Primary Duties and Responsibilities

The Office of Sponsored Programs is excited to announce we are seeking applications for a Pre-Award Research Administrator. The Pre-Award Research Administrator is responsible for all aspects of coordinating, formatting, and submitting external funding proposals and guiding the Principal Investigator through the proposal submission process. The Pre-Award Research Administrator works under limited supervision and is responsible for working with faculty, staff, and university administrators to develop and administer external proposals for submission.

The following duties are customary for this position but are not to be construed as all inclusive. Duties may be added, deleted and assigned based on management discretion and institutional needs.

Level I

• Reviews funding proposal opportunity announcements/requests for proposals to gain understanding of requirements, submission process, and sponsor guidelines, and develop pre-award checklists
• Assembles business components of grant application, routes proposal for internal approval, and prepares and submits subcontractor and other documentation
• Works with faculty and staff submitting external funding proposals, including interpreting sponsor guidelines and reviewing proposal components
• Prepares proposal's categorized budget and budget justification, confirming accuracy of costs, the correct facilities and administrative cost rate is applied, determines allowable and allocable charges, and ensures cost share is documented properly
• Manages the submission of grant/contract proposals to ensure compliance with university and sponsor policies, procedures, and guidelines
• Communicates with partner institutions to compile and review subaward materials
• Maintains working knowledge of federal and private-source electronic submission systems and directs the maintenance of university accounts for each
• Remains current on research administration policies and procedures
• Provides input to maximize efficiency and effectiveness of pre-award processes
• Assists with training faculty and staff in navigating new research administration tools and systems
• Maintains an appropriate level of professional development activity
• Performs other duties as assigned by the administrative head of the Office of Research & Creative Activity

Level II (Level I duties plus the following) - Hybrid optional 

• Identifies and proposes solutions and works toward resolutions related to complex pre-award matters
• Works with the Assistant Director and college administrators to maximize efficiency and effectiveness of pre-award services
• Serves as point of contact for proposal submission systems

• Bachelor's degree
• Proficient with MS Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel)

Level II will also require:

• At least 2 years of relevant work experience, that must include experience with submitting proposals to federal agencies and private sponsors.
• Knowledge of funding agencies and their programs.
• Understanding of regulations that govern federal research funding and related areas of regulatory compliance.

Salary Range:

• Level I:   $46,100 - $50,000
• Level II:  $51,000 - $55,000

Kentucky state law requires all public institutions of postsecondary education to conduct pre-employment criminal background checks to determine suitability for employment.

Western Kentucky University (WKU) is committed to a policy and practice of providing equal employment and educational opportunities to all individuals. In accordance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Revised 1992, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, no form of discrimination or harassment will be tolerated at WKU on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, marital status, age, uniformed services, veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, or physical or mental disability in admission to career and technical education programs and/or activities, or employment practices.

Persons with disabilities, who need reasonable accommodations to participate in the application and/or selection process, should notify the office of Institutional Equity. To request an accommodation, report a complaint, or ask questions regarding WKU's Discrimination and Harassment Policy (#0.2040), please contact Ms. Ena Demir, Executive Director/Title IX Coordinator via email at ena.demir@wku.edu or by phone at (270) 745-6867. Ms. Demir is also responsible for coordinating the University's response to complaints related to sex and gender harassment. Additional information regarding Title IX is accessible via WKU's https://www.wku.edu/titleix/ website.

Information concerning educational programs offered by WKU are provided at: http://www.wku.edu/atwku/academics.php

For information related to job postings, please email employment@wku.edu.

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