Senior Proposal Development Specialist
Sparks Group, partnered with a leading academic research institution in search of a Senior Proposal Development Specialist. As the Sr Proposal Development Specialist, you will be responsible for preparation and leading the submission of complex, multi-institutional grants. In this role, you will work independently to turn innovative scientific and scholarly ideas into fully compliant, award-ready research proposals—guiding top faculty and mentoring junior team members along the way. The ideal candidate will have a bachelor's degree along with at least 2 years of Grants, contracts, finance and budget related experience in an academic or academic medical setting, will have a strong attention to details and be a critical thinker. If you're looking for your next opportunity, apply now
Responsibilities
- Facilitate pre-award activities, including reviewing funding announcements, setting timeline matrices, and routing proposals for internal approval through submission.
- Develop, proof, and verify detailed proposal budgets and justifications, ensuring correct application of F&A, fringe rates, and sponsor compliance.
- Lead pre-application meetings, guide Principal Investigators, and coordinate with external institutions to gather required sub-award documentation.
- Handle Just-In-Time (JIT) requests, track proposal statuses, verify faculty compliance certificates, and ensure a seamless handoff to post-award teams.
- Mentor junior team members, collaborate across pre-award units, and uphold standards for the responsible conduct of research and data confidentiality.
Qualifications/Background Profile
- Bachelors degree preferred or equivalent combination of education, training and experience will be considered in lieu of degree
- Minimum of 2+ years of Grants, contracts, finance and budget-realted experience in an academic or academic-medical setting.
- Proficient in MS Office
- Ability to analyze and interpret various funding opportunity announcements (RFA, RFP, FOA) from sponsor agencies