Associate Director, Pre-Award Research Administration

About the role

The Office of University Research and Innovation (OURI) supports Tufts University's research, scholarship, innovation, and entrepreneurial activities across all campuses. OURI partners with faculty, staff, students, and university leadership to advance groundbreaking research, secure external funding, ensure regulatory compliance, and translate discoveries into real-world impact. OURI provides expertise and oversight across sponsored research administration, research compliance, intellectual property management, technology commercialization, startup development, and industry partnerships. Through these efforts, OURI helps strengthen Tufts' research enterprise while supporting the university's commitment to innovation, collaboration, and academic excellence. This position is fully remote and may be performed from anywhere within the United States. The Associate Director is expected to maintain regular availability during Eastern Time business hours and may occasionally be asked to travel to campus for meetings, training, or other business needs, typically no more than 1-3 times per year.

Responsibilities

• Research Administration Leadership: Lead, mentor, and develop a team of pre-award research administration professionals, including hiring, coaching, performance management, and professional development.
• Research Administration Leadership: Establish team goals, priorities, and service standards to ensure high-quality support for faculty and research administrators.
• Research Administration Leadership: Foster a collaborative and customer-focused culture that supports the university's research mission.
• Sponsored Research Proposal and Award Management: Provide expert guidance and oversight for proposal development, review, approval, and submission activities.
• Sponsored Research Proposal and Award Management: Support faculty and department research administrators in preparing competitive proposals and budgets for external funding opportunities.
• Sponsored Research Proposal and Award Management: Manage a portfolio of complex sponsored projects, awards, and subawards.