contact for coordination and management of funding agency requirements.
• Assists with monitoring and review of post-award fiscal and technical activities to ensure accountability and adherence to sponsor terms and conditions of awards.
• Assists with financial, programmatic, and evaluation reporting relating to sponsored award closeout to complete project requirements.
• Offers guidance and assistance to grant recipients, helps coordinate process reviews and modifications to improve compliance, and assessment of general project management activities.
• Consults with and advises staff and faculty Principal Investigators and other grant managers with regard to interpretation of and compliance with applicable regulations and guidelines to ensure continuous adherence to award terms such as prior approval, re-budgeting, carry forward requests, etc.
• Assists with monitoring and review of program and fiscal compliance, and assists with annual reviews/project modifications.
• Reports any identified post-award issues or concerns, as appropriate, for further consideration and action, as considered necessary.

ADDITIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITIES
• Develops/updates content and consults with Information Technology Services to update the Office of Sponsored Projects web page as needed to ensure information is accurate and timely.
• Identifies training needs, develops and/or organizes, and provides training to enhance staff’s grant-seeking and writing skills.
• Performs additional job-related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:
• Bachelor's degree in public administration, nonprofit management, or related field.
• A minimum of five years of experience in sponsored programs, grant development and writing, and/or grant award management.
• Experience developing and administering budgets; using computer systems and Microsoft Office software (Excel, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint).
• Experience with multiple sources of corporate and foundation grant support and standard research practices and materials.
• Proven ability to communicate clearly and effectively, work independently, meet deadlines, and collaborate professionally with others.
• Proven writing skills with strong editing capabilities.
• Demonstrated effective communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively and build positive relationships with a variety of groups and departments across campus.

Preferred Qualifications:
• Master's degree.
• Experience in higher education.
• Prior experience in grant management as PI (Principal Investigator), accounting, data analysis, and report preparation.

Exempt, Full-time, Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm   
Background Check Required