Job Details

Pre-Award Manager

Position Number: 9969424
Location: Salt Lake City, United States
Position Type: Sponsored Programs, Grants, and Contracts

Pre-Award Manager

Job Summary

Job Summary:
The Research Enterprise has an immediate opening for a Pre-Award Manager, in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Utah Spencer F. Eccles School of Medicine.

Under minimal supervision, the Pre-Award Manager is responsible for planning, organizing, and directing all operations of the Pediatric Research Enterprise Pre-Award Grant Office which includes administrative, personnel, and organizational functions. The Pre-Award Manager works closely with junior and senior faculty, senior mentors, and other team members to guide the research development of faculty research scholars through the pre-award grant application processes and life cycle of the award. Coordinates with Pediatrics' Finance Director, Department of Pediatrics and Research Enterprise Leadership to establish grant life cycle policies and processes for the Pre-Award Office in collaboration with the Post-Award Financial Team. Implements new initiatives to advance the research mission and assists in evaluating the current and proposed best practices and policies for the Pre-Award Office. Directs and manages the work of the Pre-Award Team from proposal development to post-award handoff and collaborates with the Post-Award Finance Team on policies, guidelines, and best practices. Acts as a catalyst between the department, faculty, and other internal and external customers to ensure the success of the overall operation. Recommends changes, complete quality improvement projects, and implements new processes as needed. Reports to the Director of the Pre-Award Office and the Associate Director of the Research Enterprise.

Department Summary:
The Department of Pediatrics is the second largest department in the University of Utah School of Medicine and one of the largest pediatric departments in the country. We are committed to improving the lives of children through excellence in advocacy, education, research, and clinical care. For more information about the Department of Pediatrics, please visit: http://medicine.utah.edu/pediatrics/. Mutual respect and appreciation are highly valued in the department.
Benefits Summary:
The University of Utah offers a comprehensive benefits package including:

Excellent health care coverage at affordable rates (see the Summary Comparison for more information)
Exceptional retirement plans
Generous paid leave time
11 paid Holidays per year
50% tuition reduction for employees, spouses, and dependent children
Flex spending accounts
University provided basic employee life insurance coverage equal to a salary of up to $25,000
Variety of elective insurance coverage, including life insurance, short and long-term disability, accidental death & dismemberment, accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and pet.
Free transit on most UTA services
Employee discounts on a variety of products and services, including cell phones & plans, entertainment, health and fitness, restaurants, retail, and travel
Professional development opportunities

Additional benefits information is available at https://benefits.utah.edu/.

Responsibilities
Essential Functions:Direct/Manage/Supervise the grant process both pre- and post-award for the university. Oversee the research, preparation, submission and follow-up of various grants such as industry, foundation, and government. Collaborate cross-departmentally to determine needs and identify projects fitting organization's strategies. Review planned proposals and submission guidelines to suggest positioning and determine feasibility of meeting deadlines. Provide strategic guidance during research and drafting stages of grant submission. Review and edit finalized grant to ensure clear and compelling language. Identify, pursue, cultivate, and enhance relationships with foundations and government agencies in support of funding needs.
Research Proposal Development, Management, and Services:

Provides grant expertise and guidance regarding pre-award preparation, review, and submission, while determining that proposals adhere to funding agency and University of Utah policies, guidelines, and procedures to produce high-quality, competitive proposals. Analyzes process outcomes and workflow to ensure and identify efficiencies in productivity and savings.
Leads and manages the proposal development process, working closely with faculty leaders at all stages, from strategizing the proposal's fit to agency requirements to the final submission. Works closely with department, financial, and research teams to define assignments, monitor assignment completion, obtain required documents, and provide leadership to proposal submission. Directs and participates in application assembly.
Monitors the appropriateness and effectiveness of service within the Department in order to deliver outstanding service to both internal and external customers. Collaborates with director and Research Enterprise senior leaders to establish strategic and tactical goals and objectives. Meets with the Pre-Award Director and Research Enterprise Associate Director routinely to update, review, and troubleshoot projects/proposals. Assists junior faculty investigators in identifying funding opportunities based on specific areas of interest and initiatives.
Assists with writing non-scientific sections of proposals, such as environment and resources, and edits completed proposals. Consults with and advises faculty/teams on budget issues and detailed budget justifications.
Oversees the grant submission process including communication/coordination with University's Office of Sponsored Projects and Grants and Contracts Office and communication and completion of required documentation (e.g. assembling all necessary documents for grant submissions including biosketches, letters of support, budget/budget justification preparation, ensuring submission timeline, assembly and submission using grants.gov, etc.), meetings, and grant-related update meetings. Oversees recruitment, training, orientation, and professional development of division staff in support of accomplishing division goals and mission.

Administrative Management, Office Development, and Viability:

Maintains and enhances departmental research funding and success data. Provides in-depth analysis for senior leadership on pediatrics' research investments, faculty productivity, and funding success strategies.
Serves as a mentor and training resource to the Pre-Award Team for continued office excellence. Trains and mentors Financial Team and Division Administrators to ensure successful grant management and Departmental compliance with internal policies and external funding agency regulations.
Leads the overall day-to-day operations of the pre-award team, including hiring, evaluating, assigning projects to staff, overseeing training, and overall management of the team. Leads regular staff meetings.
Manages work assignments and tracks project/proposal progress through submission. Tracks reporting requirements and associated financial reporting. Maintains inventory of upcoming projects in order to manage workload distribution for upcoming proposal submissions.

Manager, Grant Development ManagementFirst-level manager. Manages the activities of supervisors and/or individual contributors. Responsible for hiring, firing, performance appraisals, and pay reviews. Broad knowledge of the field with demonstrated leadership skills.Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 6 years or a master's (or equivalency) + 4 years of directly related work experience.This is a Manager-Level position in the Management track.
Disclaimer:This job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to the job.

Minimum Qualifications
EQUIVALENCY STATEMENT: 1 year of higher education can be substituted for 1 year of directly related work experience (Example: bachelor's degree = 4 years of directly related work experience).
Department may hire employee at one of the following job levels:
Manager, Grant Development Management: Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 6 years or a master's (or equivalency) + 4 years of directly related work experience.

Preferences
Preferences: 3-5 years of progressively more responsible management experience. Background knowledge of Pre-Award area of specialization in order to analyze, plan and draw conclusions for recommendations to superiors. Demonstrated leadership skills in planning and directing employees and processes in order to effectively monitor and develop subordinates and to ensure the smooth operation of department.The Department will screen applicants according to the identified preferences.

Special Instructions

Requisition Number: PRN46752B
Full Time or Part Time? Full Time
Work Schedule Summary: Typically, Monday -- Friday, 8:00 a.m. -- 5:00 p.m., with occasional flexibility depending on operational needs based on submission deadlines and/or to support the team. Opportunities for a hybrid telework schedule may be considered after the initial training period, provided the arrangement is supported by operational needs and individual performance. Telework arrangements are not guaranteed and may be modified or discontinued at any time based on business requirements or performance. Employees approved for hybrid telework must provide their own private workspace, secure internet connection, and demonstrate the ability to work independently.
Department: 01100 - Pediatric Research Enterprise
Location: Campus
Pay Rate Range: $78,884 to $97,182
Close Date: 02/12/2027
Open Until Filled:

To apply, visit https://utah.peopleadmin.com/postings/211981