Job Description
Position Information
Banner Position Number
R10804
Position Title
Proposal Development Officer
Classification Title
MURC-Other Bus Operations Spec
Department
VP Research - RC1500
Job Description
Employment Type:
Full‑Time – Remote Working Option available in selected states
The Proposal Development Officer supports institutional and researcher competitiveness by providing end‑to‑end proposal development services that enable faculty, colleges, and research teams to secure high‑stakes external funding, which is central to research productivity, career development, and retention.
Housed within the Grants Development Office, this position supports the preparation, coordination, and submission of competitive grant proposals to federal, state, and private funding organizations. The Proposal Development Officer works collaboratively across academic units, centers, and administrative offices to ensure proposals are high-quality, compliant, and submitted on time, with particular emphasis on complex, interdisciplinary, and large‑scale proposals.
Duties and Responsibilities
These requirements represent the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions with this title and shall not be construed as an exhaustive list of specific duties and responsibilities. Management may direct employees to perform job‑related tasks not specifically presented in this description.
Proposal Writing and Editing (60%)
- Draft, edit, and assemble proposal narratives, technical sections, letters of support, and letters of inquiry (LOIs) for federal, state, and private sponsors
- Collaborate with faculty and principal investigators to develop clear, compelling, and sponsor‑aligned proposals
- Translate complex academic and technical concepts into accessible, persuasive language
- Ensure compliance with sponsor guidelines, institutional policies, and submission requirements
- Assist with the development of project budgets and budget justifications in coordination with the Pre-Award Team
Pipeline Management and Opportunity Development (20%)
- Manage proposal pipelines, calendars, and submission deadlines
- Identify and assess funding opportunities from federal agencies (e.g., NIH, NSF, DOE), state programs, and private foundations
- Match faculty research strengths with appropriate funding mechanisms
- Maintain awareness of sponsor trends, priorities, and deadlines
- Track proposal activity, submissions, outcomes, and required data metrics
Leadership and Coordination of Large Grant Projects (20%)
- Provide coordination and administrative leadership for large‑scale, complex, and interdisciplinary grant proposals
- Support MURC’s structured Proposal Review and Go/No‑Go process, including:
- Blue Team (Strategy & Structuring): Assess strategic alignment, team composition, and institutional capacity at the earliest stage
- Pink Team (Drafting & Storyboarding): Review proposal structure, narrative coherence, and alignment with sponsor review criteria
- Red Team (Compliance & Reviewer Perspective): Conduct late‑stage competitiveness, clarity, and compliance review from a sponsor perspective
- Green Team (Budget & Cost Realism): Ensure budgets, cost sharing, and justifications are realistic and policy‑compliant
- Gold Team (Final Approval): Support final institutional review and authorization prior to submission
- Facilitate collaboration across departments, colleges, and external partners
- Support the Pre-Award team with internal review, routing, and final approval processes to ensure timely and compliant submission
Minimum Requirements
Education
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
Experience
- Minimum of three (3) years of grant writing or proposal development experience
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Demonstrated technical and persuasive writing proficiency
- Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously with minimal supervision
- Excellent organizational and time‑management skills
- Proven ability to work collaboratively with internal and external constituents
- Strong attention to detail and ability to meet strict deadlines
- Basic understanding of Budget Building for multi-year projects
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience supporting federal grant proposals (e.g., NIH, NSF, DOE)
- Familiarity with institutional proposal systems (e.g., Cayuse or similar)
- Experience using funding search tools (e.g., Grant Forward, Instrumentl, Foundation Directory Online)
- Experience working in a university, research corporation, or sponsored research environment
Location
MURC - Marshall University Research Corporation
Salary Range
$60,000-$70,000- Salary is commensurate with experience and internal equity
