Award Acceptance Manager

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

Please list the names, telephone numbers and email addresses for three professional references. References will be contacted only if you are selected as a finalist for this position.

Proposed Start Date

Proposed Start Date 09/01/2026

Classification Title

Classification Title Legal and Compliance

Rank

Rank N
- No Rank

Working Title

Working Title Award Acceptance Manager

Department

Department 400401 - SPA Sponsored Projects Office

Position Number

Position Number D93038

Representation

Representation UU
- Unclassified Unrepresented

Renewable

Renewable Renewable

End date, if applicable

Position FTE

Position FTE 1.0

Tenure Status N - not applicable

Position Summary

Brief Description of PSU/School/Dept

Portland State University is Oregon’s most affordable public research university, located in the heart of one of America’s most dynamic cities. Our mission to “let knowledge serve the city” reflects our dedication to turning ideas into action — in Portland and around the world. The city is our campus, giving students unmatched access to career connections, a vibrant cultural scene and hands-on learning experiences with hundreds of community partners.

More than 20,000 students from all backgrounds bring diverse perspectives to our classrooms and campus life,from the tree-lined Park Blocks to the bustling Urban Plaza and state-of-the-art science labs. We are proud of our world-class faculty, groundbreaking research and international reputation for excellence in sustainability, community engagement and innovation.

The Sponsored Projects Administration ( SPA ) unit within Research and Graduate Studies ( RGS ) serves as the central administrative unit at PSU responsible for assisting faculty and staff with activities related to the lifecycle of sponsored project administration. SPA staff provides administrative expertise and professional support to faculty and staff from proposal development and submission, through award negotiation and acceptance on behalf of the University, to award management and closeout.

Position Summary

The Award Acceptance Manager provides operational leadership for SPA’s Award Acceptance function and is responsible for overseeing the timely, consistent, and effective review, negotiation, acceptance, documentation, and stewardship of sponsored research awards and related agreements. The position supervises a team of Grants & Agreements Specialists responsible for reviewing, negotiating, and accepting sponsored awards and research agreements; drafting and executing outgoing subaward agreements;

and documenting award information necessary to support institutional stewardship, compliance, and financial management.

The Award Acceptance Manager establishes operational priorities, manages workload and service delivery, develops staff, resolves complex agreement issues, and promotes consistent application of university policy, sponsor requirements, and applicable regulations. Working collaboratively with SPA leadership and campus partners, the position serves as the University’s technical resource for research agreements and leads operational improvements that strengthen research administration services and support the University’s research mission

The Award Acceptance Manager serves as an Authorized Organizational Representative ( AOR ) and Institutional Signing Official for sponsored projects, authorized to execute sponsor required certifications, assurances, representations, and other institutional approvals related to sponsored projects. In accordance with PSU’s Delegated Signature Authority Policy, the incumbent also has delegated authority to execute sponsored project agreements and other authorized documents that legally bind the University to financial and administrative commitments

This position is based at Portland State University’s vibrant urban campus in downtown Portland, where you’ll be part of a welcoming and collaborative community. We offer flexible scheduling options and, when operational needs allow, the possibility of limited remote work (typically up to one day per week) under an approved remote work agreement in line with…