Associate Director, Research Development; Hybrid

Position: Associate Director, Research Development (Hybrid)
The Associate Director, Research Development, works as part of the Research Development and Support (RDS) team in the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation (OVPRI), and is a key individual contributor with a primary focus on mapping Vanderbilt University (VU) research strengths to external federal, state, industry, and private foundation opportunities, as well as assisting faculty and teams of faculty in the preparation and submission of complex grant proposals to these sponsors.

Reporting directly to the Executive Director of RDS, this individual will work closely with the Associate Deans of Research in the various colleges, schools, and networked campuses, on defining and executing strategy for increased successes in external sponsorship.

About the Work Unit:

The Research Development and Support team within the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation provides research development and support services to VU leadership, faculty, and program staff throughout all VU colleges and schools, including networked campuses. The RDS team strives to match the interests and priorities of federal, state, industry, and private foundation sponsors with Vanderbilt’s research and programmatic strengths, as well as to advance the University’s academic, research, and institutional goals through lasting partnerships with sponsors.

These partnerships help develop solutions to scientific, technical, and social challenges, as well as enrich the excellence of faculty research and teaching. The RDS team focuses on federal and state funding opportunities, industry opportunities, as well as non-family private foundations supporting scholarly and scientific research via a Request for Proposal (RFP) process; family foundations making a gift to VU are under the purview of Development and Alumni Relations (DAR).The

goal of the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation is to promote Vanderbilt’s distinctive research culture, which aspires to improve the human condition through path-breaking discovery and innovation. In addition to overseeing the university’s research portfolio on all sites, the VP-RI also oversees the implementation of the university’s new future vision and trans-institutional strategies and works closely with the Provost, academic Deans, Vice Provosts, and faculty at large to advance the quality of research and scholarship university-wide.

The Office develops strategies and provides services to enhance extramural support for research from all sources including corporate, foundation, federal, and philanthropic; advance a cohesive and vibrant trans-institutional research agenda; and build strategic partnerships around shared priorities in research. The VP-RI works with a broad range of University stakeholders, including faculty and others, in advocating for the research and scholarship missions of all disciplines  Functions and Expected Performance:

Advise Vanderbilt leadership, faculty, and key research centers and institutes in the identification and prioritization of funding and partnership opportunities; remain abreast of university-widepriorities and interdisciplinary programs that may be relevant to sponsors; and maintain knowledge of sponsor directions, long-term strategies and priorities, new programs, public events, and build and maintain relationships with program officers.

Provide consulting services on strategic proposal and white paper development, including high-level conceptualization to match sponsor priorities, effective team organization, red-team review, pitch development and coaching, credible administrative, management, education/outreach, and/or data sharing plans to assist investigators in the complex process of developing…