Director of Research Development, OVPRI

Cornell University seeks a Director of Research Development to oversee a centralized team promoting and facilitating research and innovation across Cornell through an array of specialized services. Reporting to the Vice President for Research & Innovation, the Research Development team provides strategic research advancement, research development outreach, and proposal development services. Research Development catalyzes capacity-building activities, research collaboration, diversity, and pipeline growth, complementing the administrative management of proposals by grant administrators.

Your Mission

As the Director of Research Development (ReD), you will provide strategic direction and vision to a team of research development professionals serving the Cornell research community in Ithaca and at our campuses across New York, including Cornell Tech, Agritech, and Weill Cornell Medicine. Charged with increasing Cornell's success in large, complex, multidisciplinary funding applications and other externally sponsored funding opportunities, you will cultivate the connections, community relationships, and strategic partnerships that support cross-disciplinary interests and initiatives and ensure inclusion of broader voices. You will develop and implement strategies to promote and capture large-scale funding opportunities and support new academic, research, and scholarly initiatives that improve and enhance external funding for Cornell research activities.

You and your dedicated team will develop and implement specialized training and outreach, including workshops for early-career faculty and training tailored to federal funding agencies. You will oversee concierge services to new Cornell faculty to develop strategic research plans, navigate institutional infrastructure, identify funding opportunities, and facilitate introductions to agencies and program officers.

You will bring to the role your expertise and substantial experience in proposal development and submission and your record of partnering effectively with researchers on significant funding applications.

As a people manager and university leader, you will model and support a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and wellbeing by fostering an environment where everyone has the ability to thrive and navigate challenges at work and in life, because they feel like they belong and have the tools and support they need.

Responsibilities will include:

• Working with Research & Innovation leadership and colleges to identify areas of institutional research priority and promoting funding opportunities to advance those priorities.
• Convening and coordinating multi-disciplinary interest groups, catalyzing new research initiatives, and developing resources and tools to promote collaboration.
• Leading and directing a team of professionals responsible for limited submissions, proposal development and management, early career faculty development, training and outreach, and partnership development.
• Developing and directing training and other resources for the research community to increase and facilitate participation in specific funding areas.
• Working with the Office of Sponsored Programs, researchers, and college research offices to create and maintain institutional guidelines, samples, and other tools for developing successful proposals.
• Monitoring changes in agency requirements and proactively disseminating information and resources to principal investigators.
• Establishing metrics and key performance indicators to track activities and outcomes.
• Identifying and managing internal and external experts to assist with areas of proposal development, to advise on criteria for success, and to provide guidance at major milestones in the proposal process.

What We Need
Send us a cover letter and resume outlining your interest in this position and explaining how your experience and qualifications match the position requirements. Your letter is an important component of your application. Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

When evaluating your candidacy, we will look for evidence of the following:

• Bachelor's degree and at least seven years of experience successfully managing proposal development in a highly decentralized, multi-disciplinary research organization, ideally in an academic setting; or an equivalent combination of education and experience in proposal development.
• Proven ability to direct and motivate a professional team and foster a collaborative environment.
• In-depth understanding of proposal preparation and submission process and experience partnering with researchers to develop successful multi-million-dollar applications for federal funding.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in working with investigators across multiple campuses and disciplines and with administrative staff and sponsors.
• Strong commitment to and understanding of diversity and inclusion in a higher education setting with the proven ability to interact positively with all levels of staff, faculty, university leadership, and other constituents from diverse communities.
• Expertise in scientific writing and grantsmanship and excellent written and oral communication skills, including developing and delivering training; presenting to individuals and groups; developing written guidance that is focused and end-user friendly; and engaging internal and external constituents productively.
• Ability to understand and navigate formal and informal decision-making networks.
• Ability to handle sensitive information appropriately and communicate with tact and diplomacy.
• Exceptional problem solving, organizational, and analytical skills.
• Demonstrated skills in budgeting and the ability to utilize office software and other electronic tools to successfully and efficiently conduct tasks.
• Excellent time management skills, especially an acute sense of the importance of deadlines.
• Strong customer service orientation.

Additionally, we would like to see evidence of:

• Graduate degree, preferably in science, technology, or engineering field.

Join Our Journey

Cornell Research & Innovation creates an environment that unifies and advances Cornell's scholarship, research, and discovery through state-of-the-art facilities, domain expertise, and partnership to enable innovation and impact. We leverage external funding and partnerships, enable interdisciplinary research, and ensure regulatory compliance. We collaborate to successfully translate and commercialize research through companies large and small, including startups launched by our entrepreneurial faculty, staff, and students. Our commitment to inclusive excellence makes this environment possible.

Familiarize yourself with Cornell's COVID-19 workplace guidance as well as the university's COVID-19 services and information.

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