Job Details

Director, Sponsored Programs Administration

Position Number: 6306512
Location: Kennesaw, GA
Position Type: Sponsored Programs, Grants, and Contracts

Director, Sponsored Programs Administration

Job ID: 286520
Location: Kennesaw, Georgia
Full/Part Time: Full Time
Regular/Temporary: Regular

About Us

Are you ready to transform lives through academic excellence, innovative research, strong community partnerships and economic opportunity? Kennesaw State University is one of the 50 largest public institutions in the country. With growing enrollment and global reach, we continue to expand our institutional influence and prominence beyond the state of Georgia. We offer more than 190 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to empower our 47,000 students to become thought leaders, lifelong learners, and informed global citizens. Our entrepreneurial spirit, high-impact research, and Division I athletics draw students from throughout the region and from more than 100 countries across the globe. Our university's vibrant culture, career opportunities, rich benefits, and values of respect, integrity, collaboration, inclusivity, and accountability make us an employer of choice. We are part of the University System of Georgia. We are searching for talented people to join Kennesaw State University in our vision. Come Take Flight at KSU!

Location

Our Kennesaw campus is located at 1000 Chastain Road NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144. Our Marietta campus is located at 1100 South Marietta Parkway, Marietta, GA 30060.

Job Summary

Supports department leaders in managing and growing the institution's sponsored programs infrastructure. Serves as a key leader in facilitating faculty-led research funding across federal, state, and private entities. Oversees the daily operations of pre-award and post-award functions, ensuring operational excellence across proposal development, award setup, compliance monitoring, internal coordination, and ensures effective collaboration with stakeholders across the university. Instrumental in executing department policy, training university personnel, and maintaining grant-related systems in support of the institution's research mission.

Responsibilities

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Assists leadership in managing day-to-day operations of the department, with a focus on pre-award and non-financial post-award activities
2. Supervises, mentors, and supports assigned leadership and staff, providing ongoing process improvement, performance management, and professional development
3. Supports leadership in the development and implementation of policies and procedures that enhance institutional compliance and effectiveness
4. Monitors internal processes and identifies areas for improvement
5. Assists in maintaining institutional eligibility to receive federal, state, and private funding, including registration with appropriate agencies
6. Supports reporting efforts and ensure timely and accurate data entry for institutional analysis and sponsor reporting
7. Assures the institution is registered and in compliance to receive federal funding
8. Collaborates with the Grants Accounting team to ensure accurate and timely grant reporting, and to support compliance monitoring activities
9. Serves as a key contact for unit-level issues, resolving concerns, and escalating matters to the Executive Director
10. Maintains and enhances grants management systems used to track proposals, awards, and compliance data in collaboration with internal stakeholders and external vendors
11. Monitors federal, state, and sponsor regulations and communicate changes to impacted stakeholders

Required Qualifications

Educational Requirements
Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in business, public administration, or a related field

Other Required Qualifications
Certified Research Administrator (CRA)

Required Experience
Eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in sponsored programs administration, with strong emphasis in pre-award, proposal development, non-fiscal post-award activities or related areas, including at least three (3) years as a manager or supervisor with cross-functional teams.

Preferred Qualifications

Additional Preferred Qualifications
Familiarity with electronic research administration platforms and grants.gov, FastLane, or Research.gov

Preferred Educational Qualifications
An advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education in business, public administration, higher education, or a related field

Preferred Experience
Previous experience with grants management in a university setting.

Proposed Salary

The midpoint of the salary range is $145,000. Offers are based on relevant experience.

Comprehensive benefits to include Medical, Dental, Vision, 13 paid holidays, vacation, generous retirement plans, tuition waiver, wellness options, and much more! Visit hr.kennesaw.edu/benefits.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

ABILITIES
Commitment to fostering a collaborative work environment
Able to foster a culture of service, compliance, and excellence in sponsored programs administration
Able to handle multiple tasks or projects at one time meeting assigned deadlines

KNOWLEDGE
Strong knowledge of federal, state, and private grant regulations and procedures

SKILLS
Excellent interpersonal, initiative, teamwork, problem solving, independent judgment, organization, communication (verbal and written), time management, project management and presentation skills
Proficient with computer applications and programs associated with the position (i.e., Microsoft Office suite, Cayuse, InfoEd, or similar platforms)
Strong attention to detail and follow up skills
Strong customer service skills and phone and e-mail etiquette

USG Core Values

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 26 institutions of higher education and learning as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Kennesaw State University is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The University is committed to maintaining a fair and respectful environment for living, work and study. To that end, and in accordance with federal and state law, Board of Regents policy, and University policy, the University prohibits harassment of or discrimination against any person because of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment, pregnancy, and medical conditions related to pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity or national origin, religion, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran or military status by any member of the KSU Community on campus, in connection with a University program or activity, or in a manner that creates a hostile environment for members of the KSU community.

For additional information on this policy, or to file a complaint under the provisions of this policy, students, employees, applicants for employment or admission or other third parties should contact the Office of Institutional Equity at English Building, Suite 225, eeo@kennesaw.edu.

Other Information

This is a supervisory position.
This position has financial responsibilities.
This position will not be required to drive.
This role is considered a position of trust.
This position does not require a purchasing card (P-Card).
This position may travel 1% - 24% of the time.

Background Check

Standard Enhanced
Education

Per the University System of Georgia background check policy, all final candidates will be required to consent to a criminal background investigation. Final candidates may be asked to disclose criminal record history during the initial screening process and prior to a conditional offer of employment. Applicants for positions of trust with screening
results which confirm a disqualifying criminal history will be immediately disqualified from employment eligibility.

All applicants are required to include professional references as part of their application process. Some positions may require additional job-based screenings such as motor vehicle report, credit check, pre-employment drug screening and/or verification of academic credentials.

https://www.usg.edu/hr/assets/hr/hrap_manual/HRAP_Background_Investigation_Employment.pdf

To apply, visit https://careers.hprod.onehcm.usg.edu/psp/careers/CAREERS/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST_FL&Action=U&FOCUS=Applicant&SiteId=43000&JobOpeningId=286520&PostingSeq=1