Job Description

The Director of Research Development Services plays a strategic leadership role in advancing the university's research enterprise. This position is responsible for identifying funding opportunities, supporting faculty in proposal development, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations, and enhancing the overall competitiveness of PVAMU's research portfolio.

This position is funded by a grant or restricted funds. Continued employment is contingent on the renewal of grant or restricted funding.

Responsibilities:

Leadership

• Lead initiatives to expand research capacity and funding.
• Align research development strategies with institutional goals.
• Assist faculty and research staff in preparing competitive grant proposals.

Training

• Provide training and workshops on grant writing and funding strategies.
• Facilitate interdisciplinary research teams and partnerships.
• Engage with external agencies, foundations, and industry partners.
• Promote research achievements through internal and external channels.
• Coordinate with Research Communications to highlight impact.

Service

• Ensure alignment with university policies and sponsor guidelines.
• Collaborate with the Office of Research Grants & Contracts on submissions.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Education & Experience:

• Master's degree in a relevant field such as Public Administration, Higher Education, Research Administration, Science/Engineering, or Business.
• Five years of related experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• At least 6-7 years of progressively responsible experience in research development, sponsored programs, or grant administration.
• Demonstrated success in leading or supporting large-scale, multi-investigator proposals.
• Experience working with federal, state, and private funding agencies (e.g., NSF, NIH, DOE, USDA, DoD).
• Deep understanding of the grant lifecycle, including pre-award and post-award processes.
• Familiarity with funding databases such as Pivot, Grants.gov, and Research.gov.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, especially in technical writing and editing.
• Ability to analyze funding trends and align them with institutional research strengths.