Director of Sponsored Programs

Posting Details

Request to Recruit

Position Title Director of Sponsored Programs

Location Boone, North Carolina

Faculty Rank No

Provide Rank

Position Number 080331

Department Office of Research and Innovation- 282000

Position Summary Information

Primary Purpose

Division of Research and Innovation - The Division of Research and Innovation (DRI) supports and advances Appalachian State University’s research, scholarship, creative activities, innovation, and public service mission by providing leadership, infrastructure, compliance oversight, strategic investment, and administrative support for the university’s research enterprise. The division encompasses the Office of Research and Innovation (ORI), which includes research administration, sponsored programs, contracts and grants accounting, compliance functions, internal funding programs, and innovation and commercialization initiatives. Beyond the ORI, the DRI includes other strategic research and creative activity operations that support faculty, staff, and student success. The ORI supports and enhances research, scholarship, creative activities, and public service initiatives by managing internal and external funding programs, providing research administration services, and supporting both funded and unfunded scholarly initiatives across the campus community.

Sponsored Programs (a Department of ORI) - SP assists with budget development and proposal preparation, provides advanced institutional review and institutional approval of proposal submissions; ensures compliance of proposals and awards with sponsor and university policies; maintains records and provides reports on proposal and award activity; and facilitates relationships with post-award services.

Minimum Qualifications Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a research-active field.
• Minimum of 8 years of progressively responsible experience in sponsored programs administration, pre-award research administration, grant development, or contract negotiation in a university or research environment.
• Minimum of 5 years of supervisory or management experience leading professional research administration staff and complex administrative operations.
• Demonstrated knowledge of federal sponsored project regulations, Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200), FAR provisions, sponsor requirements, and research best practices.
• Extensive experience managing pre-award functions, electronic proposal routing systems, and subrecipient oversight.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret complex federal/state regulations, exercise independent judgment, and communicate effectively with diverse academic and administrative stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to balance a service-oriented approach to faculty support with rigorous institutional compliance and risk management.

License/Certification Required Certified Research Administrator (CRA) or Certified Pre-Award Research Administrator (CPRA) is desirable.

Preferred Qualifications

• More than 10 years of progressively responsible experience in pre-award research administration or sponsored programs leadership.
• Professional certification such as Certified Research Administrator (CRA) or Certified Pre-Award Research Administrator (CPRA).
• Experience implementing and managing enterprise research administration systems (e.g., Cayuse, Banner, InfoReady).
• Knowledge of North Carolina State financial/contractual rules, UNC System policies, and state procurement guidelines.
• Demonstrated success in leading organizational change, workflow optimization, staff development, and cross-departmentalcollaboration.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities Leadership and Strategic Administration

• Provide strategic leadership and administrative oversight for all pre-award sponsored program activities, proposal authorization, and post-award programmatic project coordination across the Office of Research and Innovation.
• Manage daily operations of the Sponsored Programs department, ensuring seamless coordination as PIs transition from proposal development work with GRS to the building of budgets and application packages, collating subrecipient materials, navigating internal routing for campus approvals, hosting new award meetings, and assisting with programmatic post-award functions.
• Serve as a primary advisor to the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation on pre-award research operations, proposal volume, and faculty support needs, as well as institutional risk and administrative strategy primarily associated with pre-award and programmatic project functions.
• Develop and execute strategic operational plans, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and service quality benchmarks that support institutional research growth and faculty success.
• Co-lead institutional initiative programs, such as the APROPOS program (in partnership with the Director of CGA and maintaining ORI/HR alignment for personnel certification and professional development) and the monthly Sponsored Programs Administration Network (SPAN).

Pre-Award Administration and Proposal Management

• Oversee the end-to-end proposal preparation and submission pipeline, maintaining authorized organizational representative (AOR) signature authority for external grant and contract applications.
• Coordinate Grant Specialist portfolio assignments in partnership with the Sr. Associate Director for Research Administration to ensure balanced workload distribution and high-touch PI support.
• Conduct pre-proposal strategy meetings with PIs and Co-PIs to review project needs, including course buyouts, supplemental pay, cost-sharing requirements, travel, participant support costs, equipment, tuition remission, and student pay.
• Provide expert guidance on sponsor guidelines, eligibility criteria, supplemental documentation, Facilities & Administrative (F&A) rate waiver applications, and use of internal budget templates.
• Guide and manage internal electronic routing and approval workflows in the institutional electronic enterprise grants management ERA system (Cayuse), managing Form development and modifications, as well as compliant system validations prior to submission.
• Coordinate trainings and programs that result in thorough review across all relevant forms for all levels of approvers, especially departmental/college approvals.
• Serve as primary proposal submission backup during periods of heavy volume, staff leave, or complex multi-institutional applications.

