Position Description
Director of Sponsored Programs
Description
North Carolina New Schools, a public-private catalyst for education innovation, seeks a
Director of Sponsored Programs with exceptional knowledge and skills with respect to
federal proposal development. The successful candidate is a self-starter, with excellent written
and oral communications skills, as well as strategic planning, research and organizational skills.
The candidate must have progressively responsible leadership experience in research
administration, grants and contract central administration or the equivalent, and a broad
working knowledge of federal grant funding policies. The candidate must be a mission-driven
development professional with a demonstrated ability to be an effective leader within the
context of a fast-paced setting with rapidly changing priorities. This position is based in Raleigh,
NC.
Summary
The Director for Sponsored Programs directs the preparation and submittal of federal grant
applications and proposals, ensures compliance of agencies' regulations. The Director of
Sponsored Programs will report to the Senior Director for Institutional Advancement and will
collaborate across the organization to meet the federal grant writing/submitting needs.
Duties and Responsibilities:
 Research and identify opportunities for funding and collaboration with a broad range of
government agencies including national science foundation, department of defense,
department of agriculture, department of energy, department of education, department
of labor, and others;
 Research and write and submit federal proposals for consideration;
 Monitor and facilitate grants management function in collaboration with internal
colleagues from departments: Finance and Operations, Client Services, Policy and
Partnerships, and Research and Development.
 Work closely with the senior leadership to ensure success of the above responsibilities.
Competencies and Skills:
 Analytical – synthesizes diverse or complex information; collects research data; uses
intuition and experience to complement data; designs workflow and procedures.
 Design – generates creative solutions; translates concepts and information into images;
demonstrates attention to detail.
 Problem solving – identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; gathers and
analyzes information skillfully; develops alternative solutions; works well in group
problem solving situations; uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics.
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Position Description
Director of Sponsored Programs
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Interpersonal and relationship-building skills – builds effective and productive
relationships, connects easily with others; maintains a cooperative and collaborative
demeanor; values the opinions of others; focuses on preventing and solving conflict.
Oral communication – speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations;
listens and gets clarification; responds well to questions; demonstrates group
presentation skills; participates in meetings.
Written communication – writes clearly and informatively; varies writing style to meet
need; presents numerical data effectively; able to read and interpret written information.
Negotiation skills – understands the perspectives and requirements of others;
communicates persuasively to influence and achieve desired outcomes.
In addition to the duties and responsibilities described above, NC New Schools places high value
on the following employee performance dimensions:
 Performance
 Strategic
Thinking
 Willingness
to Learn
 Potential
 Motivation
 Completes tasks and accomplishes goals
 Produces high quality documents and/or deliverables that are timely
and accurate
 Demonstrates professional behavior and competence to internal and
external partners
 Is accountable and responsible for work
 Manages workload effectively and efficiently
 Develops long-term solutions to issues rather than short-term fixes
 Thinks beyond job description to add value to the organization
 Considers sustainability and scalability in all facets of the work
 Improves efficiency and productivity in function
 Uses available resources to get to more meaningful outcomes
 Demonstrates desire to learn and grow intellectually and professionally
 Demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement and growth
 Adapts to change; embraces new tools and platforms
 Asks engaged and engaging questions
 Creates shared understanding through relevant and timely
communication
 Considers issues objectively; challenges content
 Takes the initiative to lead on projects; advocates for self and team
 Exhibits poise, even when under pressure
 Respects, and is respected by, colleagues due to work, not position
 Exhibits enthusiasm, commitment and a positive attitude about the
work
 Demonstrates a strong work ethic
 Engages in meetings; is present and focused
 Seeks to exceed expectations
 Inspires those around them to be better
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Qualifications:
 Master's Degree or Ph.D. in a relevant discipline is required.
 Excellent written communication skills, editing and proofreading skills, and the ability to
communicate complex guidelines and regulations to a variety of constituents.
 Must have five years or more experience in research administration, grants and contract
central administration or the equivalent, and a broad working knowledge of federal grant
funding policies.
 A proven track record in federal/state grants development.
 Must be deadline-oriented, able to juggle multiple priorities, and succeed in a diverse,
multicultural environment.
 Able to balance speed with accuracy and to thrive in a fast-paced, professional team
environment.
 Proficient in research, interpreting and analyzing diverse data and possess the ability to
work collaboratively and independently to achieve stated goals.
To Apply: Qualified candidates should submit a letter of interest, resume and contact
information for at least three references (no calls will be made to references unless the candidate
is determined to be a finalist for the position) to:
Jane W. Worsham, Program Consultant
North Carolina New Schools
4600 Marriott Drive, Suite 510
Raleigh, NC 27612
or [email protected]
Please use the subject line “Director of Sponsored Programs” for responses by email. All
interviews for the position will include participation in a performance task designed to address
the responsibilities of the position applied for.
For an online copy of this position announcement and to learn more about the NC New Schools,
visit www.ncnewschools.org.
North Carolina New Schools
4600 Marriott Drive, Suite 510
Raleigh, NC 27612
www.ncnewschools.org
North Carolina New Schools is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is our policy to make all
personnel decisions without discriminating on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sex,
physical disability, mental disability, age, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status,
national or ethnic origin, and any other protected status.
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