Position Number003843Position TitleExecutive Director, Health Systems Grants Administration and DevelopmentDivisionCollege of MedicineDepartment710150 - Research OfficeMinimum Qualifications
Master’s degree from an accredited institution as approved and accepted by the University of South Alabama.
Preferred QualificationsJob Description Summary
The University of South Alabama is seeking to hire an Executive Director, Health Systems Grants Administration and Development. Interested candidates should submit resumes directly to: KSchmitz@InTrustPartners.com.
For more information or to confidentially discuss this position, please contact:
Kate Schmitz, Senior Search Consultant
InTrust Partners Executive Search
864.608.1750
KSchmitz@InTrustPartners.com
Essential Functions
These are the job duties required of the position.
Essential Functions
Executive Director, Health Systems Grants Administration & Development
University of South Alabama c/o lnTrust Partners
Position Overview:
The Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine (COM) at the University of South Alabama (USA) announces a national search for Executive Director of the Health Systems Grants Administration & Research Development (HSGAD) Office. This is a high-profile leadership role responsible for overseeing the grant administration life cycle of external and internal sponsored activities in the Colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Allied Health and the USA Health System. Reporting to the Associate Dean for Research in the Whiddon College of Medicine, the Executive Director is a key leader who oversees HSGAD to serve the needs of researchers who engage in sponsored activities through grants and contracts development and post-award management. The Executive Director is responsible for recruiting, training and allocating HSGAD staff; providing guidance and leadership to HSGAD staff on proposal and budget development and post-award processes; reporting to College’s leadership on funding levels, success rates and trends: liaising with federal and non-federal sponsors: and collaborating with other USA offices on matters related to grants and contracts administration. The new Director will bring in-depth experience in grants development and administration, as well as the leadership skills required to oversee a complex and intense environment where sponsor requirements and deadlines are paramount. They will foster a culture characterized by collaborative working relationships, integrity, excellent communication skills, active listening, teamwork, quality, and process. They will bring vision and innovation to the HSGAD Office to enhance existing processes and develop new approaches for accurate and efficient pre- and post-award administration.
Essential Responsibilities:
- Provide leadership and guidance to a diverse team of staff who assist faculty, staff and trainees in proposal and budget development, Just-In-Time submissions, reporting, sponsor policy, transfers, and post-award processes to ensure accurate and timely submissions and compliance with federal, state, and sponsor requirements, and University policies.
- Establish a strong working relationship with the Associate Dean for Research of the College of Medicine, other administrative leaders in the University and Health System, Department Chairs, and researchers in departments and divisions.
- Ensure that HSGAD provides outstanding technical and administrative guidance and support to faculty and staff seeking extramural funding.
- Advise researchers concerning the management of grants and contracts. In conjunction with executive leadership of USA develop and implement written policies and procedures for the administration of research.
- Manage the budget of HSGAD, advising the COM Associate Dean for Research of variance and needs.
- Continually evaluate the structure of HSGAD to ensure adequacy of staff levels and experience, clarity of team roles and responsibilities, and workload distribution. Hire new staff as needed and oversee their onboarding and training.
- Track productivity metrics and engage in process improvement to meet goals of efficiency and enhanced customer service.
- Serve as liaison with external funding agencies and professional research organizations, and as point-of-contact for desk review audits and site visits by federal or non-federal sponsors.
- Communicate effectively with researchers to ensure they are aware of funding opportunities and of any new internal or external sponsor policies related to grants.
- Maintain and enhance databases for tracking submissions and awards, and apply data analytic tools to monitor funding levels, success rates and funding trends for reporting to the Whiddon COM and Health System leadership. Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual reports analyzing research activity in the College.
- Serve as the lead for non-grant related contracts for the College of Medicine, and collaborate with the University legal office for contract review.
This is a key leadership position for USA and an outstanding opportunity for someone to grow their career and make a positive impact on the organization. This is also an exciting time to join USA at a time of unprecedented growth and innovation. The Whiddon COM is currently beginning construction on a new $200 million medical school building that will feature state-of-the-art facilities for education and research. In advance of its anticipated opening in 2027, the College is actively recruiting faculty in several departments to increase its research portfolio and to serve expanded needs in education.
About the University of South Alabama:
Founded in 1963, the University of South Alabama (USA), is home to nearly 14,000 students and provides high-quality education and research opportunities in business, arts and sciences, education, engineering, computing, and the healthcare sciences, offering 115 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees through its 10 colleges and schools. The University’s 1,200-acre main academic campus is located just 20 minutes from the heart of downtown Mobile and has been transformed over the past decade with new facilities and resources for teaching, student housing and recreation, health sciences, the arts, engineering, computer science, and athletics. Faculty, students, and administrative leaders and staff enjoy the beautiful, tree-shaded main campus that features flower gardens, walking paths, bike trails, indoor and outdoor pools, and a disc golf course.
The university is comprised of the following academic divisions: Pat Capps Covey College of Allied Health Professions (https://www.southalabama.edu/colleges/alliedhealth/), College of Arts and Sciences (https://www.southalabama.edu/colleges/artsandsci/), Mitchell College of Business (https://www.southalabama.edu/colleges/mcob/), School of Computing (https://www.southalabama.edu/colleges/soc/), College of Education and Professional Studies (https://www.southalabama.edu/colleges/ceps/), College of Engineering (https://www.southalabama.edu/colleges/engineering/), Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine, College of Nursing (https://www.southalabama.edu/colleges/con/), and the Graduate School (https://www.southalabama.edu/colleges/graduateschool/).
More than 75 percent of courses are taught by full-time faculty, a very high rate for a research-intensive institution. The student-faculty ratio is 17:1. The 2023 freshman class is one of the largest in history, with a growth of 19 percent over the previous year and an average GPA of 3.74.
About the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine:
The Whiddon College of Medicine is a diverse community of educators, administrators, physicians, researchers, and learners focused on the science and practice of medicine for the state of Alabama, the Central Gulf Coast, and beyond. Currently, there are approximately 270 faculty members across 17 academic departments, as well as graduate students, postdocs, residents, fellows and medical students. Current extramural funding to the College exceeds $20 million, with around half coming from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). USA has committed to building a new, $200 million state-of-the-art medical school building that will open in 2027 Its location near the Health Sciences Building, which includes the College of Nursing and Covey College of Allied Health Professions, will create a “medical district” on the university campus.
The Locale - Mobile, Alabama:
Known for its streets Lined with massive live oaks, Mobile is a picturesque city located at the mouth of the Mobile River at Mobile Bay, leading to the Gulf of Mexico. More than 600,000 residents live in the metropolitan area, and in just 30 minutes, you can be on the sandy-white beaches of Dauphin Island, yet the mountains of northern Alabama are just a few hours’ drive. This laid-back waterfront metropolitan area is considered one of the Gulf Coast’s biggest cultural and economic centers and ranks as Alabama’s third largest city. Residents enjoy affordable living and a great quality of life with convenient access to a wide array of cultural attractions, outdoor adventures, and sporting events that appeal to every member of the family.
For more information or to confidentially discuss this position, please contact:
Kate Schmitz, Senior Search Consultant
lnTrust Partners Executive Search
864.608.1750
KSchmitz@lnTrustPartners.com
