Associate Director of Grant Development

The College of New Jersey; Ewing Township (NJ); On-site; USD 95,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement plans

Tuition assistance

Job summary

The College of New Jersey in New Jersey is seeking an Associate Director of Grant Development to provide strategic leadership for sponsored research development and compliance. The role serves as an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) with delegated authority to review, certify, and submit proposals for the College.

The Associate Director exercises independent judgment on proposal readiness, regulatory requirements, and institutional submission authorization, leading

Qualifications

• Master's degree with 5–7 years of directly related experience in sponsored research administration, research development, or compliance oversight in higher education.
• Experience with federal regulatory compliance and proposal certification authority preferred.
• Professional certification (CRA or CPRA) preferred or willing to obtain.
• Thorough knowledge of grant seeking, proposal development, and sponsored research administration.
• Advanced knowledge of federal and state regulatory frameworks governing sponsored research, including FCOI, Export Control, RCR, IP, and federal invention reporting requirements.
• Demonstrated experience serving in a compliance oversight and/or Authorized Organizational Representative capacity.
• Ability to interpret complex regulatory language and apply institutional policy accordingly.
• Strong leadership, project management, and cross-functional coordination skills.
• Experience with federal submission portals (Research.gov, eRACommons, Grants.gov) and compliance systems.

Responsibilities

• Provide college-wide leadership and expert guidance for grants, sponsored research, and externally funded projects.
• Serve as an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) with authority to review, certify, and submit grant and contract proposals on behalf of the institution.
• Exercise independent professional judgment in certifying institutional representations and assurances to federal and state sponsors.
• Interpret sponsor regulations and determine proposal compliance readiness prior to submission.
• Provide advanced guidance regarding research design, goals, budgets, timelines, sustainability plans, and compliance requirements.
• Foster interdisciplinary collaborations aligned within institutional strategy.
• Lead development of major institution-wide grant proposals as needed.
• Supervise and direct the Graduate Assistant supporting grant development activities.
• Engage in and oversee prospect research to identify strategic funding opportunities.
• Review and approve complete and compliant proposal packages, including institutional approvals and regulatory disclosures.
• Attend funder technical sessions and interpret evolving sponsor requirements.
• Prepare and distribute institutional funding communications.
• Maintain current institutional registrations in federal systems (e.g., SAM.gov, Grants.gov, Research.gov) to ensure eligibility for funding.
• Oversee institutional research administration platforms including CITI and SPIN to ensure compliance training.
• Lead campus-wide implementation of FCOI, Export Control, RCR, and IP compliance processes.
• Serve as institutional point of contact for iEdison reporting and federally funded invention disclosures.
• Determine Export Control review requirements and coordinate with offices to ensure regulatory adherence.
• Plan and execute Tri-Annual Faculty Writing Retreats and research development programming.
• Develop and deliver training on non-fiscal sponsored research compliance requirements.
• Manage OGSR website content, communications, and research development materials.
• Track programming outcomes for reporting and assessment.
• Provide continuity of compliance leadership during transitions.
• Stay current on regulatory updates affecting sponsored research administration.
• Participate in professional associations to maintain best practices.
• Plans, directs, and manages own work with broad institutional authority; supervises Graduate Assistant.
• Other duties as assigned by the Director.

Education

Master's degree + 5–7 years in sponsored research administration, higher education

Job description

State Title: Director

Bargaining Unit: Non-Unit

Employment Type: 35 hours per week/Full-time

Salary Range: $95,000 - $110,000

NON-UNION POSITIONS : For non-unit positions, salarycommensurate with experience and is accompanied by a competitivebenefits package.

About TCNJ

Founded in 1855, TCNJ offers a highly personalized andcollaborative liberal arts education with over 7,400 undergraduatesand 700 graduate students. The college is consistently ranked amongthe top comprehensive colleges in the nation, offering smallclasses, a 13:1 student-faculty ratio, and an immersiveliving-learning experience. With a 4-year graduation rate ranked #1in New Jersey and #9 among U.S. public institutions, TCNJ is amodel for public higher education.

Position Overview:

The Associate Director of Grant Development provides strategicleadership and institutional oversight for sponsored researchdevelopment and compliance activities. The Associate Directorserves as an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) withdelegated institutional authority to review, certify, and submitproposals on behalf of the College.

The role includes independent interpretation of sponsorregulations, certification of institutional representations tofederal agencies, leadership of research compliance processes,oversight of federal registration systems, and campus-wide researchdevelopment programming. The Associate Director exercises independent professional judgmentin determining proposal readiness, regulatory compliancerequirements, and institutional submission authorization.

