Senior Proposal and Research Communications Writer

Howard University; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 89,000 - 98,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & Wellness: comprehensive plan

Paid time off and holidays

Tuition reimbursement and professional

Job summary

Howard University is seeking a Senior Proposal and Research Communications Writer to join the Research Development and Innovation team. The role focuses on high-level writing, editing, and narrative development across Howard’s proposal portfolio, translating complex research into compelling narratives for federal and foundation sponsors.

The position emphasizes collaboration with RDI staff, faculty engagement, and strategic communications to elevate the university’s research profile and impact.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in English, communications, journalism, public policy, education, science writing, research administration, or a related field.
• At least five years of progressively responsible experience in grant writing, proposal development, research communications, scientific or technical writing, academic writing, or related work.
• Demonstrated experience serving as a lead writer, primary editor, or senior writing contributor on complex, multi-investigator proposals for federal agencies, foundations, or external sponsors.
• Familiarity with federal sponsors such as NIH, NSF, DOE, DoD, USDA, NASA, NEH, IES, HRSA, or other major sponsors.
• Strong ability to synthesize complex information and produce clear, persuasive materials.
• Excellent editing, proofreading, organization, and project coordination skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with faculty, administrators, research teams, and senior leaders.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-level narrative strategy and editing for competitive proposals, including complex, multi-investigator submissions.
• Draft, strengthen, or integrate major proposal components like project narratives and broader impacts.
• Translate complex research ideas for interdisciplinary and varied audiences.
• Work within proposal timelines and internal review processes, delivering drafts on schedule.
• Develop clear research communications to highlight Howard University’s strengths and funding successes.

Skills

Excellent writing

Storytelling

Audience adaptation

Deadline management

Collaboration

Editorial standards

Education

Bachelor's degree in English/related field

Master's degree preferred

Job description

The Talent Acquisition department hires qualified candidates to fill positions which contribute to the overall strategic success of Howard University. Hiring staff \"for fit\" makes significant contributions to Howard University's overall mission. At Howard University, we prioritize well-being and professional growth.

Here is what we offer:

• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus mental health support
• Work-Life Balance: PTO, paid holidays, flexible work arrangements
• Financial Wellness: Competitive salary, 403(b) with company match
• Professional Development: Ongoing training, tuition reimbursement, and career advancement paths
• Additional Perks: Wellness programs, commuter benefits, and a vibrant company culture

Join Howard University and thrive with us! https://hr.howard.edu/benefits-wellness

The Senior Proposal and Research Communications Writer serves as a key member of Howard University's Research Development and Innovation (RDI) team in the Office of Research, translating Howard's research strengths into compelling, competitive, and funder-responsive narratives that build visibility and advance the University’s research mission. As an R1-designated research institution, Howard University has a significant and growing need for strategic proposal writing and research communications capacity.

This position provides high-level writing, editing, and narrative development support across the University’s proposal portfolio, working in partnership with RDI staff who lead proposal strategy, project coordination, faculty engagement, and submission planning for large-scale and interdisciplinary opportunities. The position also develops research communications that elevate Howard’s profile with sponsors, partners, and the public and supports faculty in articulating the significance, innovation, and impact of their work. The role requires substantial experience with federal and foundation proposal writing, exceptional research storytelling and editing skills, and the ability to strategically frame complex scholarly and technical content for varied audiences.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

1. Proposal Writing, Editing, and Strategy - 60%

• Provide high-level narrative strategy, writing, and editing support for competitive research proposals, including large-scale, complex, multi-investigator, center-scale, institutional, and strategic submissions, with emphasis on clarity, cohesion, competitive positioning, responsiveness to solicitation requirements, and alignment with sponsor review criteria.
• Provide writing and editing support for interdisciplinary teams preparing collaborative proposals.
• Draft, strengthen, or integrate major proposal components such as project narratives, institutional capacity statements, broader impacts, management and sustainability plans, evaluation narratives, collaboration plans, and other sponsor-required sections.
• Translate complex research ideas for interdisciplinary, non-specialist, institutional, philanthropic, industry, and public audiences.
• Work within proposal timelines and internal review processes established by RDI proposal development staff, delivering drafts and revisions on schedule.

