Pre-Award Team Lead

Job Description

Job Description

Company Description

The University of Notre Dame is more than a workplace; it is a vibrant, mission-driven community where every employee is valued and supported. Rooted in a tradition of excellence and inspired by our Catholic character, Notre Dame is committed to fostering an environment of care that nurtures the whole person—mind, body, and spirit. Here, you will find a deep sense of belonging, a culture that prioritizes well-being, and the opportunity to grow your career while being a force for good in the world. Whether contributing to world-class research, shaping the student experience, or supporting the University’s mission in other ways, you will be part of a dedicated team working to make a meaningful impact on campus and beyond. At Notre Dame, your work matters, and so do you! 

The Pre-Award Team Lead provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for a team of Pre-Award professionals within Notre Dame Research Administration and Compliance (NDRAC). Reporting to the Director of Pre-Award, this role leads the successful development, review, and submission of competitive grant and contract proposals while ensuring exceptional customer service to Notre Dame's research community. The Team Lead serves as a trusted advisor to faculty and research administrators, partners across the research administration enterprise, and fosters a collaborative, high-performing team dedicated to advancing the University's research mission.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead, mentor, and supervise a team of Pre-Award professionals, providing coaching, performance management, and professional development to promote a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Oversee the successful preparation, review, and timely submission of grant and contract proposals to federal, state, foundation, and industry sponsors, ensuring compliance with sponsor and University requirements.
• Manage team workloads and priorities, allocating resources to meet competing proposal deadlines while maintaining high-quality customer service.
• Perform quality review and quality assurance of proposal development activities to ensure accuracy, completeness, and compliance with sponsor guidelines and institutional policies.
• Serve as a subject matter expert and resource for complex pre-award issues, providing guidance on sponsor regulations, proposal strategies, budgeting, and institutional processes.
• Build and maintain strong partnerships with faculty, departmental research administrators, Research Contracts Administration, Grants Program Managers, Research Compliance, Research Business Information Systems, and other University stakeholders to support successful proposal development.
• Identify opportunities to improve proposal development processes, workflows, and operational efficiencies while supporting the implementation of best practices and evolving technologies.
• Develop and deliver technical training, onboarding, and professional development opportunities for Pre-Award staff to strengthen research administration knowledge and capabilities.
• Monitor proposal activity, team performance, and service metrics to ensure operational effectiveness and continuous improvement.
• Foster a collaborative, consultative environment that enables researchers to focus on pursuing externally funded research while receiving responsive, high-quality pre-award support.
• Support strategic initiatives and special projects that strengthen research administration services and contribute to the continued growth of Notre Dame's research enterprise.

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Management, or a related field.
• Minimum of five years of experience in pre-award administration, research administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of two years of supervisory or team leadership experience.
• Comprehensive knowledge of proposal development, sponsor submission requirements, and the research administration lifecycle.
• Strong leadership, organizational, analytical, project management, and customer service skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to build effective relationships across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret and apply sponsor regulations, institutional policies, and complex administrative requirements.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced, service-oriented environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, and other business technology tools.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting research administration across multiple institutions, including higher education.
• Experience working in highly collaborative, matrixed organizations.
• Demonstrated success leading process improvement initiatives and implementing operational best practices.
• Strong coaching, mentoring, and change management experience.

Please include resume and cover letter with your application.
Salary range: $100,000 - $135,000, commensurate with experience
Applications due by July 17, 2026

The University of Notre Dame seeks to attract, develop, and retain the highest quality faculty, staff and administration. The University is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or age in employment. Moreover, Notre Dame prohibits discrimination against veterans or disabled qualified individuals, and complies with 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-300.5(a). We strongly encourage applications from candidates attracted to a university with a Catholic identity.