Executive Director, Sponsored Projects Office (0383U) #89660

University of California, Berkeley; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

University of California, Berkeley seeks an Executive Director for the Sponsored Projects Office (SPO) to provide leadership, management, and oversight of proposal processing, contract and grant administration, and budget development across pre-award and non-financial post-award activities with federal, state, local, and private sponsors.

The role reports to the AVC for Research Administration and Compliance and leads a team of managers, with broad authority and signatory responsibility for

Responsibilities

• Reports directly to the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research Administration and Compliance and independently manages all activities related to governmental and charitable foundation sponsored projects through subordinate managers including implementing delegation of authority to request and accept extramural funding up to $10 million in annual direct costs per agreement.

Job description

About Berkeley

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom, and belonging makes it a special place for students, faculty, and staff, who are among the most talented and accomplished anywhere, including Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, and MacArthur Fellows. Since our founding in 1868, we have been an engine for innovation - driving intellectual, economic, and social progress that benefits California, the U.S., and beyond. Together, we change the world.

About Berkeley

At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, freedom, and belonging makes it a special place for students, faculty, and staff, who are among the most talented and accomplished anywhere, including Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, and MacArthur Fellows. Since our founding in 1868, we have been an engine for innovation - driving intellectual, economic, and social progress that benefits California, the U.S., and beyond. Together, we change the world.

At Berkeley, the best careers are built on a foundation of continuous learning and growth. We actively support professional development by providing all full-time staff employees with at least 80 hours of paid time per year and provide space for supportive colleague communities via numerous employee resource groups.

We invite applicants who are inspired by our Principles of Community and who are eager to be part of our exciting Strategic Plan, which charts Berkeley's next era of excellence.

Learn more about some of our accomplishments at Points of Pride.

Departmental Overview

Sponsored Projects Office (SPO) is part of the Office of Research Administration & Compliance (RAC) and is responsible for all aspects of pre-award and non-financial post-award contract and grant administration. The SPO staff work closely with UC Berkeley faculty and Berkeley Regional Services staff to submit approximately 4,000 proposals, resulting in over 1,600 awards that total more than $800 million each year. These awards come from federal and state agencies, local and foreign governments, foundations, corporations, and other outside organizations. SPO has stewardship responsibilities for contracts and grants from all government, foundation and non-profit organizations.

SPO works to ensure that UC Berkeley is fully compliant with sponsor terms and conditions, university and campus policies, and federal regulations and requirements. Specifically, the office is responsible for endorsing and authorizing proposals, interpreting, negotiating, and accepting contracts and grants from federal and state agencies, foundations, and other public and private sources. Additionally, SPO initiates the set-up of sponsored project accounts and prepares, issues and negotiates sub-awards for collaborative research.

SPO is part of the Office of Research Administration & Compliance (RAC) within the Division of the Vice Chancellor for Research (VCR). Reporting to the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research Administration and Compliance (AVC RAC), the Executive Director of the Sponsored Projects Office (SPO Executive Director) is responsible for leading all SPO operations, including a staff of over 20 FTE. The Executive Director is responsible for the leadership and management of the team on matters relating to the recruitment, selection, retention, and development of SPO staff through two Associate Directors, and four Assistant Directors. The SPO Executive Director is responsible for providing leadership across the range of pre-and non-financial post-award functions and creating and implementing a vision of innovative operations, excellence, and service delivery.

This position operates with broad authority; the role serves as the official chief negotiator for the university and has delegated signatory authority from the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor for Research, and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research Administration and Compliance for external funding proposals, contracts, grant documents, and other agreements for sponsored projects; and proposal funding approval authority.

Position Summary

The Executive Director, Sponsored Projects Office (SPO) provides leadership, management, and oversight for SPO, which is responsible for analytical and financial support in proposal processing, contract and grant administration, and budget development, including pre-award proposal initiatives and management of non-financial post-award activities for federal, state, local and private sponsors. SPO provides forecasting, planning, and managing of research portfolios by performing some or all of the following: coordinating the submission of proposals, contracts and other agreements; reviewing proposals to ensure institutional compliance; negotiating, administering and monitoring contract and grant awards, including compliance with regulations and terms and conditions; financial management and reporting; and sub award/subcontract issuance and administration.

SPO is part of the Office of Research Administration & Compliance (RAC) within the Division of the Vice Chancellor for Research (VCR). Reporting to the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research Administration and Compliance (AVC RAC), the Executive Director of the Sponsored Projects Office (SPO Executive Director) is responsible for leading all SPO operations, including a staff of over 20 FTE. The Executive Director is responsible for the leadership and management of the team on matters relating to the recruitment, selection, retention, and development of SPO staff through two Associate Directors, and four Assistant Directors. The SPO Executive Director is responsible for providing leadership across the range of pre-and non-financial post-award functions and creating and implementing a vision of innovative operations, excellence, and service delivery. This position operates with broad authority; the role serves as the official chief negotiator for the university and has delegated signatory authority from the Chancellor, Vice Chancellor for Research, and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research Administration and Compliance for external funding proposals, contracts, grant documents, and other agreements for sponsored projects; and proposal funding approval authority.

Application Review Date

Application review will begin on: November 28, 2026. The job is open until filled.

Responsibilities

• Reports directly to the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research Administration and Compliance and is responsible for independently managing all activities related to governmental and charitable foundation sponsored projects through subordinate managers including implementing delegation of authority to request and accept extramural funding up to $10 million in annual direct costs per agreement.