*Internal Only* Director, Research Development

The University of Kansas; Lawrence (KS); On-site; USD 122,000 - 195,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Kansas is seeking a Director of Research Development to provide strategic leadership and coordination for One KU research development services across KU campuses. The role oversees a portfolio that advances competitiveness for external funding, supports large institutional proposals, training grants, and grantsmanship training.

You will align decentralized RD efforts, work with campus and central partners, and advance KU’s strategic plans, including Jayhawks Rising and the KU

Qualifications

• Eleven (11) years of relevant academic administration or research development experience.
• Experience managing internal funding programs, limited submissions, or faculty recognition.
• Experience working with senior academic leadership.
• Three (3) years of supervisory or team leadership experience.
• Experience developing policies, processes, or governance structures.
• Experience using data to inform decisions.

Responsibilities

• Lead the One KU strategy for research development services.
• Oversee large and complex proposal development and enhancements.
• Coordinate funding intelligence and opportunity prioritization.
• Foster faculty engagement and collaboration across campuses.
• Standardize metrics and reporting on outcomes and impact.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Staff management

Data-driven decision making

Cross-campus collaboration

Grantsmanship and proposal development

Education

Master's degree in a relevant field

Job description

Position Overview

This position is only open to employees internal to KU-Lawrence & KUMC Office of Research/Research Administration employees.

The Director, Research Development provides strategic leadership and coordination for One KU research development services across campuses. The role is responsible for overseeing the Research Development program at KU which is responsible for advancing KU’s competitiveness for external funding by overseeing large and complex institutional proposals, training grants, proposal enhancement services, grantsmanship training, and faculty engagement and collaboration activities. The Director ensures a cohesive, high-impact research development portfolio; aligns decentralized research development efforts; and works closely with campus and central partners to support KU’s research priorities and growth areas. This role directly advances the One KU initiative by unifying research development across campuses and supports the University Strategic Plan along with Jayhawks Rising (Lawrence/Edwards) and the KU Medical Center Strategic Plan, particularly their shared priorities to grow research innovation and impact and to increase national prominence in research.

Job Description

25% - Strategy & Portfolio Leadership

• Set and steward, in partnership with research leadership, the One KU strategy for research development services, including:
  • Large and complex institutional proposals
  • Training grants and institutional training programs (e.g., NIH, NSF, COBRE)
  • Proposal enhancement services and grantsmanship training of funding intelligence and faculty engagement
• Lead the organization of the Research Development unit around core service areas, k with designated leads for:
  • Large and complex proposals
  • Training grant programs
  • Proposal enhancement and training
  • Funding intelligence and faculty engagement
• Establish and communicate clear criteria for proposal support, including scope of services, levels of engagement, and eligibility thresholds, and align staffing and program design to support consistent implementation across campuses.

25% - Proposal Development & Enhancement

• Provide oversight of large and complex proposal development, ensuring:
  • Clear criteria for full management versus enhancement-level support
  • Early engagement thresholds and expectations for faculty participation
• Oversee proposal enhancement services, including:
  • Editing and strengthening proposal narratives and arguments
  • Improving clarity, competitiveness, and alignment with sponsor criteria
  • connecting faculty to external consultants and contractors for proposal development services, including figure development and visual design support.
• Ensure internal seed grant and early-career awardees are paired with research development consultation to strengthen proposal quality and competitiveness.

20% - Funding Intelligence & Opportunity

• Set strategy and criteria for funding intelligence and opportunity prioritization, and oversee execution by the Funding Intelligence & Faculty Engagement Lead, including:
  • Identification and analysis of funding opportunities aligned with institutional priorities
  • Determination of where RD engages and how team resources are allocated.
• Oversee execution of opportunity communications, including:
  • Determining which opportunities are broadly communicated versus targeted.
  • Coordinating with established communications channels and processes

10% - Faculty Engagement & Collaboration

• Support faculty team formation by:
  • Assisting in identifying collaborators and complementary expertise
  • Facilitating connections across campuses and disciplines
• Oversee grantsmanship training, workshops, and faculty development programs.

10% - Coordination & Integration

• Align research development activities across decentralized campus units and embedded RD professionals by convening and leading a One KU Research Development Community of Practice.
• Serve as the central integrator for One KU Research Development by establishing shared practices, tools, and expectations across campuses Resources & Infrastructure
• Oversee development and maintenance of shared research development resources, including:
  • Facilities and Resources language libraries
  • Standardized training grant and COBRE support documents
• Ensure tools, templates, and guidance are current, accessible, and aligned with sponsor expectations.

20% - Leadership & Assessment

• Lead and supervise research development personnel, including program leads, RD Project Managers, and other staff members.
• Establish standardized metrics and reporting to assess utilization, outcomes, and impact of research development services, including:
  • Proposal volume and total requested dollars
  • Award success rate by sponsor and funding mechanism
  • Category/tier of RD support
  • Training grant program and pipeline health (e.g., T32 renewals, mentor depth)
  • Faculty feedback and satisfaction on Overall impact scores and percentile ranking
  • Number of collaborators engaged/partnerships formed
• Engage regularly with AVCRs, ADRs, and research leadership to align services with institutional priorities.
• Conducts activities in a professional and ethical manner, and in accordance with KUMC policies and applicable local, state and federal laws and regulations.
• Performs job responsibilities in a safe and secure manner.
• Coordinate work with other University areas to ensure integration and support of the University mission.
• Develops, maintains and expands job-specific knowledge and skills to keep pace with industry changes and supports the university's commitment to excellence and innovation.
• Participates in relevant committees, task force, or other similar activities.
• Maintain confidentiality of medical center, employee, and patient information. Manages sensitive data with discretion and in accordance with KUMC policies and legal requirements.
• Maintains the highest standards of integrity, respect, professional conduct, and ethical standards.

Required Qualifications

• Eleven (11) years of progressively responsible experience in academic administration, research development, faculty affairs, or a closely related field. Education may be substituted for experience on a year for year basis.
• Demonstrated experience managing or overseeing internal funding programs, limited submissions, or faculty recognition processes.
• Experience working with senior academic leadership (e.g., deans, AVCs, provost-level offices).
• Three (3) years of supervisory or team leadership experience, including responsibility for staff management, performance evaluation, and goal setting
• Experience developing and implementing policies, processes, or governance structures
• Experience using data to inform decision-making and assess program impact.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in a relevant field
• Experience leading institution-wide or multi-campus research programs or portfolios.
• Experience using data and peer benchmarking to inform strategic investment decisions.
• Experience developing standards or framework related to research funding, review processes, or conflicts of interest.
• Experience with faculty and senior leadership in a research university setting.

Additional Candidate Instructions

This position is open to KU-Lawerence and KUMC Office of Research/Research Administration employees only.

We are not accepting off-campus applicants at this time.

Internal applicants, please apply with the following items.

Resume and a Cover Letter.

This position will be open for applications through Tuesday, August 18th. You must apply by that date.

Advertised Salary Range122,121.00 - 158,760.00 - 195,394.00 USD Annually

Application Review BeginsWednesday August 19, 2026

Anticipated Start DateMonday August 24, 2026