Assistant Director, Pre-Award - Office of Sponsored Programs

West Virginia University; Morgantown (WV); Remote; USD 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Pre-Award Assistant Director to oversee the operations of their Office of Sponsored Programs. This role involves managing personnel matters, coordinating hiring processes, and ensuring compliance with federal regulations. The successful candidate will foster a collaborative environment, motivate staff, and provide training to faculty and staff on proposal preparation. With a commitment to work-life balance and generous benefits, this position offers a unique opportunity to make a significant impact in research administration. Join a team dedicated to excellence and innovation in higher education.

Benefits

37.5-hour work week

13 paid holidays

24 annual leave days

18 sick days

Health insurance benefits

401(a) retirement savings

Wellness programs

Qualifications

• Minimum of three years of experience in Electronic Research Administration.
• Expert knowledge of 2 CFR 200 and staff supervision.

Responsibilities

• Manage daily operations of the pre-award sub-department.
• Coordinate hiring processes and develop staff through training.
• Ensure compliance with sponsor guidelines and monitor proposal deadlines.

Skills

Communication Skills

Time Management

Interpersonal Skills

Problem-Solving Skills

Staff Supervision

Training and Development

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Electronic Research Administration

Microsoft Teams

Job description

Description

The Office of Sponsored Programs at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for a Pre-Award Assistant Director.

About the Opportunity

The Assistant Director of OSP, Pre-Award, position is within the West Virginia University Office of Sponsored Programs, Pre-Award sub-department. The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) is the central administrative unit charged with providing support to the WVU community in the solicitation, acquisition, and administration of externally funded projects for research, teaching, and service. This position is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the Pre-Award sub-department. This position has remote capabilities.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year (employee leave)
• 18 sick days per year (for when you're ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family's, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ's.
• Wellness programs

What You'll Do

• Manage personnel matters for the pre-award sub-department, including work assignments, professional development, leave approvals, performance evaluations, and progressive discipline for department employees.
• Manage the daily operations of the pre-award sub-department within OSP. Develop staff through work planning, direction, monitoring, and ensuring accuracy and completeness of work, along with coaching, mentoring, and staff development processes.
• Coordinate with the Director of OSP for hiring processes, including identifying candidates, conducting interviews, documenting results, and making hiring decisions in line with WVU policies.
• Motivate staff to achieve positive results, redirect unproductive behavior professionally, and encourage positive behavior.
• Assist with routine management and development of ad hoc proposal reports from the KC Proposal Database.
• Manage and direct training processes for new employees and participate in cross-training employees in core functions.
• Provide proposal preparation training for WVU faculty and staff, including sponsor and university requirements.
• Utilize WVU OSP systems (e.g., WRAP, Microsoft Teams) for work assignments, monitoring accuracy and completeness.
• Monitor proposal deadlines, follow up with staff to ensure timely submissions, and assign rotating tasks monthly.
• Maintain expert knowledge of sponsor guidelines and review proposals for compliance, interpreting regulations like Uniform Guidance, FAR, NIH policies, NSF PAPPG, etc.
• Act as liaison for proposal and budget reviews, coordinate revisions, and finalize submissions considering sponsor and university requirements.
• Support budget development, advising faculty on compliance, coordinating complex budgets, and validating proposal budgets in systems like NSF Fastlane, NIH eRA, Grants.gov.
• Identify proposal circumstances affecting WVU’s commitments, escalate issues to the Director, and review contractual language before submission.
• Document research compliance requirements, prepare certifications, and facilitate proposal lifecycle from pre-award to award stages.
• Complete non-competing continuation management, maintain personnel access to sponsor systems, oversee electronic processes, and ensure proposal readiness.
• Coordinate with staff for proposal preparation, conduct eRA system activities, participate in WRAP testing, and build positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ensure follow-up on agency requests, advise faculty, develop subrecipient monitoring materials, and create/update OSP website content.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Director and Associate Director of OSP, Pre-Award.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience in:
• Electronic Research Administration
• Expert knowledge of 2 CFR 200
• Staff Supervision
• Training and Development of Staff
• Equivalent education or experience considered
• All qualifications must be met by employment start date.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Excellent communication, listening, time management, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to exercise independent judgment, organize, and address customer concerns
• Knowledge of research administration and federal/state policies
• Ability to motivate, lead, supervise, and develop staff
• Problem-solving skills and discretion in handling complex tasks
• Diplomatic and entrepreneurial mindset

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Research Administrator

About WVU

West Virginia University fosters purpose and community, impacting the state through research and education. We value work-life balance, collaboration, and our core values: service, curiosity, respect, accountability, and appreciation. Join us to make a lasting impact. More info at wvu.edu.

WVU is an Equal Opportunity Employer, welcoming applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic info, or Veteran status.