• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: Commiserate with Experience

Position Summary

Reporting to the Executive Director of the Office of Research Initiatives and Development (ED-ORID), the Director of Research Proposal Development (DRPD) supports primarily scientific, engineering, and biomedical research faculty to develop innovative and high-impact grant proposals that align with the strategic goals of the University’s research enterprise.  The DRPD assembles and leads a team from within ORID and other Columbia units--and frequently other collaborating institutions--to support the complex planning, execution, and submission of highly competitive, proposals requesting funding typically of $10M+. The goal of the DRPD is to increase the funding for new research efforts that often bridge disciplines, schools, and campuses

Responsibilities

• Project Management of Proposal Development (70%)

  • Identify and communicate large, multidisciplinary funding opportunities from federal and non-federal sources that capitalize on existing strengths and expertise across Columbia to faculty and school leadership.
  • Collaborate with faculty to manage the full proposal lifecycle, from concept to submission.
  • Facilitate proposal process by creating internal deadlines, tracking internal deliverables, reiterating RFP requirements needing focus, acquiring resources to support teams, and collaborating with respective schools based on faculty team composure
  • Coach interdisciplinary faculty teams through proposal strategy and resource allocation procedures (i.e. team formation – especially for broader impacts, writing assignments, partner engagement, resource gathering, proposal editing)
  • As requested by faculty teams, draft and edit material, such as non-scientific proposal components
  • Coordinate with experts at Columbia and partner universities as appropriate.  Facilitate overall coordination between the faculty team and non-academic experts.
  • Working with the Director of Strategic Partnerships, assist faculty teams in establishing partnerships with external entities – often in order to gather letters of support or collaboration.
  • Liaise between faculty and relevant University units.

   

  Human Resources and Administration (20%)

  • Supervise the Center Grant Proposal Development (CGPD) team responsible for administrative management, communications, and other objectives supporting faculty grantsmanship.
  • Work closely with departmental administrators in planning budget drafts, which may often involve highly confidential and protected information.
  • As needed, hire external consultants, casual employees, and student employees to support project management, data collection, and/or communications needs.
  • Develop a strong knowledge base of the administrative offices and other university resources that can support of the large research grantmaking process and funding landscape.   

   

  Special Projects and Work as Assigned (10%)           

  • Represent the Office of the Executive Vice President for Research on internal governance committees and working groups, as appropriate.
  • Participate in &/or instigate working groups of Columbia administrators to develop content or communicate best practices (i.e. templates for administrative components of research proposals.)
  • Host and speak at informational sessions for faculty seeking to pursue specific center-level funding mechanisms.
  • Other projects as assigned by the ED, including high-profile event planning, preparation of training documents, and incubation of initiatives around particular research foci.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and at least eight years of related experience or PhD with grant writing experience.
• Progressively responsible experience in program or project management, preferably in an academic or non-profit setting.
• Experience in providing optimal customer service, preferably to faculty and other academic audiences.
• Outstanding organization and project management skills required.
• High level of discretion and good judgment, ability to take initiative, integrity, trustworthiness, diplomacy.
• Team-player.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to work effectively with faculty in a support capacity.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with a number of stakeholders, including executive leadership, government employees, vendors, and external partners.
• Ability to develop written content for internal and external audiences
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Highly organized, enthusiastic, and personable approach.
• Experience in complex proposal development.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.