Associate Director, Office Of Scholarship & Sponsored Projects

Pacific University achieves excellence and distinction by investing in exceptional people to think, care, create, and pursue justice in our world. We embrace discovery in a close and nurturing environment that leads to genuine transformation. Our community is diverse, sustainable, and dedicated to discovery and excellence in teaching, scholarship, and practice.

At Pacific University, we thrive in an extraordinary environment, surrounded by the beauty of the great Pacific Northwest, with campus locations in Forest Grove and Hillsboro. We humbly acknowledge and thank the original caretakers of the lands on which we live, work, teach, and acquire and share knowledge.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF POSITION

The Associate Director of the Office of Scholarship & Sponsored Projects (OSSP) is a senior-level administrative position responsible for managing and executing one of the two core functional areas of the office - either Sponsored Projects Administration or Research Integrity & Compliance - while also supporting the overall operations and leadership of OSSP. This position exists to ensure sustained depth of expertise in a critical research administration specialty area, to serve as operational lead in that domain, and to provide continuity of leadership in OSSP. Together with the Director, the Associate Director ensures that both specialty areas are fully and robustly covered at all times.

Note on Expertise Pathways: One of the two OSSP leadership positions (Director or Associate Director) will hold expertise in Sponsored Projects Administration; the other will hold expertise in Research Integrity & Compliance. The individual with Research Integrity & Compliance expertise serves as the university's designated Research Integrity Officer (RIO), regardless of title.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

I. Specialty Area Leadership [Area A or Area B - one required]

The Associate Director provides operational leadership and day-to-day management of their specialty area. The assignment is complementary to the Director's expertise.

Specialty Area A: Sponsored Projects Administration- 85%

(If the Associate Director holds this specialization)

• Manages the full lifecycle of sponsored grants and contracts, including pre-award development, award management, and non-financial post-award compliance for sponsored research, scholarly, and creative works and government grants.
• Advises faculty, staff, and students on identifying funding opportunities, developing competitive proposals, and meeting agency requirements.
• Reviews and approves proposals, budgets, and supporting documentation to ensure compliance with federal agency guidelines (NSF, NIH, DOE, NEA, NEH) and OMB Uniform Guidance.
• Manages and tracks grant/contract awards; ensures accurate financial reporting and post-award compliance in coordination with Finance & Administration.
• Supports and may serve as lead or co-author on institutional or collaborative grant applications.
• Negotiates and manages research agreements, material transfer agreements (MTAs), data use agreements, confidentiality agreements, and non-disclosure agreements.
• Develops and maintains databases of funding opportunities, submissions, and outcomes; develops handbooks and resources to support faculty grantsmanship.
• Maintains the university's registrations with federal grant portals (Grants.gov, NSF Research.gov, eRA Commons).

Specialty Area B: Research Integrity & Compliance- 85%

(If the Associate Director holds this specialization; this individual also serves as the Research Integrity Officer)

• Serves as the university's designated Research Integrity Officer (RIO): receives and evaluates allegations of research misconduct; manages inquiry and investigation processes; ensures compliance with ORI reporting requirements and federal regulations for research misconduct.
• Provides operational management and oversight of the IRB, IACUC, and IBC: processes and tracks initial and post-approved submissions; arranges, attends, and records meetings; manages the audit process per federal and university regulations.
• Monitors federal and state regulatory changes; ensures university policies and procedures are consistent with applicable guidelines; prepares required compliance reports.
• Develops and implements research compliance education and quality improvement programs across all five colleges, including training in RCR, COI, research security, export control, and human/animal subjects research.
• Manages clinical trial compliance and reporting on ClinicalTrials.gov; supports data sharing, export control, and controlled research activities.
• Serves as the university's liaison with external agencies (OHRP, FDA, etc.) during audits or inquiries.
• Works with the Compliance Office, HIPAA Privacy Officer, Legal Counsel, and relevant units to ensure research compliance in clinical and educational settings.
• Provides guidance and training on IRBNet and other electronic submission systems; maintains web presence for the IRB, IACUC, and IBC.

II. OSSP Operations & Shared Responsibilities- 15%

• Supports the Director in the daily administration and operations of OSSP, serving as acting Director when the Director is unavailable.
• Collaborates on the development and implementation of OSSP-wide policies, procedures, and strategic initiatives.
• Assists in OSSP budget management, including reconciliation with financial reports and supporting budget development.
• Organizes and leads faculty and student workshops, seminars, and training programs within the Associate Director's specialty area.
• Supervises professional staff and student workers within OSSP as assigned.
• Supports research and scholarly endeavors across both Divisions and works collaboratively with other campus units to advance a culture of research excellence, integrity, and innovation.
• Maintains and contributes to the OSSP website and communications.
• Collaborates with Finance & Administration, Legal Affairs, Human Resources, and other university units as relevant to specialty area.

EXPERTISE PATHWAY STRUCTURE

The Director and Associate Director together must ensure both Specialty Area A (Sponsored Projects Administration) and Specialty Area B (Research Integrity & Compliance) are continuously and fully covered. The following pathways describe how the two-person leadership team may be configured:

Pathway A

Director: Sponsored Projects expertise

Associate Director: Research Integrity & Compliance expertise (also serves as RIO)

Pathway B

Director: Research Integrity & Compliance expertise (also serves as RIO)

Associate Director: Sponsored Projects expertise

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Represents OSSP at relevant professional associations and conferences within the Associate Director's specialty area.
• Supports export control education and compliance as related to scholarly work.
• Works collaboratively with other campus units to support and promote scholarly endeavors, events, and initiatives across the university.
• Properly manages confidential documents and maintains good accounting practices, including processing of invoices and reimbursements.
• Other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITY

Supervises Professional Staff: The Associate Director supervises professional staff and student workers within their functional domain and is responsible for training, task delegation, and performance management support. May serve as acting Director in the Director's absence.

JOB SCOPE

The Associate Director operates with significant independence within their specialty area, making day-to-day decisions regarding compliance, grant administration, or regulatory oversight within established university and federal parameters. This role carries accountability for the accuracy, timeliness, and regulatory compliance of all activities within their functional domain. Errors in compliance or grant management may have consequences for the university's federal standing and research reputation. The Associate Director exercises professional judgment in complex situations and is expected to develop and refine policies, systems, and practices within their area.