What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Director for Research Development position at University of Colorado Boulder?
Summary
Job Summary
The Senior Director for Research Development provides strategic leadership and oversight for the research development efforts at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder). Reporting to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Development and Strategic Initiatives in the Research & Innovation Office (RIO), the Senior Director will lead a high-functioning and diverse team of research development professionals dedicated to enhancing the competitiveness of the university’s research enterprise.
The Senior Director is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to grow the university’s research portfolio and ensuring the team operates efficiently and effectively. This role involves cultivating strong faculty relationships, identifying and disseminating funding opportunities, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. Additionally, this position plays a key role in mentoring and supporting the Research Development team, ensuring a collaborative, high-performance culture. This role is also tasked with enhancing proposal development support by providing resources, tools, and guidance to faculty and research teams. This includes facilitating access to proposal editors, fostering grant-writing expertise, and coordinating institutional support for large, multidisciplinary funding opportunities.
The University of Colorado Boulder is committed to building a culturally diverse community of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to contributing to an inclusive campus environment. We are an Equal Opportunity employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.
Who We Are
The Research & Innovation Office (RIO) is the central point for support and advocacy for CU Boulder's world-class scholarship, creative work, and growing research enterprise. We are focused on creating impact by cultivating and supporting collaboration, transformation, and leadership. At the heart of this focus are the diverse contributions of a wide range of world-class experts, working together in new and innovative ways to accelerate ideas through the entire innovation lifecycle, from idea to impact. We endeavor to embody CU Boulder's dedication to exemplify excellence through diversity by creating a welcoming and inclusive environment, enhancing the success and inclusion of all students, staff and faculty, and deepening our ability to share and engage with diverse perspectives.
Responsibilities
What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be
Leadership
The annual hiring range for this position is $145,000-$165,000. Relocation is available for eligible candidates.
Benefits
The University of Colorado offers excellent benefits , including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO Pass. The University of Colorado Boulder is one of the largest employers in Boulder County and offers an inspiring higher education environment. Learn more about the University of Colorado Boulder .
Be Statements
Be ambitious. Be groundbreaking. Be Boulder.
What We Require
To Apply, Please Submit The Following Materials
Please apply by 1/23/25 for consideration.
Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, applications must be submitted through CU Boulder Jobs.
In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.
Job Summary
The Senior Director for Research Development provides strategic leadership and oversight for the research development efforts at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder). Reporting to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Development and Strategic Initiatives in the Research & Innovation Office (RIO), the Senior Director will lead a high-functioning and diverse team of research development professionals dedicated to enhancing the competitiveness of the university’s research enterprise.
The Senior Director is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to grow the university’s research portfolio and ensuring the team operates efficiently and effectively. This role involves cultivating strong faculty relationships, identifying and disseminating funding opportunities, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. Additionally, this position plays a key role in mentoring and supporting the Research Development team, ensuring a collaborative, high-performance culture. This role is also tasked with enhancing proposal development support by providing resources, tools, and guidance to faculty and research teams. This includes facilitating access to proposal editors, fostering grant-writing expertise, and coordinating institutional support for large, multidisciplinary funding opportunities.
The University of Colorado Boulder is committed to building a culturally diverse community of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to contributing to an inclusive campus environment. We are an Equal Opportunity employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities.
Who We Are
The Research & Innovation Office (RIO) is the central point for support and advocacy for CU Boulder's world-class scholarship, creative work, and growing research enterprise. We are focused on creating impact by cultivating and supporting collaboration, transformation, and leadership. At the heart of this focus are the diverse contributions of a wide range of world-class experts, working together in new and innovative ways to accelerate ideas through the entire innovation lifecycle, from idea to impact. We endeavor to embody CU Boulder's dedication to exemplify excellence through diversity by creating a welcoming and inclusive environment, enhancing the success and inclusion of all students, staff and faculty, and deepening our ability to share and engage with diverse perspectives.
