Senior Associate Director of Institutional Research Funding

Job Description Summary

The Senior Associate Director of Institutional Research Funding serves as the central operational leader for the OVPR’s portfolio of institutional funding programs. This role manages the competitive review and award processes for OVPR’s centrally managed funding opportunities which include the University Research Foundation (URF), Research Facilities Development Fund (RFDF), Health Research Formula Funds (HRFF), Discovering the Future Fund, Community Engagement Research Fund, and others, as well as ad hoc and limited submission funding programs.

Operating with significant independent judgment and authority, the Senior Associate Director oversees university-wide platforms that support the research funding ecosystem—including InfoReady, Pivot, and Nature Masterclass—and leads outreach, communications, and training efforts to drive engagement across Penn’s schools and research centers.

The role also carries significant analytical responsibility. The Senior Associate Director collaborates closely with the Vice Provost for Research to develop metrics, produce data-driven reports, and communicate insights about Penn’s research funding portfolio. This work involves active partnership with the Office of Research Services, Institutional Research and Analysis, Central Communications, and Development and Alumni Relations.

Job Responsibilities

• Institutional Funding Programs: Leads the full award lifecycle of OVPR's centrally administered internal funding programs.
• Limited Submission and Ad Hoc Funding Opportunities: Manages Penn's limited submission program, through which the University nominates a single applicant to high-profile external funding competitions.
• Research Funding Data Analysis and Reporting: Responsible for research funding data analysis and reporting in support of the Vice Provost for Research.
• Institutional Research Platforms: Operational lead for OVPR-sponsored platforms that support the research community across the university.
• Institutional Research Funding Communications and Training: Plays a central and driving role in how the OVPR communicates institutional funding opportunities and builds the research funding literacy of Penn's academic community.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate brings a combination of operational rigor, analytical capability, and strong interpersonal and communication skills in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in a relevant field preferred.
• 7-10 years in research administration, higher education, or related field.
• Demonstrated experience in grant or award administration, program management, or a closely related function in a research or higher education context.

Program and Administrative Skills:

• Proven ability to manage complex, multi-phase programs and workflows with attention to detail and accountability for deadlines.
• Experience working across organizational units and building effective relationships with faculty, staff, and senior administrators.
• Familiarity with research funding ecosystems, including internal award programs, limited submission processes, or sponsored research administration.

Analytical and Technical Skills:

• Comfortable working with institutional or sponsored research data, with the ability to translate quantitative findings into clear narratives.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint required; experience with data visualization tools such as Tableau or Power BI strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with research information platforms such as Pivot, InfoReady, or similar systems is advantageous.
• A working fluency with AI tools (such as Claude or Gemini) in a professional context is expected.

Communications and Interpersonal Skills:

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with demonstrated ability to write clearly for varied academic audiences and to convene and facilitate groups with diplomacy and discretion.
• Comfortable presenting data, program updates, and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Experience developing training or informational programming for professional audiences is a plus.

Application Requirement: A Cover Letter and Resume/CV are required to be considered for this position. Please upload your Cover Letter where it asks you to upload your Resume/CV; multiple documents are allowed.