Director, Grants & Academic Research Strategy

Colorado Mesa University; United States; On-site; USD 82,000 - 91,000; Full time

Job summary

Colorado Mesa University seeks a Director of the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) and Academic Research to lead the grant lifecycle from pre‑award to post‑award. You will steward grants, manage a team, and ensure compliance with sponsor requirements.

The role requires a Master’s degree and 3–5 years of leadership with budget oversight, plus experience in grant administration and strong collaboration with faculty investigators and leadership.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree from a fully accredited university.
• 3–5 years leadership experience including personnel management and budget oversight.
• Experience with pre‑award and post‑award grant administration.
• Knowledge of federal grant funding policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team overseeing the full grant lifecycle including pre‑award and post‑award activities.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and sponsor requirements.
• Cultivate relationships with Principal Investigators, project directors and sponsors.
• Monitor budgets, timelines and deliverables; report progress to leadership.
• Coordinate with Finance, CMU Foundation and other departments to support grant administration.
• Provide training and guidance to faculty investigators on grant responsibilities and compliance.

Skills

Leadership

Budget oversight

Grant lifecycle

Compliance

Stakeholder communication

Education

Master’s degree

Job description

Colorado Mesa University seeks a Director of the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) and Academic Research to lead the grant lifecycle from pre‑award to post‑award. You will steward grants, manage a team, and ensure compliance with sponsor requirements.

The role requires a Master’s degree and 3–5 years of leadership with budget oversight, plus experience in grant administration and strong collaboration with faculty investigators and leadership.