Award Intake, Post-Award Collaboration & Subrecipient Monitoring

• Provide backup and leadership support for pre-award and post-award transition activities, including changes to the Scope of Work (SOW), Just-In-Time (JIT) submissions, and the internal Assumption of Risk (AOR) pre-award spending process.
• Collaborate closely with the Director of Contracts and Grants Administration (CGA) to ensure fluid post-award management.
• Perform ongoing post-award project compliance monitoring for multiyear funded projects.
• Facilitate post-award administrative requests, such as No-Cost Extensions (NCE), Program Officer approval letters for SOW changes, effort modifications, PI changes, and project de-obligations, providing the AOR signature as required.
• Coordinate deliverable reminder notices for annual/final programmatic reports, and manage PI departure/transfer procedures in collaboration with CGA, department chairs, and deans.

Research Administration Infrastructure, Systems & Policy

• Direct enterprise data management for research administration, leading software vendor selections, system module implementations(e.g., Cayuse proposal, award, and risk modules), vendor communications, and data integrations.
• Co-lead elevated Conflict of Interest (COI) reviews in collaboration with Research Protections, participate in regular meetings with the director of Research Protections, and assist with Management Plan development.
• Lead the review, generation, and continuous improvement of sponsored programs policies, guidelines, and operational procedures to strengthen institutional infrastructure.
• Ensure data accuracy and integrity across sponsored program records, generating comprehensive activity reports for institutional leadership, deans, department chairs, and external agencies.

Customer Service, Outreach, Training & Professional Development

• Foster a responsive, customer-service-oriented office culture that proactively supports faculty, department chairs, deans, and administrative staff across campus.
• Plan, design, and deliver campus-wide educational workshops, Cayuse training manuals, and specialized research administration sessions in partnership with CGA, RP, GRS, and General Counsel.
• Serve as key liaison to funding agency program officers, external auditors, UNC System colleagues, and regional/national research administration associations (SRAI, NCURA).
• Maintain joint in-service professional development programs and retreats for ORI staff and affiliated college grant administrators (e.g., CGA, CAS, RIEEE, IHHS).

Personnel Leadership and Staff Development

• Supervise, mentor, and evaluate Sponsored Programs staff, including the Sr. Associate Director, Grant Managers, contracted professionals, and student staff.
• Establish staff work plans, conduct annual HR performance evaluations, manage hybrid work assignments, and maintain clear team accountability.
• Lead departmental recruitment and search committee processes, develop position descriptions, vet applicants, conduct interviews, and guide new-hire onboarding.
• Provide continuous mentoring, peer-assignment structuring, and professional development planning to cultivate staff expertise and retention.

Type of Position Full Time Position

Staff/Non-Faculty Staff/Non-Faculty

VISA Sponsorship? VISA sponsorship is not available for this position. All candidates must be eligible to work and live in the U.S.

Appointment Type 1.0

Work Schedule/Hours Mon. - Fri., 8:00 - 5:00 with nights and weekends as needed

Number of Hours Per Week 40+

Number of Months Per Year 12

Mandatory Staff No

Suggested Salary Range Salary based on education and experience

Physical Demands of Position To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions

Posting Details Information

Posting Date 11/13/2026

Closing Date 11/30/2026

Open Until Filled No

Evaluation of Applications Begins 12/01/2026

Proposed Date of Hire 01/01/2027

Special Instructions to Applicants

Please attach the following to your application:

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Attach a list of at least 3 (three) references with contact information

Search Chair Name Christine Hendren

Search Chair Email hendrenco@appstate.edu

Quick Link https://appstate.peopleadmin.com/postings/56992

Posting Number 201501886P