Director of Sponsored Projects

Founded in 1891, North Park University is a Christian university affiliated with the Evangelical Covenant Church of over 3,200 students from around the country and the world. Located for over 125 years on the land of the Miami and Potawatomi tribes in what is today Chicago’s northside, NPU has recently been designated a Hispanic Serving Institution and is committed to serving diverse populations. Elevating North Park University’s core distinctives of Christian, city-centered, and intercultural, NPU values diversity among its Faculty and is committed to building a racially and culturally diverse intellectual community, and strongly encourages the nomination and candidacies of persons who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color regardless of gender.

North Park University is located in the Albany Park neighborhood of Chicago, one of the most ethnically diverse zip codes in the United States. It is nine miles from downtown Chicago. The North Park campus has often been referred to as an oasis in the heart of the city – a place where students from urban, rural, and suburban backgrounds alike can call home. And all of this within the major metropolitan backdrop of Chicago: one of the world’s largest and most diversified economies, renowned for its museums and music, and voted best large city in the U.S. for four years in a row by Condé Nast Traveler.

Mission

The mission of North Park University is to prepare students for lives of significance and service through education in the liberal arts, professional studies, and theology.

Vision

Building on our core institutional identity—Christian, city-centered, intercultural—our vision is to create a university of uncommon character and enduring excellence, where faith, learning, and service meet.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Associate Provost and part of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, the Director of Sponsored Projects’ primary role is to enhance the capacity of leadership, faculty, and staff to secure external funding that aligns with the institution’s mission, vision, and scholarship. The primary focus of this role is pre-award strategy, development, submission, and compliance. Post-award responsibilities are collaborative and oversight-oriented, working in partnership with the Business Office to ensure sponsor compliance and reporting. This role will also monitor opportunities for external funding for research, program development, and institutional support, and, with the Associate Provost, develop an effective process for disseminating and prioritizing these opportunities to Faculty and staff.

Duties and Responsibilities

• In cooperation with the Associate Provost, develop a strategic plan for sponsored project opportunities to best meet institutional priorities and strategic goals.
• Provide support on the development of grant applications, including but not limited to editing sections of the proposal, helping to prepare budgets and budget narratives, subaward agreements, and compiling additional documentation required for submission.
• Monitor grant report deadlines and coordinate timely submission with Faculty and staff.
• Design and implement a faculty grant development pipeline, including workshops, one-on-one proposal coaching, and internal review processes to increase proposal quality and funding success with the goal of increasing the proposal success rate, in collaboration with the University Dean and the Associate Provost.
• Develop, update, and implement institutional policies and procedures related to sponsored projects administration, in consultation with the Associate Provost and Business Office.
• Work collaboratively with the Business Office on effective post-award management in accordance with Uniform Guidance and sponsor regulations.
• Serve as the designated Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) responsible for uploading application documents to granting agency portals and submitting completed applications.
• Provide oversight and coordination for institutional research compliance committees (e.g., IRB, IACUC), ensuring documentation, training, reporting, and policy alignment with federal regulations.
• Maintain institutional grant activity data and provide periodic reports to the Associate Provost and senior leadership on proposal activity, success rates, and funding trends.

Location and Salary Range

This position is based in Chicago and has historically included on-campus presence with flexible remote options for local candidates. The University is open to hybrid arrangements and may consider exceptional candidates with significant experience leading sponsored programs for fully remote employment outside the Chicago area.

The anticipated salary range for this position is $65,000-75,000 commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Requirements

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of five years of professional work experience required, preferably in proposal writing, grants management, or research administration in a higher education setting.
• Expertise in government and private sector funding opportunities in support of higher education and research; knowledge of federal, state, local, and institutional regulations governing grants and contracts.
• Knowledge of federal funding agencies and regulations, including the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, NASA, the Department of Education, and NIH.
• Excellent communication skills, including writing, speaking, listening, and presentation.
• Strong interpersonal skills to develop and maintain cooperative and productive working relationships with diverse college and external communities.
• Related professional experience with a proven track record of securing external funds, successful experience in sponsored programs administration, and other related higher education experience.
• Must be able to manage multiple projects simultaneously, set priorities, effectively manage time, and undertake long-term projects.
• Computer literacy in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook. Experience with electronic research administration systems (e.g., Grants.gov, Research.gov, eRA Commons, NSF Research.gov/FastLane, Cayuse) and sponsor submission portals.
• Demonstrated appreciation for and ability to effectively articulate North Park University’s mission as a Christian institution of higher education.

Desired:

• Master’s degree or doctoral degree
• Flexible schedule - hybrid and remote considerable options
• A total of at least 5-7 years of experience within the following areas:
• Experience in a grants office or an office of sponsored research/programs in higher education or a non-profit institution.
• Administrative experience in higher education.
• IRB experience, including an understanding of the Common Rule (45 CFR 46) and related federal regulations, experience supporting or administering an IRB, and an understanding of ethical considerations and institutional responsibilities.
• IACUC knowledge, including experience supporting an IACUC and an awareness of reporting obligations and recordkeeping.

Benefits

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan
• Life Insurance
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
• Short Term & Long Term Disability