The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture seeks a full-time Senior Proposal Coordinator to provide technical support and assistance to faculty and staff in the preparation of applications for external funding. OSP strives to provide the highest quality of support to faculty, staff, and research administrators by facilitating proposal preparation and submission; reviewing, negotiating, and accepting contracts; and managing awards. In addition, OSP ensures compliance with federal and state laws and UT policies, to clarify submission procedures and processing of awards for external sponsored program funds and to ensure a uniform administrative process.

OSP is committed to the professional development of its team and supports and encourages attendance to NCURA, SRA and other member organizations pertinent to the research administration field.

The anticipated salary range for a Senior Proposal Coordinator is $66,796.74 to $80,000.

THIS POSITION CAN BE FULLY REMOTE, IN-PERSON, OR HYBRID.

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The UTIA Office of Sponsored Programs provides proposal and contracting services to ten academic departments, two Extension departments, 95 county Extension offices, three regional Extension offices, ten Research and Education Centers, and several mission-related UTIA centers statewide. The UTIA office interacts with over three hundred different external agencies in its grant, contract, and cooperative agreement activities. This position has responsibility for providing technical support and assistance to faculty and staff in the preparation of applications for external funding. The responsibilities of this position are critical to OSP operations.

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Required Qualifications

• Education:
  • Bachelor’s degree
• Experience:
  • 6 years relevant to research administration/sponsored programs with a Bachelor's degree, or
  • 4 years relevant to research administration/sponsored programs with a Master's degree.
  • Graduate work or Graduate Assistantship experience may be considered toward required experience.
• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
  • Skilled with Microsoft Office tools, in particular Excel
  • Able to manage competing priorities and meet time-sensitive deadlines
  • Proficient professional writing skills for drafting correspondence
  • Demonstrate critical analysis abilities, adeptness in relating information to specific circumstances, and exercise judgment in the application of both University policies and federal regulations
  • Possess excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work individually and in a team environment under stressful and time-sensitive conditions
  • Ability to prioritize
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality regarding proposals, budgets, personnel salaries, and issues

Preferred Qualifications

• Education:
  • Master’s degree
• Experience:
  • Certified Research Administrator preferred
• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
  • Working knowledge of Federal funding requirements under Uniform Guidance 2 CFR Part 200
  • Working knowledge of University sponsored programs and fiscal policies and procedures
  • Skilled in interpreting and explaining federal regulations related to externally funded sponsored programs and knowledgeable of the requirements of state, federal, private and nonprofit funding agencies
  • Proficient in using sponsor specific submission systems with the ability to train others (Research.gov, Grants.gov, ezFedGrants, eRA Commons, etc.)
  • Working knowledge of Cayuse or Huron research administration systems

Work Location:

• Knoxville, Tennessee – fully remote available

Compensation and Benefits:

• UT market range: MR13
• Anticipated hiring range: $66,796.74 - $80,000
• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here
• Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions:

For best consideration, applicants should submit the materials below before 11/17/2025.

• Please apply online with a cover letter, resume, and complete contact information of three professional references.

About The College/Department/Division:

The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is dedicated to delivering the highest quality of support to faculty, staff, and research administrators by facilitating proposal preparation and submission; reviewing, negotiating, and accepting contracts; and managing awards. Additionally, OSP ensures compliance with federal and state regulations, as well as university policies.

OSP is committed to the ongoing professional development of its team and actively supports attendance at organizations such as NCURA, SRAI, and other research administration associations.

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The position entails providing technical support and assistance to faculty members in furtherance of the Institute’s research, education, and extension missions. Key duties involve analyzing requests for applications (RFAs) from funding agencies, offering expert guidance on proposal preparation, and initiating Cayuse proposals across diverse funding opportunities. The position will collaborate closely with faculty and business managers to develop project budgets that align with the statement of work. The position will work closely with the project team members to prepare required support documents, such as conflict of interest, biosketch, and current and pending documents, in accordance with sponsor guidelines. Additionally, the role entails coordinating and meticulously reviewing proposal packages for financial and administrative compliance, including large multi-year, multi-investigator proposals. Position will be responsible for establishing internal completion milestones to ensure timely and compliant submissions. The position will also deliver support and training to Institute stakeholders on budgetary and procedural matters pertinent to sponsored programs.

The position will provide proposal review and approval for junior staff members in the absence of the Assistant Director of Proposals and/or during heavy deadlines and will serve as a mentor and resource for junior staff members.