Description

The Director of Sponsored Programs Administration and Title III Programs reports directly to the Interim Provost and holds primary responsibility for the administrative functions of Research and Sponsored Programs. These functions include the management of any staff and all operations associated with the identification, development, submission, implementation, and closeout of grants and other sponsored agreements. The Director implements strategies that ensure faculty and staff are provided the information, training, and support necessary to seek and administer grants and other sponsored agreements.

The Director is also responsible for maintaining the reporting system between the College and its sponsoring agencies as it relates to program evaluations, progress and performance reports, budget revisions, and all other deliverables required under the terms of each award.

In addition, the Director manages the College's Title III grant programs. In this capacity, the Director routinely works with and supports activity coordinators across the various institutional units and holds responsibility for the management of any Title III  staff, and all budgets and resources. The Director ensures that all Title III activities are implemented as an integral part of the College's goals, objectives, and the ASCEND 2030 Strategic Plan.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

The Director provides administrative leadership, technical expertise, and compliance oversight for all sponsored programs and Title III activities at the College. Accordingly, Director will lead in performing the following functions, including but not limited to the following:

• Work closely with the Office of Institutional Advancement and institutional decision makers to implement a strategic framework that increases the number of grant applications submitted and awards received;
• Implement processes that ensure compliance with federal and other sponsor regulations governing effort reporting, progress reporting, procurement, and allowable costs;
• Review and assist with the editing of grant proposals and budgets prior to submission to funding agencies;
• Work closely with the Interim Provost, the President, and other institutional decision makers to ensure that all Title III activities are implemented as an integral part of the College's goals, objectives, and strategic plan;
• Oversee the writing and submission of the plan of operation, revised budgets for each year of the grant period, and all other technical reports required by the funding agency;
• Prepare and submit necessary budget revisions to the funding agency;
• Receive and maintain records of progress reports, letters of commitment, and official statements of services to be rendered by all consultants and agencies contracted to assist the College in implementing funded projects;
• Establish and maintain effective communication with the Interim Provost, the President, and other institutional decision makers to ensure that program operations remain consistent with the College's mission, goals, and strategic plan;
• Ensure the development of an effective evaluation system that measures total institutional development and the impact of externally funded activities;
• Prepare and submit five-year grant proposals and budgets to the United States Department of Education;
• Submit all necessary budget revisions, Phase I documents, and Annual Performance Reports to the United States Department of Education;
• Assist in the recruitment of key personnel supported by sponsored programs and Title III funding;
• Assist activity coordinators with budget transfers, revisions, and financial matters in coordination with the Office of Business and Finance;
• Coordinate program activities in a manner that facilitates maximum utilization of staff and other program resources;
• Ensure maximum program cost effectiveness and appropriate stewardship of all sponsored funds;
• Remain knowledgeable of Title III and other federal policies, grant terms, and conditions to ensure compliance throughout the life of each agreement;
• Remain cognizant of the management systems instituted by Stillman College;
• Assist principal investigators in ensuring the timely preparation and submission of final technical reports to sponsors;
• Assist in the appropriate disposition of and accounting for all equipment and other property acquired through Title III and other sponsored project funds;
• Provide an atmosphere conducive to the pursuit of excellence on the part of those individuals and groups engaged in refining, implementing, and evaluating the College's mission, goals, objectives, and activities;
• Plan, develop, and implement workshops, conferences, and professional development experiences that enhance the skills and productivity of faculty and staff;
• Perform all other job-related duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY AREAS

• Any staff/work-study students in support of Research and Sponsored Programs
• Title III Office staff and resources
• Title III activity coordinators (programmatic oversight)
• Pre-award proposal development and post-award administration
• Sponsored programs compliance and reporting

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND PERSONAL QUALITIES

The ideal candidate will have the following professional qualifications and personal characteristics:

Alignment with mission: A deep resonance with the mission and possibilities of a Stillman College education and experience; a drive that is consistently student-centered and a commitment to proactively advance student success in all its forms;