2. Research Communications and Visibility - 25%

• Develop clear and compelling communications that highlight Howard University’s research strengths, faculty expertise, institutional capabilities, funding successes, innovation activities, and strategic research priorities, tailored to faculty, university leadership, sponsors, partners, and other key audiences.
• Prepare research briefs, faculty/researcher spotlights, capability statements, impact stories, program summaries, newsletter content, website content, and other materials that support RDI’s faculty engagement and institutional visibility goals.
• Support communications for RDI programs and initiatives, including the Proposal Development Institute, Grants Academy, new faculty research orientation, interdisciplinary research initiatives, strategic funding opportunities, technology transfer and commercialization activities, and other Office of Research priorities.
• Coordinate with appropriate university communications partners to ensure alignment with institutional branding, messaging, and communications standards.

3. Faculty Capacity Building and Content Infrastructure - 15%

• Contribute to workshops, training sessions, and faculty resources related to proposal writing, grant competitiveness, sponsor responsiveness, research storytelling, and research communications.
• Develop and maintain content-focused infrastructure: writing guides, style resources, narrative templates, boilerplate language, proposal examples, and communications assets that improve the quality and consistency of RDI’s writing and communications work.
• Support RDI reporting by contributing written summaries, impact narratives, success stories, and executive-level content for internal and external stakeholders.
• Collaborate across the Office of Research to ensure proposal and communications materials accurately reflect current research administration, compliance, commercialization, and institutional processes.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills.
• Ability to strengthen proposal narratives while preserving the investigator’s voice and intellectual ownership of the research.
• Ability to translate technical, scholarly, and interdisciplinary concepts for varied audiences.
• Strong understanding of proposal review criteria, sponsor priorities, and funder expectations.
• Ability to work diplomatically with faculty and research teams across disciplines.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities in a deadline-driven environment.
• Ability to develop reusable writing resources, templates, and institutional content.
• Capacity to work autonomously, set editorial standards, and exercise independent judgment on competing priorities with minimal direction.
• Strong judgment, discretion, and professionalism in handling confidential proposal materials.
• Commitment to supporting faculty success, research competitiveness, and institutional research growth.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's degree in English, communications, journalism, public policy, education, science writing, research administration, or a related field.
• At least five years of progressively responsible experience in grant writing, proposal development, research communications, scientific or technical writing, academic writing, or related work.
• Demonstrated experience serving as a lead writer, primary editor, or senior writing contributor on complex, multi-investigator, institutional, or center-scale proposals for federal agencies, foundations, industry partners, or other external sponsors.
• Familiarity with federal sponsors such as NIH, NSF, DOE, DoD, USDA, NASA, NEH, IES, HRSA, or other major research sponsors.
• Strong ability to synthesize complex information and produce clear, persuasive, and audience-appropriate written materials.
• Excellent editing, proofreading, organization, and project coordination skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with faculty, administrators, research teams, and senior leaders.
• Ability to manage multiple assignments with competing deadlines while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
• Strong understanding of research environments, higher education, sponsored programs, or academic proposal development.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Master's degree or terminal degree in a relevant field.
• Experience in a research-intensive university, academic medical center, federal agency, foundation, national laboratory, or research-focused nonprofit organization.
• Knowledge of HBCUs, minority-serving institutions, capacity-building funding programs, or institutional research growth strategies.
• Experience facilitating writing processes with faculty teams across multiple disciplines.
• Familiarity with technology transfer, commercialization, innovation, entrepreneurship, or industry engagement communications.

Compliance Salary Range Disclosure

Compensation Range: $89,000 - $98,000