POSITION SUMMARY

Harvey Mudd College (HMC) is seeking an experienced professional to build and lead a grants research and administration structure for HMC faculty and staff. The Assistant/Associate Director of Sponsored Programs and Grants will serve as the primary administrative and compliance officer for faculty research and external resources and provide oversight and support for pre- and post-award research and sponsored programs activities. Working collaboratively with faculty and academic professionals in all disciplines of the college, the Assistant/Associate Director of Sponsored Programs and Grants will research, promote and facilitate federal, state and private funding opportunities.

About Harvey Mudd College:

Located in the heart of Claremont, California, 35 miles east of Los Angeles, Harvey Mudd College is a highly selective undergraduate liberal arts college offering degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. HMC enrolls over 800 students and is a member of The Claremont Colleges, which is comprised of five undergraduate colleges and two graduate institutions. According to students, professors and alumni, what makes Harvey Mudd distinctive is its collaborative, cross-disciplinary nature.

SUMMARY OF JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Provide customer-focused support to faculty for pursuing external funding
2. Build and foster a collaborative grants culture at the college
3. Pursue process simplification and improved systems for research administration practices
4. Develop, communicate, and manage a structured process for award application and maintenance
5. Understand and support the college’s strategic initiatives with ideas for funding from new and existing sources
6. Promote sponsored research, training, and development activities at the college
7. Provide regular and accurate information about federal, state, and private grant opportunities to faculty and staff
8. Pursue funding for scholarship and programs in all departments of the college, including humanities, science, mathematics, and engineering
9. Partner closely with a diverse range of faculty and administrators across the college and Claremont Colleges consortium
10. Advocate for the College’s commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence when researching, promoting, and applying for funding opportunities
11. Serve as the College's primary liaison to funding agencies and other partners for proposal submission, grant and contract negotiations, and awards
12. Provide full-service support for external funding proposals, including pre-award assistance with proposal planning, management, writing, and editing
13. Resolve issues in proposal development through consultation with internal and external resources
14. Review proposals for consistency with and adherence to sponsor guidelines regarding budget, format, font size, page limits, and narrative content
15. Support faculty in tracking deadlines for proposals and reports
16. Ensure post-award reporting complies with agency and college guidelines and meet published time tables and deadlines
17. Participate on the Research Committee, supporting efforts to broaden the summer research and experiential learning program in the internal awarding process
18. Collaborate with the Office of College Advancement to maintain and build the private foundation pipeline through cultivation, solicitation and stewardship strategies

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Individuals must possess knowledge, skills and ability to successfully perform the essential functions of the position or be able to explain or demonstrate how the essential functions will be performed, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of skills and abilities.

• Working knowledge of grants and contracts in a higher education context
• Knowledge of federal and state funding agencies and their programs, preferably with a focus on science, technology and engineering
• Understanding of regulations that govern federal research funding and related areas of regulatory compliance
• Familiarity with electronic grants management systems (i.e., grants.gov, NIH eRACommons, NSF Fastlane, ProposalCentral, etc.) or ability to learn these and other applicable systems
• General knowledge of private philanthropies that support higher education and research
• Ability to organize workload priorities, manage multiple projects simultaneously, be flexible in responding to stressful situations, cope with unexpected job demands, and deal with frequent interruptions
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders
• Strong work ethic and high level of integrity; demonstrated ability to work effectively with minimum oversight
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Exceptional writing, editing and proofreading skills
• Ability to support faculty from the humanities, sciences and engineering when researching, applying for, and maintaining external funding
• Commitment to the value proposition of the liberal arts

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree
• Two-four years of experience in grants research, writing and administration

Preferred Qualifications:

• Higher education and/or federal grant management

Licenses/Certificates:

• Possess and maintain a valid driver’s license and driving record acceptable to the College’s automobile insurance carrier

OTHER

Hours:

The regular hours of this position are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Hours may vary due to the needs of the College or department. Due to COVID-19, this position will be remote until it is determined that the individual can safely work on campus.

Classification and Status:

This is a full-time, benefits-eligible, exempt position reporting to the Senior Director of Corporate Relations.

Application Procedures: Please visit www.hmc.edu/employment to view a complete job description for this position and obtain information about how to submit an application.  

Deadline to apply: Open until filled.

Regular employment at the College is for no specified period of time; conditions and status of employment (hours, pay, title, duties, etc.) are subject to change at any time. Employees, and likewise the College, are free to end the employment relationship at any time, for any reason, with or without notice or cause, unless otherwise prohibited by law.

This job description defines the essential or fundamental job duties of the employment position. It is assumed that the employees hired for this position can perform the essential functions of the job without imposing risk of substantial harm to the health or safety of themselves or others. It may also include marginal functions, generally defined within Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act.