"Strategic Proposal Developer"

Description

Southern Illinois University (SIU) is seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented Strategic Proposal Developer to join our research development team. This critical role is dedicated to enhancing SIU’s research enterprise by supporting faculty members in securing competitive external funding. The Strategic Proposal Developer will lead and manage the end-to-end proposal development process, including solicitation analysis, project management of proposal timelines and deliverables, and narrative development support. The ideal candidate will serve as a strategic partner to researchers, providing expert guidance in interpreting funding agency requirements and aligning proposal content with sponsor priorities. In addition to individualized proposal support, the role will contribute to broader institutional goals by identifying and promoting funding opportunities and developing research development programming. This includes facilitating workshops, creating proposal resources, and contributing to initiatives that strengthen SIU’s grant-seeking capacity. This position is ideal for candidates with strong project management, communication, and analytical skills, and a passion for advancing academic research. Join us in supporting innovation and scholarship at SIU by helping faculty turn ideas into funded research. Application review will begin after September 2, 2025, with applications accepted until the position is filled.

The target salary offer for this position is $3,33300 - $5,416.00 monthly, the full pay range for this position is $39,996.00 - $65,000 annually. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also considering internal equity.

Examples of Duties

• Supports SIUC faculty members in securing research funding through the identification and promotion of funding opportunities, individual proposal development support, and the development and facilitation of institutional programming. Focuses on large proposals with more than 1 PI.
• Solicitation analysis
• Create master list of required content based on solicitation
• Develop preliminary outline for technical narrative content
• Track updates to solicitation and FAQs
• Project management of the proposal process
• Create and maintain proposal development timeline
• Assist with assignment and tracking of team member content responsibilities
• Facilitate early communication with OSPA pre-award staff about potentially complex issues
• Assist with content collection and document version control
• Narrative development support
• Advise team members regarding rhetorical strategy
• Help maintain consistency between various pieces of content as details shift
• Provide feedback on drafts at any stage in the process
• Propose edits to proposal content to strengthen grantsmanship and responsiveness to the funding opportunity review criteria.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in English or Technical Communications, or a Bachelor's degree and a minimum of three years' experience in proposal writing
• Experience editing and providing feedback on others' technical or scientific content, such as parsing complex documents, tracking multi-faceted requirements, and working with others to enable requirement fulfillment
• Experience managing projects that feature multiple stakeholders

Preferred Qualifications:

• Graduate certificate or coursework in proposal development or grant writing
• Experience working with faculty members in higher education

Required Documents:

The applicant must submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and three references.

Contact:

Julie Virgo, jvirgo@siu.edu

Southern Illinois University Carbondale is an R1 Opportunity University with a statewide economic impact of $2.7 billion dollars. We offer 200+ undergraduate degrees, minors and specializations, 79 master’s degrees, and 40 doctoral degrees. Our main campus is 1,136 acres, with additional acreage in University Farms, Touch of Nature Outdoor Education Center, and other facilities. The university is an essential part of the city of Carbondale and an important contributor to the culture of the entire region. While Carbondale includes many of the amenities of urban life, it retains its small-town flavor. Cost of living is considerably lower in the region than similar areas elsewhere, and many employees commute from nearby counties.

The Southern Illinois region is distinct from the rest of the state, boasting considerable natural beauty including the Shawnee National Forest, many state parks, national wildlife areas, and several lakes beloved for recreation. Local foods are readily available in the area, with a variety of eateries and a growing specialized food truck presence. The area is home to the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, an official wine appellation designation. The wineries extend the cultural reach of the community, hosting live music and continual art exhibits. The campus itself is a microcosm of the area, with a lake and forest on campus, as well as traditional collegiate architecture, quad, and residential halls. Students enjoy outdoor study areas as well as specialized computer labs scattered across campus, including in the three million volume Morris Library. To learn about employee benefits and find resources about Carbondale and the Southern Illinois region, visit: https://jobs.siu.edu.

SIU Carbondale is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status.