"Alerted.org

Req #: 246752

Department: DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE

Posting Date: 06/10/2025

Closing Info:

Closes On 06/17/2025

Salary: $7,548 - $10,417 per month

Limited Recruitment: **Open to Department employees only**

Shift: First Shift

Notes:

As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs. For a complete description of our benefits for this position, please visit our website, click here. (https://hr.uw.edu/benefits/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/02/benefits-professional-staff-librarians-academic-contract-covered-exempt-20250130-a11y.pdf)

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills, and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits, and natural beauty.

The Department of Medicine has an outstanding opportunity for a Pre-Award Shared Services Lead to join their team.** **POSITION PURPOSE

The Pre-Award Shared Services Lead provides strategic leadership in the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of a shared service model for pre-award activities across the Department of Medicine’s 11 divisions. This role is instrumental in shaping the Department’s research administration infrastructure and aligning it with institutional goals and compliance standards.

The incumbent will lead the design and institutionalization of best practices for pre-award operations, including standardized workflows for budget development, proposal preparation, and submission. They will ensure that all submissions meet complex regulatory requirements at the institutional, state, and federal levels, and will serve as a key authority on compliance and risk mitigation.

Acting with delegated authority from the Department Chair, this position will independently review and approve high-value, high-risk proposals and contracts. The incumbent will also serve as a strategic advisor to faculty and leadership, and will represent the Department in institutional policy discussions and external collaborations.

Additionally, the Pre-Award Shared Services Lead will develop and deliver training programs, mentor new staff, and foster a culture of continuous learning and operational excellence in research administration.

POSITION COMPLEXITIES

This position operates at a high level of strategic and operational complexity, requiring deep expertise in pre-award research administration, academic medical research, and regulatory compliance across local, state, federal, and institutional levels. The incumbent must lead the implementation of a scalable shared service model that supports the diverse and evolving needs of 11 divisions within the Department of Medicine, each with unique research portfolios and funding mechanisms.

The role demands advanced leadership in organizational change management, including the ability to influence and align cross-functional teams, develop and implement policy, and drive continuous improvement across a large, decentralized academic environment. The incumbent must demonstrate exceptional judgment, business acumen, and decision-making skills in high-stakes, time-sensitive situations.

The position requires frequent engagement with senior leadership, including Division Heads, the Department Chair, Vice Chairs, and the Dean’s Office, as well as collaboration with central university offices and external research institutions. The incumbent must navigate complex inter-institutional relationships and funding structures, often serving as the Department’s representative in high-level negotiations and compliance discussions.

The complexity is further amplified by the need to balance standardization with flexibility, ensuring that shared services are both efficient and responsive to the specialized needs of faculty and research teams. The incumbent plays a critical role in shaping the Department’s research infrastructure and ensuring its alignment with institutional goals and national best practices.

POSITION DIMENSIONS AND IMPACT TO THE UNIVERSITY

The Department of Medicine is the largest and most research-intensive department within the University of Washington School of Medicine, accounting for approximately 60% of the School’s total workforce and financial activity. With over 3,900 faculty, staff, trainees, and students, and annual research expenditures exceeding $300 million across 1,000 active awards, the Department plays a central role in advancing the University’s research mission.

This position is pivotal in ensuring the integrity, efficiency, and strategic alignment of the Department’s pre-award operations. By leading the implementation of a scalable shared service model, the incumbent will directly influence the quality and competitiveness of over 1,400 annual proposal submissions. The success of this model has the potential to serve as a blueprint for other departments within the School of Medicine and beyond.

The role carries significant institutional responsibility, including delegated authority to approve proposals on behalf of the Department Chair and to represent the Department in high-level compliance and policy discussions. Errors in this role could result in substantial financial loss, reputational damage, and disruption to critical research activities.

As a key architect of the Department’s research infrastructure, the incumbent ensures that pre-award processes are executed with the highest standards of compliance, accuracy, and service excellence—safeguarding the University’s relationships with federal agencies, foundations, and partner institutions.

**DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES** STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP IN SHARED SERVICE MODEL DEVELOPMENT (35%)

+ Lead the strategic design, implementation, and continuous refinement of a scalable shared service model for pre-award activities across the Department of Medicine.

+ Develop and institutionalize standardized processes, templates, and best practices that align with School of Medicine and University-wide research administration goals.

+ Facilitate cross-divisional collaboration and consensus-building among faculty and administrators to ensure adoption and sustainability of the shared service model.

+ Identify and implement innovative solutions to improve efficiency, compliance, and service quality in pre-award operations.

+ Establish and monitor performance metrics and KPIs to evaluate service delivery and inform strategic planning.

+ Design and deliver comprehensive training programs and onboarding resources for divisional staff and new hires.

+ Represent the Department in institutional working groups and strategic planning committees related to research administration.ADVANCED GRANT AND CONTRACT PROPOSAL MANAGEMENT (35%)

+ Serve as the Department’s senior advisor and subject matter expert on complex research proposals, including large-scale, multi-institutional, and interdisciplinary initiatives.

+ Lead the preparation and submission of high-profile proposals such as NIH program projects, cooperative agreements, and institutional training grants.

+ Oversee the development of detailed budgets, justifications, and compliance documentation in collaboration with faculty and external partners.

+ Ensure all submissions meet evolving federal, sponsor, and institutional requirements, and proactively address potential compliance risks.

+ Act as the primary liaison for collaborative proposals involving external institutions, foundations, and government agencies.

+ Cultivate and maintain relationships with funding agencies to stay informed of emerging opportunities and policy changes.INSTITUTIONAL COMPLIANCE, REVIEW AUTHORITY, AND POLICY ENGAGEMENT (30%)

+ Exercise delegated authority to review and approve high-risk, high-value proposals on behalf of the Department Chair.

+ Serve as the Department’s lead representative in institutional policy discussions and compliance initiatives related to sponsored research.

+ Provide expert guidance to faculty and staff on complex regulatory and policy issues, and lead the implementation of new compliance protocols.

+ Collaborate with central offices (OSP, GCA, IRB, etc.) to resolve escalated issues and ensure alignment with institutional standards.

+ Participate in national and regional research administration forums and share insights with internal stakeholders to inform best practices.

+ Mentor junior staff and contribute to the professional development of the Department’s research administration community.Lead Responsibilities

+ Serve as lead for the pre-award activities of the department. Likely to supervise in the near future. **MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS**

+ Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or related field.

+ A minimum of five (5) years progressively responsible experience with extramural proposal preparation and dealing with proposal parathion issues including, but not limited to, compliance and policy issues, foundation and federal policies and practices. **Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.** **ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS**

+ Demonstrated experience of successfully handing multiple projects with critical deadlines.

+ Ability to work independently with a minimum level of supervision and high degree of reliability, accuracy and productivity.

+ Work well under stress in a fast paced environment with competing priorities.

+ Intermediate computer skills – computer proficiency with spreadsheets (excel), word processing and databases in Windows environment.

+ Detail Oriented.

+ Excellent communication skills – both written and verbal.

+ Ability to work well in a team.

+ Ability to handle confidential information responsibly.

+ Excellent customer service skills as the Department provides service to multiple customers including 11 divisions, the Associate Chair of Research, and the Department Chair.

+ Ability to creatively problem solve.

+ Strong organizational ability. **DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS**

+ In depth knowledge of University financial system, policies, and procedures.

+ Experience in preparation of program project proposals.

+ Experience in a research or academic higher education health care organization with emphasis on successfully. **Application Process:** The application process may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment, you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are access ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.\#UWDeptMedicineJobs

University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, among other things, race, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.