Program Manager

About the Role

The Program Manager for Operations and Strategy supports the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Growth Initiatives with oversight over internal awards for graduate education, responsibility for advancing opportunities for external funding, and general project management across the breadth of the Vice Provost’s portfolio. This individual also serves as the Coordinating Official for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP).

The Graduate School offers a variety of competitive funding opportunities for graduate and doctoral students to advance their scholarship and research. Internal funding opportunities currently include the Lacy Fischer Interdisciplinary Research Awards, the Dissertation Enhancement Grant (DEG), the Professional Development and Training Grant (DEG), the Candidacy Student Success Supplement (CSSS), and the Graduate School Travel Grant to Present Research.

Responsibilities

• Internal Awards Management
  • Manage the disbursement of competitive funding mechanisms, awards, and limited submission opportunities (LSOs) for graduate and doctoral students.
  • Communicate calls for applications with students, faculty, and university leadership through direct correspondence and by maintaining an updated website presence.
  • Manage the award review process by developing faculty and staff review committees and creating and administering review rubrics.
  • Manage the award disbursement process by working closely with the Office of Finance to ensure financial policies are met, disbursing award funding, and closely tracking the budget.
  • Respond to questions from students, staff, and faculty about the internal awards program.
  • Evaluate program outcomes in collaboration with the Senior Data Analyst.
  • Maintain superior records of all award applications and disbursements to ensure compliance.
• External Awards Management
  • Prepare and assemble grant proposals/contracts on behalf of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Growth Initiatives in compliance with sponsor, University, and federal guidelines and deadlines.
  • Prepare budgets within internal and external grant submission systems ensuring budget items are accurate and compliant with applicable guidelines and regulations.
  • Serve as the Coordinating Official (CO) for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP), including:
    • Acting as the primary point of contact for NSF fellows, NSF officials, and University faculty and staff.
    • Coordinating and managing Cost of Education (COE) funds.
    • Working with department coordinators regarding departmental financial obligations.
    • Monitoring fellowship enrollment statuses and maintaining the fellow roster.
    • Submitting reports to the NSF through the NSF-GRFP dashboard.
    • Coordinating with the Office of Research Finance regarding annual financial reports.
  • Attend trainings offered by the University regarding sponsored projects.
  • Utilize university-affiliated platforms to submit grant proposals.
• General Project Management
  • Provide superior project tracking support across the breadth of the Vice Provost’s portfolio utilizing Gantt charts, timelines, and relevant project management software tools.
  • Produce executive-level presentations, memoranda, and communications reflecting project updates and status.
  • Liaise closely with other internal units to ensure cross-functional collaboration and alignment.
  • Assist in the development of metrics to track and evaluate projects and progress.

Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education is necessary. A master’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education is preferred.
• At least three years of related work experience is preferred, including in either pre- and post-award management (both federal and non-federal) or internal awards management in higher education or for a non-profit organization; a combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Outstanding organizational skills, including the ability to prioritize and carry out multiple assignments independently and in a timely fashion.
• Strong experience with project management tools, processes, and reporting.
• Ability to balance the diverse needs of the job and its various constituents (prospective students, current students, alumni, faculty, and staff).
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to make administrative/procedural decisions and judgments.
• Ability to work in, and appreciate, a highly productive, change-oriented, and research-oriented academic community.
• Previous administrative experience in an institution of higher education is preferred.
• Experience managing grants and contracts is preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel is required.
• Ability to utilize AI to create administrative efficiencies and ensure effectiveness is required.

About the Work Unit

The Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Growth Initiatives leads a portfolio of academic strategic growth initiatives for graduate and professional students, serves as the Dean of the Graduate School, and oversees the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA). The mission of the Graduate School at Vanderbilt University is to promote excellence in research, scholarship, and creative expression such that graduate students and postdoctoral trainees are optimally prepared for successful careers in academia, industry, and related fields.

Together, the Graduate School and OPA recruit the most promising pre- and postdoctoral scholars and create a stimulating environment that fosters intellectual growth and development. Vanderbilt’s campus network is a growing ecosystem of campuses and strategic initiatives designed to extend the university’s impact beyond Nashville, and includes Vanderbilt University – New York City, Vanderbilt University – West Palm Beach, Vanderbilt University – San Francisco, and Vanderbilt University – Quantum Campus. The Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Growth Initiatives works to design academic programming and opportunities for graduate and professional students across this growing ecosystem.

Supervisory Relationships

This position reports to the Executive Director of Operations and Strategy but will work closely with the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Growth Initiatives, who serves as the Principal Investigator (PI) for the NSF GRFP. The Program Manager does not have supervisory responsibilities.