Senior Proposal and Research Communications Writer

Location: Northern

The Senior Proposal and Research Communications Writer serves as a key member of Howard University’s Research Development and Innovation (RDI) team in the Office of Research, translating Howard’s research strengths into compelling, competitive, and funder-responsive narratives that build visibility and advance the University’s research mission. As an R1-designated research institution, Howard University has a significant and growing need for strategic proposal writing and research communications capacity.

This position provides high-level writing, editing, and narrative development support across the University’s proposal portfolio, working in partnership with RDI staff who lead proposal strategy, project coordination, faculty engagement, and submission planning for large-scale and interdisciplinary opportunities. The position also develops research communications that elevate Howard’s profile with sponsors, partners, and the public and supports faculty in articulating the significance, innovation, and impact of their work.

The role requires substantial experience with federal and foundation proposal writing, exceptional research storytelling and editing skills, and the ability to strategically frame complex scholarly and technical content for varied audiences.  
** PRINCIPAL

ACCOUNTABILITIES :
**** 1. Proposal Writing, Editing, and Strategy – 60%
*** Provide high-level narrative strategy, writing, and editing support for competitive research proposals, including large-scale, complex, multi-investigator, center-scale, institutional, and strategic submissions, with emphasis on clarity, cohesion, competitive positioning, responsiveness to solicitation requirements, and alignment with sponsor review criteria.
* Provide writing and editing support for interdisciplinary teams preparing collaborative proposals.
* Draft, strengthen, or integrate major proposal components such as project narratives, institutional capacity statements, broader impacts, management and sustainability plans, evaluation narratives, collaboration plans, and other sponsor-required sections.
* Translate complex research ideas for interdisciplinary, non-specialist, institutional, philanthropic, industry, and public audiences.
* Work within proposal timelines and internal review processes established by RDI proposal development staff, delivering drafts and revisions on schedule.
** 2. Research Communications and Visibility – 25%
*** Develop clear and compelling communications that highlight Howard University’s research strengths, faculty expertise, institutional capabilities, funding successes, innovation activities, and strategic research priorities, tailored to faculty, university leadership, sponsors, partners, and other key audiences.
* Prepare research briefs, faculty/researcher spotlights, capability statements, impact stories, program summaries, newsletter content, website content, and other materials that support RDI’s faculty engagement and institutional visibility goals.
* Support communications for RDI programs and initiatives, including the Proposal Development Institute, Grants Academy, new faculty research orientation, interdisciplinary research initiatives, strategic funding opportunities, technology transfer and commercialization activities, and other Office of Research priorities.
* Coordinate with appropriate university communications partners to ensure alignment with institutional branding, messaging, and communications standards.
** 3. Faculty Capacity Building and Content Infrastructure – 15%
*** Contribute to workshops, training sessions, and faculty resources related to proposal writing, grant competitiveness, sponsor responsiveness, research storytelling, and research communications.
* Develop and maintain…