Sr. Director of Pre-Award

Cross-Coverage Clause:

The Talent Acquisition department hires qualified candidates to fill positions which contribute to the overall strategic success of Howard University. Hiring staff “for fit” makes significant contributions to Howard University’s overall mission.

At Howard University, we prioritize well-being and professional growth.

• Health & Wellness:
  Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus mental health support
• Work-Life Balance: PTO, paid holidays, flexible work arrangements
• Financial Wellness:
  Competitive salary, 403(b) with company match
• Professional Development:
  Ongoing training, tuition reimbursement, and career advancement paths
• Additional Perks:
  Wellness programs, commuter benefits, and a vibrant company culture

(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).-wellness

The Senior Director of Pre-Award (Outgoing Team) leads the university’s pre-award research administration function, ensuring efficient, compliant, and service-oriented proposal development and submission. The role is responsible for managing all outgoing proposals, outgoing subawards, and consultant agreements, providing direct support to faculty and research administrators while maintaining consistent quality, compliance, and operational standards across the outgoing pre-award lifecycle.

As a key leader in the Sponsored Programs Office (SPO), this position provides supervisory oversight of pre-award staff, works closely with institutional leadership, and aligns pre-award services with federal, sponsor, and institutional requirements.

• Directly supervises Pre-Award Research Administrators and administrative support staff, including setting priorities, managing workloads, and ensuring consistent application of standards across the team.
• Provides oversight of outgoing proposals, subawards, and consultant agreements within the Sponsored Programs Office.
• Provides training, mentorship, and professional development to pre-award staff to ensure continuous improvement in research administration, including coaching on performance expectations and process adherence.
• Oversees faculty engagement and training efforts, ensuring faculty and research administrators receive guidance on proposal development and compliance.
• Collaborates with the Senior Director of Pre-Award – Incoming team to establish best practices and ensure seamless pre-award operations.

• Reports directly to the Assistant Vice President (AVP) of Sponsored Programs and works in close collaboration with the Senior Director of Pre-Award (Incoming team) to align pre-award strategy with the university’s research mission.
• Serves as the primary point of contact for faculty and research centers on proposal development and submission.
• Leads the university’s outgoing proposal and outgoing subaward administration, ensuring that all submissions meet sponsor, federal, and institutional requirements.
• Engages with Post-Award teams, Research Compliance, and Legal to support seamless research administration processes.
• Cross-Coverage Clause:

While the Senior Director of the Outgoing team primarily oversees outgoing proposals and subawards, they are expected to cross-train and collaborate with the Senior Director of the Incoming team to ensure seamless research administration operations. In the absence of the Senior Director of the Incoming team, the Senior Director of the Outgoing team may assume temporary oversight of incoming awards and agreements to maintain compliance, efficiency, and sponsor relations.

• Leadership & Operations Management
• Manages all outgoing proposals, subawards, and consultant agreements, ensuring timely and compliant submission and execution to federal, corporate, and foundation sponsors.
• Implements workflow improvements and efficiency strategies to strengthen proposal development, intake quality, and routing discipline.
• Establishes and enforces best practices and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for proposal development, submission, and outgoing agreement processing.
• Monitors aging actions and escalates items at risk of deadline or…