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 Provost, the primary role of the Director of Sponsored Projects is to increase the capacity of leadership, faculty, and staff to secure external funding to further the overall mission, vision, and scholarship of the institution. Primary responsibilities will focus on Pre-Award development and management activities with collaborative responsibility for Post-Award management with the Business Office.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Monitor opportunities for external funding for research, program development, and institutional support and develop with the Provost an effective process for disseminating and prioritizing opportunities to faculty and staff
• In cooperation with the 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.
• Develop a program and process for faculty development and education related to Sponsored Projects with the goal of increasing proposal success rate in collaboration with the University Dean and the Provost.
• Oversee the university’s internal policies and procedures related to pre-award and post-award management.
• 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.
• Oversee research compliance through collaboration with faculty committees such as IRB and IACUC.

Salary Range for this position is $72,000 to $78,000, depending on 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
• Knowledge of federal funding agencies and regulations including National Science Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities, NASA, and Department of Education
• 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 proven track record of securing external funds, and 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, Outlook, and databases needed.
• Appreciation for, personal commitment to, and ability to effectively articulate North Park’s mission to Christian higher education. Possess a clear understanding and personal commitment to North Park University’s mission of Christian higher education.

Desired:

• Master’s degree or doctoral degree
• A total of at least 5-7 years of experience within the following areas:
• Experience in a grants office or and office of sponsored research/programs in higher education or non-profit institution.
• Administrative experience in higher education.
• Expertise in government and private sector funding opportunities in support of higher education and research; expertise in federal, state, local and institutional regulations and policies governing administration of higher education research programs, grants and contracts.

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