Sr. Director of Pre-Award

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

BASIC FUNCTION:

The Senior Director of Pre-Award leads the university’s pre-award research administration function, ensuring efficient, compliant, and strategic proposal development and submission. The role is responsible for managing all outgoing proposals and outgoing subawards, providing direct support to faculty and research administrators to enhance proposal competitiveness. As a key leader in the Sponsored Programs Office (SPO), this position provides supervisory oversight of pre-award staff, works closely with institutional leadership, and aligns pre-award services with federal, sponsor, and institutional requirements.

SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY:

• Directly supervises Pre-Award Research Administrators and administrative support staff.
• Provides oversight of outgoing proposals and subawards within the Sponsored Programs Office.
• Provides training, mentorship, and professional development to pre-award staff to ensure continuous improvement in research administration.
• Oversees faculty engagement and training efforts, ensuring faculty and research administrators receive guidance on proposal development and compliance.
• Collaborates with the Executive Director of Pre-Award to establish best practices and ensure seamless pre-award operations.

NATURE AND SCOPE:

• Reports directly to the Assistant Vice President (AVP) of Sponsored Programs and works in close collaboration with the Executive Director of Pre-Award to align pre-award strategy with the university’s research mission.
• Serves as the primary point of contact for faculty and research centers on proposal development and submission.
• Leads the university’s outgoing proposal and outgoing subaward administration, ensuring that all submissions meet sponsor, federal, and institutional requirements.
• Engages with Post-Award teams, Research Compliance, and Legal to support seamless research administration processes.
• Cross-Coverage Clause: While the Senior Director primarily oversees outgoing proposals and subawards, they are expected to cross-train and collaborate with the Executive Director to ensure seamless research administration operations. In the absence of the Executive Director, the Senior Director may assume temporary oversight of incoming awards and agreements to maintain compliance, efficiency, and sponsor relations.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

1. Leadership & Operations Management

• Manages all outgoing proposals and subawards, ensuring timely and compliant submission to federal, corporate, and foundation sponsors.
• Implements workflow automation and efficiency strategies to enhance proposal development.
• Establishes and enforces best practices and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for proposal development and submission.
• Serves as a liaison between faculty, research centers, and sponsors, ensuring successful proposal submission.

2. Proposal Development & Compliance

• Provides technical assistance and strategic guidance for complex and high-value research proposals.
• Reviews and ensures all outgoing