Assistant Director of Pre-Award (Outgoing Awards)

The Talent Acquisition department hires qualified candidates to fill positions which contribute to the overall strategic success of Howard University. Hiring staff “for fit” makes significant contributions to Howard University’s overall mission.

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Here is what we offer:

• Health & Wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, plus mental health support

• Work-Life Balance: PTO, paid holidays, flexible work arrangements

• Financial Wellness: Competitive salary, 403(b) with company match

• Professional Development: Ongoing training, tuition reimbursement, and career advancement paths

• Additional Perks: Wellness programs, commuter benefits, and a vibrant company culture

Join Howard University and thrive with us!

https://hr.howard.edu/benefits-wellness

JOB PURPOSE

The Assistant Director, Pre-Award leads Howard University's outgoing subaward function within the Sponsored Programs Office (SPO), Pre-Award. The role provides direct staff supervision and technical and operational oversight for subrecipient classification, proposal- and award-stage subrecipient documentation, pre-issuance risk assessment, subaward drafting and negotiation, execution and amendment of outgoing subawards, applicable federal transparency reporting, and documented handoff to Post-Award/Compliance and other downstream functions. The position reports to the Senior Director, Sponsored Programs Office, Pre-Award, and is accountable for timely, accurate, policy-aligned, and audit-ready administration of the outgoing awards portfolio.

SUPERVISORY AUTHORITY

Directly supervises staff assigned to the outgoing awards/subaward function. Responsibilities include workload assignment and balancing, technical review, coaching and cross-training, performance management, coverage planning, quality assurance, and escalation of capacity or performance concerns. The Assistant Director may also provide functional direction to other staff supporting outgoing award activities.

NATURE AND SCOPE

This position reports directly to the Senior Director, Sponsored Programs Office (SPO), Pre-Award and serves as the first-line manager and senior technical lead for the outgoing awards function. The role is focused primarily on outgoing subawards issued under federal, federal flow-through, state, local, nonprofit, foundation, industry, and other sponsored programs. The position manages the front-end subaward lifecycle from intake and classification through due diligence, risk assessment, drafting, negotiation, execution, modification, federal transparency reporting when applicable, and documented transition to the appropriate downstream owner.

The Assistant Director collaborates closely with Pre-Award colleagues, Post-Award (including Post-Award Compliance), the Office of General Counsel, Research Compliance, Finance, Procurement, Accounts Payable, principal investigators, academic departments, and subrecipient organizations. The position is responsible for establishing clean handoffs and clear ownership across the lifecycle. It does not replace responsibilities assigned to principal investigators for programmatic oversight, Post-Award/Compliance for ongoing subrecipient monitoring, or Finance, Procurement, Accounts Payable, Legal, and other central offices for functions within their respective authority.

The position requires demonstrated fluency in university or comparable sponsored research administration; advanced knowledge of outgoing subawards and pass-through entity responsibilities; working knowledge of 2 CFR Part 200 and applicable sponsor and federal requirements, including FAR/DFARS provisions when relevant; and disciplined use of research administration and enterprise systems. The incumbent must be able to manage people and a complex portfolio, independently analyze and apply requirements, maintain accurate and audit-ready records, identify cross-functional dependencies and control gaps, and escalate issues early with a clear analysis of the risk and recommended path forward.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

Outgoing Award & Subrecipient Review

• Lead review and classification of proposed downstream relationships, ensuring that subrecipient-versus-contractor or consultant determinations are based on the substance of the relationship and are documented before a subaward is issued.

• Ensure required proposal- and award-stage subrecipient documentation is complete, current, and consistent with the approved scope, budget, period of performance, prime award, sponsor requirements, and institutional approvals.

• Oversee preparation, review, negotiation, execution, and amendment of domestic and foreign outgoing subawards using University-approved, Federal Demonstration Partnership, sponsor, or other appropriate agreement templates and required flow-down provisions.

• Review subaward terms and proposed actions for sponsor prior approvals, fixed-amount or cost-reimbursement requirements, cost share or other institutional commitments, changes in scope or key personnel, special conditions, and other matters requiring institutional action.

• Apply approved institutional positions and escalation pathways; coordinate with leadership, Office of General Counsel, Compliance, Finance, or other responsible offices when non-standard terms, legal issues, sponsor restrictions, or material institutional risks arise.

Portfolio Ownership, Staff Leadership & Workflow Control

• Manage the outgoing awards portfolio and team workload, ensuring each matter has a current status, next action, responsible party, dependencies, and expected timing in the designated institutional system of record.

• Establish clear performance expectations, review work for technical quality and completeness, coach and cross-train staff, and address recurring errors, capacity concerns, or performance issues through appropriate management action.

• Meet established SPO response and processing standards; proactively manage aging, follow up on outstanding items, distinguish SPO processing time from external dependencies, and escalate stalled matters before sponsor, institutional, or regulatory deadlines are jeopardized.

• Do not report or close a matter as complete until required classification, risk review, agreement actions, approvals, documentation, system updates, applicable reporting, and downstream handoffs are complete and can be verified.

Compliance, Risk Assessment & Pre-Issuance Controls

• Oversee and document required pre-issuance subrecipient risk assessments and due diligence for applicable federal and federal flow-through subawards, including review of organizational status, exclusions, audit information, prior performance, financial or operational concerns, foreign involvement, and other relevant risk indicators.

• Ensure identified risks are translated into a documented monitoring approach or special conditions proportionate to the assessed risk and that material concerns are resolved, escalated, or formally accepted through the appropriate institutional authority before execution.

• Oversee applicability determinations and timely completion of required federal transparency reporting for first-tier subawards and modifications, including retention of reporting evidence and correction or reconciliation of identified exceptions.

• Research and apply 2 CFR Part 200, sponsor terms, applicable FAR/DFARS provisions, institutional policy, and established guidance; escalate matters requiring specialized review with a concise issue summary, governing requirement, identified risk, and recommended options.

Systems, Documentation & Data Integrity

• Use and enforce the designated systems of record and workflow tools, including Cayuse, Workday, ticketing or case-management tools, sponsor systems, and approved repositories, to maintain complete and current records for outgoing award matters.

• Maintain audit-rea