Responsibilities:

• Provide college-wide leadership and expert guidance for grants,sponsored research, and externally funded projects.
• Serve as an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) withauthority to review, certify, and submit grant and contractproposals on behalf of the institution.
• Exercise independent professional judgment in certifyinginstitutional representations and assurances to federal and statesponsors.
• Interpret sponsor regulations and determine proposal compliancereadiness prior to submission.
• Provide advanced guidance regarding research design, goals,budgets, timelines, sustainability plans, and compliancerequirements.
• Foster interdisciplinary collaborations aligned withinstitutional strategy.
• Lead development of major institution-wide grant proposals asneeded.
• Supervise and direct the Graduate Assistant supporting grantdevelopment activities.
• Engage in and oversee prospect research to identify strategicfunding opportunities.
• Review and approve complete and compliant proposal packages,including institutional approvals and regulatory disclosures.
• Attend funder technical sessions and interpret evolving sponsorrequirements.
• Prepare and distribute institutional fundingcommunications.
• Maintain current institutional registrations in federal systems(e.g., SAM.gov, Grants.gov, Research.gov) to ensure continuouseligibility for funding.
• Oversee institutional research administration platformsincluding CITI and SPIN to ensure operational readiness andcompliance training completion.
• Lead campus-wide implementation of Financial Conflict ofInterest (FCOI), Export Control, Responsible Conduct of Research(RCR), and intellectual property compliance processes.
• Serve as institutional point of contact for iEdison reportingand federally funded invention disclosures.
• Determine when Export Control review is required and coordinatewith appropriate institutional offices to ensure regulatoryadherence.
• Plan and execute Tri-Annual Faculty Writing Retreats andresearch development programming.
• Develop and deliver institutional training on non-fiscalsponsored research compliance requirements.
• Manage and oversee OGSR website content, communications, andresearch development materials.
• Track programming outcomes for institutional reporting andassessment.
• Provide continuity of compliance leadership and proposalcertification authority during administrative transitions.
• Stay current on regulatory updates affecting sponsored researchadministration.
• Participate in professional research administrationassociations to maintain institutional best practices.
• Plans, directs, and manages own work with broad institutionalauthority. Exercises delegated signature authority on behalf of theCollege for sponsored research submissions. Supervises: GraduateAssistant (1)
• Other duties as assigned by the Director.

Qualifications:

Required:

• Master's degree with 5–7 years of directly related experiencein sponsored research administration, research development, orcompliance oversight in higher education.
• Experience with federal regulatory compliance and proposalcertification authority preferred.
• Professional certification (CRA or CPRA) preferred orwillingness to obtain.
• Thorough knowledge of grant seeking, proposal development, andsponsored research administration.
• Advanced knowledge of federal and state regulatory frameworksgoverning sponsored research, including FCOI, Export Control,Responsible Conduct of Research, intellectual property, and federalinvention reporting requirements.
• Demonstrated experience serving in a compliance oversightand/or Authorized Organizational Representative capacity.
• Ability to interpret complex regulatory language and applyinstitutional policy accordingly.
• Strong leadership, project management, and cross-functionalcoordination skills.
• Experience with federal submission portals (Research.gov, eRACommons, Grants.gov) and compliance systems.

Persons with disabilities may request reasonable accommodationsin order to perform the essential functions of the position. If therequested accommodation(s) cannot be made because it would causethe employer undue hardship, the applicant may not be eligible forthe position.

Employer Qualifications

Employment at TCNJ is contingent upon the successful completion ofan applicable background check, reference checks, and verificationof identity and authorization to work in the United States (FormI-9).

Accommodation: Applicants who require a reasonable accommodation toapply or interview should contact [e-mail].

Employee Benefits

As a member of The College of New Jersey Community, you will be apart of an exciting and rewarding public college career. Eligiblefull-time employees will be able to take advantage of a generousbenefits package that includes health, welfare, and retirementbenefits, including:

• Comprehensive benefit plans covering medical, dental andprescription plans
• Generous leave entitlements program and Energy SavingsProgram
• Employee and dependent Tuition Waiver and ReimbursementProgram
• Pension, retirement, and deferred compensation plans, grouplife insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Employee affinity groups
• New Jersey State Employee Discount Program (Petinsurance, cell phone plan discounts, discounted amusement parktickets, etc.)
• Access to extensive learning opportunities

To view a comprehensive list of benefits available to employees,visit our Health Benefits Plans and Programs page tolearn more!

The College is committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusivecampus community that respects and uplifts individuals from allbackgrounds. We value the varied perspectives, experiences, andtalents of all members of our community and strive to create anenvironment where everyone has equitable access to opportunitiesfor success. As an equal opportunity employer, we comply with allapplicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination andaff irmative action. We encourage applications fromindividuals whose lived experiences and professional interestsalign with our institutional mission of academic excellence,access, and integrity.