Pre-Award Project Manager - Grants Hub

Pre-Award Project Manager - Grants Hub

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

Enjoy bringing people, ideas, and resources together to turn ambitious research concepts into competitive funding proposals? Looking for a role where you can collaborate with researchers and stakeholders across a wide range of disciplines?

If so, the Grants Hub is seeking a Pre-Award Project Manager to support the successful development of interdisciplinary research (IDR) teams and proposals at Iowa State University! This position will coordinate the preparation and submission of large, complex grant proposals involving multiple stakeholders and provide project management support to IDR teams, starting from team formation and continuing through handoff to a post-award project manager. This position will be classified as a Research Administrator II.

The Pre-Award Project Manager will work with researchers from all colleges and disciplines, with an emphasis on large, center-type proposals that involve researchers and stakeholders from multiple colleges, institutions, and sectors. This role will also serve as the primary point of contact to coordinate the Grants Hub’s comprehensive team-based proposal development support for selected IDR teams.

What You'll Do

• Develop proposal checklists and calendars, identify key milestones and deadlines, assign tasks, and track progress towards deliverables.

• Work with IDR teams to identify and manage project scope, goals, risks, resources, and stakeholders.

• Develop project communications and reporting plans.

• Manage proposal-related communications with IDR teams, collaborators, stakeholders, and other sponsored funding support staff and actively participate in and facilitate working group meetings.

• Manage preparations and logistics for site visits and reverse site visits.

• Provide back-up and supplemental pre-award administration support, including budget development, document collection and review, and proposal routing and submission.

• Collaborate with other Grants Hub staff and external consultants to coordinate proposal-strengthening activities such as strategic intelligence analyses and color team reviews.

• Identify and implement improvements to project management and pre-award research administration processes, including through development of AI agents and automated workflows.

• The successful candidate will have exceptional organizational and time management skills; strong oral and written communications skills; a proactive and collaborative approach to customer service and relationship building; a high attention to detail; and the ability to adjust to shifting deadlines and priorities.

• The successful candidate must reside in the state of Iowa on or before their start date. This position offers the flexibility to work on-site in Ames or in a hybrid work arrangement as well.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience in managing the development and submission of complex research grant proposals and budgets involving multiple investigators and subcontracts.
• Experience with Federal regulations and agency policies and guidelines for sponsored research, proposal submission, and budgeting.
• Demonstrated experience working with interdisciplinary research teams, preferably in a university environment.
• Experience developing and managing strategic partnerships and collaborating with multiple stakeholders.
• Experience and/or formal training or certification in project management methodologies, frameworks, and best practices applied to complex research projects, grant development, or strategic initiatives involving interdisciplinary teams and multiple stakeholders.
• Experience leveraging technology, AI tools, and/or automated workflows to improve project management, grant development, research administration, or other complex administrative processes.

About Grants Hub at Iowa State University:

• The Grants Hub is Iowa State’s central research development unit, located within the Office of the Vice President for Research. We are proactive and future-focused, providing strategic pre-award support and consultation to help researchers successfully compete for funding and build high-impact research teams. Our broad range of services are available to new and experienced investigators from all colleges, departments, and disciplines. To learn more, please visit Grants Hub.

• Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship. Immigration sponsorship is not available for this position.

Appointment Type:

• Regular

Number of Months Employed Per Year:

• 12 Month Work Period

Time Type:

• Full time

Pay Grade:

• PS808

Original Posting Date:

• October 15, 2026

Posting Close Date:

• October 28, 2026

Job Requisition Number:

• R20102

• Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. Veteran. Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies may be directed to Office of Equal Opportunity, 2680 Beardshear Hall, 515 Morrill Road, Ames, Iowa 50011, Tel. 515-294-7612.

• General ISU compensation information can be found on the University Human Resources website. Please note that this is only a list of ranges and individuals will be paid commensurate with qualifications.

• Current employees (excluding temporary, student and graduate assistants) must apply through the Workday Internal Careers Hub.

• About Us

• By focusing on the future and providing the best student experience possible, Iowa State University attracts students and faculty who want to make a difference. With a comprehensive land-grant mission of education, research, extension and outreach, we produce scholars whose ideas change the world. And through Innovate at Iowa State, we provide innovative and entrepreneurial opportunities for students of all backgrounds. Located just 30 minutes north of Des Moines, the city of Ames was recently named one of the Top 10 cities in the U.S. for campus life and career opportunities.

• Iowa State University is a welcoming community of students, faculty, and staff. Campus community members have a wide range of backgrounds and experiences and are committed to engaging with each other respectfully as outlined in the university's Principles of Community. Iowa State recognizes that diverse intellectual and philosophical perspectives are vital to innovation, critical thinking skills, and a dynamic academic community that fosters the land-grant ideals of putting science, technology, and human creativity to work.

• All offers of employment, oral and written, are contingent upon the university’s verification of credentials and other information required by federal and state law, ISU policies/procedures, and may include the completion of a background check and/or a consumer credit check.

• Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. Veteran. Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies may be directed to Office of Equal Opportunity, 2680 Beardshear Hall, 515 Morrill Road, Ames, Iowa 50011, Tel. 515-294-7612.

• If you have questions about the application process please contact the Office of Human Resources.