Associate Director - Davis, CA, Job ID 86026

University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources; Davis (CA); On-site; USD 103,100 - 149,700; Full time

Job summary

The University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources is seeking an Associate Director for the Office of Contracts & Grants. This senior role involves overseeing a dynamic team, ensuring excellence in contract management, and supporting ANR academics and staff.

Located in Davis, CA, this full-time position offers a salary range of $103,100 to $149,700 per year and allows for hybrid work arrangements for California residents. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in research administration and demonstrated leadership abilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training.
• Research administration experience in a University setting.
• Ability to negotiate mutually beneficial agreements.
• Skills in exceptional customer service, management, and leadership.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and management of the OCG team.
• Administer research administration training programs.
• Oversee the development of strategies for effective administrative support.

Skills

Negotiation

Customer Service

Leadership

Critical Thinking

Problem Solving

Organizational Skills

Interpersonal Skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in related area

Research administration experience

Job description

Associate Director – Davis, CA – Job ID 86026

Reporting to the Director of the Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG), the Associate Director, Office Contracts & Grants, is a senior member of the OCG management team and has full leadership, management, supervisory, administrative, and operational responsibilities for the OCG. The associate director will work with the Director, OCG staff, County Directors and Advisors, principal investigators, Business Operation Centers, and county administrative staff to develop and maintain an environment supportive of ANR academics and staff based on communication, outreach, and excellence in customer service. The Associate Director will provide vision and leadership with demonstrated expertise in university administration, contract and grant administration, human resources, and the ability to effectively manage a complex and growing organization.

This position is a career appointment that is 100% fixed. The home department is the Office of Contracts and Grants. While this position normally is based in Davis, CA, it is eligible for hybrid flexible work arrangements for applicants living in the State of California at this time. Hybrid flexible work arrangements are subject to change by the University.

Pay Scale: $103,100/year to $149,700/year. Job posting remains open until filled. First application review date will be 5/18/2026.

Key Responsibilities

35% Leadership and Supervision

As a senior member of the Office of Contracts and Grants (OCG) management team, provide leadership and management of the OCG team, serving as an expert to resolve complex situations. Provide oversight for pre-award services. Draft and negotiate highly complex contracts and other legal documents consistent with University policy; conduct comprehensive analyses of contracts proposed by extramural sponsors for compliance with University policy. Assess and delegate OCG workload to achieve unit goals and objectives. Interview, select, train, develop, mentor, motivate, recognize, and retain staff; evaluate performance and provide accurate and timely feedback. Develop a strong, productive, service-oriented work team.

35% Operations Management

Direct and establish priorities for day-to-day operations, conduct short and long‑range strategic planning sufficient to align OCG to successfully manage a dynamic workload, meet changing stakeholder and customer demands and expectations, make efficient use of resources, and conduct business in an open and transparent manner with the goal of achieving OCG's mission, vision, and values. Develop and set team metrics to ensure internal operational efficiencies, maximum productivity, customer satisfaction, and employee proficiency. Foster ongoing relationships with staff, management, customers and stakeholders, senior ANR administrators, and UC System/other campus administrators that encourage regular and open dialogue. Exercise delegated signature authority. Ensure a proper balance of stewardship with customer service.

10% Training

Administer research administration training programs in the areas of proposal development and award management by independently determining the need for development and implementation of training programs to address the technical, operational, and efficiency needs of internal and external customers. Align learning initiatives, focusing on areas with highest potential for improving business performance and meeting ANR goals. Provide training in OCG services and technical systems. Oversee project management and development of training programs for major ANR-wide and OCG initiatives that will automate, integrate, and bring efficiency to contract and grant management and coordination for administrative and academic units. Partner with internal subject‑matter experts, manage external suppliers to identify broad and specific training objectives and develop integrated training recommendations. Establish scope, estimate duration and resources, monitor progress and coordinate communication to stakeholders. Oversee development of online and print training materials that support training initiatives. Assess and address different educational needs, interests, and styles of our diverse ANR community. Align measurement and evaluation of results‑based training effectiveness with business metrics.

10% Administrative Services

Provide oversight and management of activities related to administrative services for OCG, including the development of strategies to provide effectively and efficient administrative support for OCG; continuously assessing the team's ability to maintain high‑quality, value‑added services in response to the growth of OCG's incoming grant and contract transactions, and implement efficient, new and creative approaches that may be necessary to address increases in workload volume sufficient to maintain timely processing of transactions; and set, direct and establish priorities while employing outcome measures adequate to evaluate goal attainment.

5% Technology

Provide oversight and management of activities related to electronic research administration (ERA) for ANR, including the development, coordination and/or implementation of systems for proposal development and proposal and award tracking. Functional lead for major ANR-wide ERA technological initiatives. Utilize various electronic means to advise ANR community of critical or sensitive issues related to solicitation, management and administration of contracts and grants.

5% Policy Analysis

Serve as an expert resource for interpreting and applying research policies and regulations. Review new or proposed changes in extramural sponsor policies and UC and ANR policies and procedures. Advise the Director and other ANR officials of the potential impacts of new or proposed changes. Make recommendations for changes to ANR policies and procedures and develop and implement internal ANR policies, procedures, and practices. Assist Director with communicating resolution of compliance issues as applicable.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training.
• Research administration experience in a University setting.
• Demonstrated ability to negotiate mutually beneficial agreements.
• Demonstrated skills in exceptional customer service, strong management, leadership, sound judgment and decision making, critical thinking, and creative problem‑solving.
• Skills to mentor, coach, and hold staff at all levels accountable for work performance and products that add value to an organization.
• Experience interpreting and applying federal and state research guidelines, policies and practices (including intellectual property policies), and complex sponsor requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently; excellent organizational and interpersonal skills.
• In‑depth knowledge of organization operational, personnel, and financial transactions and systems related to administration of contracts and grants.

Preferred Skills

• Knowledge of industry best practices.
• Knowledge of University of California (UC) policies and procedures, and UC experience in research administration.
• Certified Research Administrator (CRA) or equivalent professional certification.

Special Conditions of Employment

• Must possess valid California Driver's License to drive a County or University vehicle. Ability and means to travel on a flexible schedule as needed, proof of liability damage insurance on vehicle used is required. Reimbursement of job-related travel will be reimbursed according to University policies.
• The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check. This is a designated position requiring a background check and may require fingerprinting due to the nature of the job responsibilities. UC ANR does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities.
• As of January 1, 2014, ANR is a smoke‑ and tobacco‑free environment in which smoking, the use of smokeless tobacco products, and the use of unregulated nicotine products (e‑cigarettes), is strictly prohibited.
• As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs, as may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.
• Exercise the utmost discretion in managing sensitive information learned in the course of performing their duties. Sensitive information includes but is not limited to employee and student records, health and patient records, financial data, strategic plans, proprietary information, and any other sensitive or non‑public information learned during the course and scope of employment. Understands that sensitive information should be shared on a limited basis and actively takes steps to limit access to sensitive information to individuals who have legitimate business need to know. Ensure that sensitive information is properly safeguarded. Follow all organizational policies and laws on data protection and privacy. This includes secure handling of physical and digital records and proper usage of IT systems to prevent data leaks. The unauthorized or improper disclosure of confidential work‑related information obtained from any source on any work‑related matter is a violation of these expectations.
• Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts an offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer.
  • Misconduct means any violation of the policies governing employee conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, or discrimination, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:
  • UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
  • UC Anti‑Discrimination Policy
  • Abusive Conduct in the Workplace