The incumbent will primarily be acting as an external grants development & compliance specialist for the research programs under development or management within the Mushtaq Ahmad Gurmani School of Humanities and Social Sciences (‘MGSHSS’). The role involves the identification of external funding opportunities, review of research proposals, and assistance with and management of both pre-award and post-award grants.

Key Accountabilities:

• Complete Pre-Award project management of externally funded grants, including but not limited to review of research proposals, and budgets; liaison with the applicants and donors; timely submission of proposals, and announcement of results.
• Identification of grant opportunities from local & international donors, and their communication with MGSHSS’s faculty. Coordination with donors, and attendance of meetings/online sessions on behalf of MGSHSS to seek clarity on donor’s requirements & guidelines.
• