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Title: Director of Sponsored Programs

VP Area: Academic Affairs

Department: Provost Office

Published Salary Range: $70,000 - $75,000

Job Summary/Basic Function:

Lake Superior State University is seeking a strategic and collaborative leader to build and advance a dynamic sponsored programs portfolio. This is an opportunity to shape institutional progress, support faculty innovation, and expand partnerships that have meaningful impact on our region and beyond.
This position leads and advances the University’s sponsored programs in alignment with the Strategic Plan and institutional priorities, including instructional excellence, student success, regional engagement, and organizational growth. The Director reports to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and serves as a central partner to faculty, staff, and leadership, guiding the development of competitive funding opportunities and supporting the full lifecycle of externally funded projects from concept through successful implementation.
The Director fosters a culture of collaboration, innovation, and accountability in sponsored programs, strengthening the University’s capacity to secure and manage external funding while ensuring responsible stewardship and compliance with applicable regulations.
Duties and Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership and Program Development
• Leads and advances the University’s sponsored programs strategy in alignment with institutional priorities, mission, and strategic plan.
• Identifies and pursues external funding opportunities that align with the University’s strengths, needs, and areas of growth.
• Develops and leads institutional grant proposals, including large-scale and collaborative initiatives with faculty, staff, and community partners.
• Contributes to measurable outcomes tied to strategic plan initiatives through the expansion and success of sponsored programs.
Grant Development and Faculty Support
• Partners with faculty and staff to identify, develop, and submit competitive grant and contract proposals.
• Provides guidance and support throughout the full lifecycle of grant development, from concept through submission.
• Develops and delivers training, resources, and guidance to strengthen grant-writing capacity across the institution.
• Supports principal investigators and project directors in understanding expectations and best practices for successful grant execution.
Post-Award Management and Compliance
• Oversees the administration of grants and contracts to ensure compliance with federal, state, and sponsor regulations, including Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200).
• Implements and maintains policies, procedures, and systems that ensure all sponsored programs are managed in accordance with applicable laws and institutional requirements.
• Works collaboratively with accounting staff and project leaders to support fiscal stewardship, reporting accuracy, and audit readiness.
• Ensures timely and accurate submission of all required programmatic and financial reports.
• Promotes institutional understanding of compliance requirements, including internal controls and audit processes.
Partnerships and Institutional Collaboration
• Serves as a primary liaison between the University and external funding agencies, partners, and stakeholders.
• Builds and sustains collaborative relationships with faculty, staff, administrators, and community partners to advance sponsored program opportunities.
• Works closely with institutional offices, including accounting and academic units, to support effective grant implementation and oversight.
• Collaborates with the Institutional Review Board (IRB), the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, and other compliance entities to ensure adherence to research and regulatory standards and track workflow.
Operations, Reporting and Continuous Improvement
• Develops and maintains systems, including dashboards and reports, to track grant activity, outcomes, and performance metrics.
• Analyzes data to inform decision-making, improve processes, and enhance institutional effectiveness in sponsored programs.
• Establishes and refines processes to improve efficiency, transparency, and service to the campus community.
Other Duties
• Performs other duties as assigned in support of the mission and evolving needs of the University.

Qualifications:
The ideal candidate is a collaborative leader and skilled grant professional who can translate institutional priorities into successful funding opportunities while supporting faculty and staff across disciplines. Other qualifications include:
Required
• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 3–5 years of experience in grants and contracts administration, or relevant transferable experience.
• Demonstrated experience in grant writing, proposal development, and post-award management.
• Experience with grant compliance requirements, including federal regulations such as Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200).
• Familiarity with financial oversight of grants, including budgeting, reporting, and management of multiple funding streams.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build relationships and serve as a trusted institutional resource.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines and maintaining accuracy.
• Experience working with business applications, including word processing, spreadsheets, and data analysis tools.

Preferred
• Master’s degree and experience with grants/contracts in a public higher education setting.
• Knowledge of grant and contract administration within higher education and across funding agencies (federal, state, and private).
• Experience supporting or managing audits and ensuring adherence to internal controls and compliance processes.
• Understanding of research compliance processes, including experience working with an Institutional Review Board (IRB) or similar entity.
• Experience developing reports, dashboards, or other tools to track performance and inform decision-making.

Physical and Mental Demands:

Adequate physical fitness to be able to sit and concentrate for long periods of time; use of gross motor skills to allow inspection of various University and area facilities and equipment; use of fine motor skills to operate a computer; problem solving ability; ability to understand and work with numbers; ability to see, hear, and speak with or without the use of aids to perform normal office tasks.
The above statement reflects the general duties considered necessary to describe the primary functions of the job and shall not be construed as a detailed description of all the work requirements that may be inherent in the job. It is not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of any supervisor to assign, direct and control the work of employees under their supervision.

Work Hours: 

M-F, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm, occasional night and weekends

About Lake Superior State University

Lake Superior State University is undergoing an exciting transformation under the visionary leadership of our new President, Dr. David Travis. As we redefine excellence and innovation across our institution, we invite forward-thinking leaders to join us in writing the next chapter of our storied legacy. Nestled in the scenic Upper Peninsula near the Canadian border, LSSU offers a unique blend of natural beauty, community engagement, and academic rigor—making it a truly special place to live, work, and learn.