Director of Sponsored Projects

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PROVOST AND ACADEMIC VICE PRESIDENT

Locations:

Macomb, IL Posted:

Apr 6, 2026

Closes:

Open Until Filled Type:

FT -

Continuous Position ID:

199111

Share About Western Illinois University:

Recognized as a "Best Midwestern College" by the Princeton Review. Western Illinois University, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, serves nearly 5,500 students at its traditional, residential campus in Macomb, IL and its metropolitan, non-residential branch campus in Moline, IL.

Job Description:

APPOINTMENT

July 1, 2026

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Supervises professional staff and student workers. Oversees pre-award, post-award and regulatory compliance (IRB, IACUC, etc.) areas. Responsible for hiring, firing, discipline, training, assigning and reviewing work, approval of leave and time cards. Serves as Authorized Institutional Official for review and submission of proposals and acceptance of awards from external funding agencies. Accepts grants on behalf of the University. Reviews federal and state regulations. Interprets, develops, and recommends written policies and procedures to the Provost based on the regulations. Also, develops, administers and interprets university-wide procedures in response to state and/or federal requirements. Works closely with the Business Office (daily transactions, reports, system issues, payroll, etc), Internal Auditing, and External Auditors ( annual audit and SEF A compliance) Provides support and oversight to the University Research Council internal grant program. Ex-officio member of the WIU Foundation Summer Stipend committee. Serves as liaison between university and outside funding agencies. Also serves as liaison between university and other state universities with regards to grants and contracts, regulatory compliance and intellectual property. Serves as University Technology Transfer and Intellectual Property Officer. Works with faculty and staff to ensure intellectual property is protected. Chairs the Intellectual Property Oversight Committee. Provides assistance and guidance in proposal preparation and internal university review and approval. Obtains, analyzes and disseminates to the campus community information about funding opportunities from federal, state, and private sources. Writes sub-contractual agreements when needed. Serves as University Academic Integrity Officer and Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) Represents the University at national, state, and local meetings related to grant and/or contract programming and administration.

RANK & SALARY

Full-time appointment. $90,000 to $114,000 per year; negotiable, commensurate with experience. Western Illinois University employees may be eligible for a variety of State of Illinois benefits. These benefits are administered through the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS).

These benefits include:

Health Insurance plans, (HMO's, OAP's, QCHP, and CDHP), Dental Insurance, Vision Plan, Life Insurance, Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D), Supplemental Long-Term Disability (LTD), Flex Spending Accounts (HAS, MCAP, and DCAP), 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Plans and 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plans. Eligible employees are required to participate in the State Universities Retirement System (SURS). SURS is the retirement administrator for employees in public higher education in the State of Illinois. Other benefits available to eligible employees include: paid time-off, Employee Assistance Program, Tuition Waiver programs, and discounts to the local YMCA. For a full list of benefits as a WIU employee, please visit our

Benefits Homepage:

https://www.wiu.edu/human_resources/benefits/. For questions on benefits, or eligibility, contact our benefits team at HR-Benefits@wiu.edu or by calling 309-298-1971.

Requirements:

Master's degree in a relevant field. At least five years of sponsored projects/research administration experience (including pre-award, post-award, and compliance functions) at a regionally accredited, 4-year institution of higher education. Supervisory experience is required as well as a demonstrated understanding, support and appreciation of faculty scholarship endeavors. Demonstrated excellent oral and written communication skills and ability to collaborate with multiple academic and administrative offices across campus. Able to work with funding agencies and represent the University in a professional manner. Knowledge of federal, state and university regulations, policies and procedures. Ability to network with peers (in-person and virtually). For a degree to be considered, it must be conferred from a regionally accredited degree-granting institution of higher education (or equivalent from an international accrediting body). Unless otherwise stated, the degree must be conferred at the time of appointment.

Additional Information:

THE DEPARTMENT

Office of Sponsored Projects - Administering Grants and Research Projects The mission of the Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) at Western Illinois University is to provide comprehensive support services to the University community for the successful administration of externally sponsored projects. OSP is committed to providing a full range of administrative services to the faculty, staff and administrative units at WIU. The goal of the OSP staff is to deliver our support services in an efficient and professional manner, which is in full compliance with external sponsoring agency guidelines.

THE UNIVERSITY

About WIU Since 1899, Western Illinois University has provided outstanding educational opportunities to individuals in west central Illinois and well beyond our region and state. WIU's traditional residential campus in Macomb, Illinois, is the educational, cultural and athletic center of the region, while the WIU-Quad Cities non-residential branch campus in Moline, Illinois, is the only public university in the immediate Quad Cities region.

WIU-Macomb, IL:

Western's traditional, residential main campus offers a comprehensive slate of undergraduate and graduate programs, including a doctorate in education, and post-baccalaureate certificates. A diverse community in west central Illinois, Macomb features a unique blend of agriculture, industry, service, retail, education, and culture. Macomb serves as the county seat, with connections across the state with Amtrak providing twice-daily service from Macomb to Chicago (and point in between). Macomb is located approximately 75 miles from the Quad Cities International Airport (Moline, IL) and 70 miles from the Greater Peoria Regional Airport (Peoria, IL).

WIU-Quad Cities:

Located on the banks of the Mississippi River in Moline, Illinois, the WIU-Quad Cities campus is the only public four-year regional university that serves the Quad Cities region. Designed as a metropolitan commuter campus, WIU-Quad Cities offers select undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs. Moline is located just 80 miles north of the Macomb campus and is centered within a diverse, bi-state community of 383,000 that offers a broad range of cultural, social, and entertainment amenities and experiences, as well as varied businesses and industries. Academics More than 61 undergraduate degree programs, 41 graduate programs, two doctoral programs and 16 post-baccaulaureate certificate programs prepare students for a successful career after graduation. Student Resources More than 200 student organizations at Western provide social, academic, recreation, athletics, service, academic, and many other opportunities for students to grow and learn, develop leadership skills, and much more. Numerous concerts, lectures, films, dance performances, cultural events and more are presented and performed each year, along with numerous major theatrical and dance productions and studio shows, and a variety of service-oriented projects and activities. WIU Intercollegiate Athletics The University's athletics program, based on the Macomb campus, sponsors 17 NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's and women's varsity sports. All varsity sports compete at the Division I level through

The Ohio Valley Conference Application Instructions:

Complete applications include: 1) a letter of application 2) current curriculum vita or resume 3) copies of unofficial or official academic transcripts; official copies will be requested of selected candidate 4) the names, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses of three current professional references Please upload the requested documents by clicking APPLY NOW or by navigating to the WIU Employment page at the following URL http://www.wiu.edu/employment/ •Note•In order to upload Individual documents must be under 2 MB in size. Screening will begin on May 1, 2026 Western Illinois University endeavors to provide a safe environment for its employees and students and requires candidates to submit to a background investigation upon offer of employment. Employment is contingent upon compliance with University policies and procedures relating to the receipt and evaluation of information contained in the background investigation. Western Illinois University is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity employer. In that spirit, we are particularly interested in receiving applications from a broad spectrum of people, including, but not limited to, minorities, veterans, women and individuals with disabilities. WIU has a non-discrimination policy that includes discrimination based on an individual's membership in the following classes: sex, race, color, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, marital status, national origin, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and any other classes protected by state or federal law. Questions regarding the search may be directed to: Holly Sutton at HS-Sutton@wiu.edu. For assistance with the online application system contact the Office of Human Resources at (309) 298-1971 or via email at hr-recruitment@wiu.edu.