Responsibilities
What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be
Leadership
- Grow and Assess University Research Portfolio: Implement strategies to grow the university’s research portfolio. Conduct qualitative and metric-based analyses on the impacts of research development services, delivering data and reports to institutional leadership for future planning.
- Team Leadership: Supervise and provide strategic direction to a team of research development professionals, ensuring high performance, efficiency, and professional growth. Mentor and support staff in areas such as faculty engagement and development; proposal support; strategic research intelligence; diversity, equity and inclusion in research; and programming.
- Communications Strategy: Develop and implement a communications strategy that increases engagement with research development services, highlighting team successes and research funding achievements.
- Liaise with Campus Partners. Engage with campus partners, including Associate Deans for Research, Libraries, and Faculty Affairs, among others, to ensure the research development team is meeting campus needs and aligned with campus priorities.
- Professional Development: In consultation with RD colleagues, develop workshops, training sessions, and events to enhance faculty skills in grant-seeking, proposal writing, and funding strategy.
- Research Intelligence: Be responsible for research intelligence operations, including the design, development, and implementation of interactive data visualizations.
- Proposal Development: Lead the team and personally provide full-service proposal development support, including project management, proposal writing (e.g., non-technical content), editing, and coordinating research team efforts.
- Faculty Support: Engage with faculty to identify funding opportunities, providing tailored guidance and support throughout the proposal development process to increase competitiveness and success rates.
- Internal and External Collaboration: Facilitate team building, conceptualization, and partnership formation among faculty and external collaborators. Coordinate with other research-related units across campus to align research development services with institutional goals.
- Contribute to departmental goals and initiatives as needed, while demonstrating flexibility and a proactive approach in supporting evolving organizational priorities.
- This position offers a hybrid work modality with 2-3 days per week on campus.
The annual hiring range for this position is $145,000-$165,000. Relocation is available for eligible candidates.
Benefits
The University of Colorado offers excellent benefits , including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO Pass. The University of Colorado Boulder is one of the largest employers in Boulder County and offers an inspiring higher education environment. Learn more about the University of Colorado Boulder .
Be Statements
Be ambitious. Be groundbreaking. Be Boulder.
What We Require
- Bachelor's degree and 5 years of experience in research development, with a strong understanding of funding mechanisms, grant writing, and faculty engagement.
- A combination of education and relevant equivalent experience will be considered.
- Experience leading and managing high-performing teams, with a track record of developing talent and fostering a collaborative, inclusive work environment.
- Demonstrated ability to partner effectively with faculty across diverse subject areas to develop complex, interdisciplinary proposals for federal and non-federal sponsors.
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to produce compelling proposal narratives and engage with partners at all levels.
- Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, with the capacity to influence faculty and guide the work of a research development team.
- Deep understanding of the federal funding landscape, including knowledge of key agencies, programs, and trends to identify and pursue significant funding opportunities aligned with institutional research priorities.
- Strong self-motivation and a focus on cultivating a motivating and productive research environment.
- Demonstrated flexibility and willingness to adapt to shifting priorities and evolving circumstances, while maintaining effective performance.
- Knowledge of standard methodologies in research development, including funding landscape analysis, proposal preparation, and sponsor engagement.
- Strong analytical skills and experience with qualitative and quantitative assessments of research development impacts.
- Master’s degree or terminal degree preferred.
- 8 years of experience in research development, with a strong understanding of funding mechanisms.
- Experience working with interdisciplinary research teams and facilitating multi-institutional partnerships.
- Familiarity with team science and facilitation; and research intelligence and analytics.
- Expertise in managing large, complex proposal development processes and external review mechanisms (e.g., red team reviews).
To Apply, Please Submit The Following Materials
- A current resume.
- A cover letter that specifically addresses how your background and experience align with the requirements, qualifications and responsibilities of the position.
Please apply by 1/23/25 for consideration.
Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, applications must be submitted through CU Boulder Jobs.
In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.
Salary : $145,000 - $165,000