Grants and compliance expertise: Demonstrated command of the full sponsored programs life cycle, from opportunity identification and proposal development through award management, reporting, audit, and closeout; a disciplined approach to regulatory compliance that protects the institution while enabling faculty and staff to pursue external funding with confidence;

Institutional leadership: Readiness to be an active, valued partner to the College's academic and administrative units; honesty and integrity in advising institutional leadership on critical issues; an understanding of how to accomplish much in both centralized and decentralized institutional environments; the ability to build consensus and a sense of teamwork; and the ability to inspire joy in one's work;

Fiscal stewardship: The capacity to plan, monitor, and reconcile complex multi-year grant budgets; the ability to optimize sponsored resources to ensure high quality outcomes; and an unwavering commitment to accurate, transparent, and auditable financial practice;

Quantitative sophistication: Experience and a demonstrated record in quantitative reasoning sufficient to ensure the generation of reliable data and rigorous analysis; strategic and analytical ability; and the ability to ask the right questions, uncover meaning, and harness research and evaluation data for its predictive results;

Technological sophistication: Ability to understand the potential value of technological innovations and to lead the process of recommending emerging technologies that can best support process optimization, compliance monitoring, and operational efficiency;

Exceptional communication skills: Ability to be articulate, persuasive, and precise in communicating with internal audiences, including faculty, staff, and institutional leadership, and with external audiences, including federal program officers, foundation representatives, and institutional partners;

Personal qualities: An organizational leader with peerless integrity and an ability to drive a vision through engagement, transparency, hard work, and a sense of urgency; strong values aligned with high ethics, collaboration, compassion, and transparency; sound judgment backed by self-confidence and a sense of perspective; ability to work effectively in a campus culture that is relationship-oriented; and the professional dexterity to adapt within a dynamic, deadline-driven work environment.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's degree from a regionally accredited institution.
• Five to eight years of progressively responsible experience in sponsored programs administration, grants management, or a closely related field, including supervisory and management experience.
• Demonstrated working knowledge of federal grant regulations, including the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200), effort reporting requirements, and single audit expectations.
• Experience with both pre-award and post-award administration, including proposal development, budget preparation, subrecipient monitoring, and award closeout.
• Demonstrated success in preparing and submitting competitive proposals to federal agencies and other external sponsors.
• Experience with budget administration, personnel policies and processes, and procurement procedures.
• Demonstrated ability to prepare clear, accurate, and timely technical and financial reports for external funding agencies.
• Experience working effectively with a wide range of audiences, including senior administrators, faculty, staff, program officers, auditors, and external partners.
• Proficiency with electronic grants management and submission systems (for example, G5, Grants.gov, and Research.gov).
• Experience in overseeing and tracking project workflow across multiple institutional units.
• Experience with Title III Parts B and F.

PREFERRED/DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Academic or professional doctorate (for example, Ph.D. or Ed.D.) from a regionally accredited institution is preferred.
• Seven to ten or more years of relevant work experience in higher education sponsored programs administration, including direct management of Title III programs.
• Certified Research Administrator (CRA) credential or comparable professional certification.

Work Schedule

Monday - Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm (possible variations, such as occasional evening or weekend work depending on sponsor deadlines and institutional events)

Travel

Travel is required within the Tuscaloosa area, the state of Alabama, and nationally, including attendance at sponsor conferences and technical assistance workshops, as well as attendance at evening and weekend functions.

Background Investigation Statement

Before hiring, the final candidate(s) must pass a pre-employment background investigation and information obtained from social media and other internet sources. A prior conviction reported due to background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. A candidate with a previous conviction or negative behavioral red flags will receive an individualized review of the prior conviction or negative behavioral red flags before making a hiring decision.

Application and Nomination

Review of confidential applications will begin immediately and remain open until the position is filled.

Stillman College is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate unlawfully in employment matters based on race, religion, gender, color, ancestry, national origin, age, disability, or any other category protected by law.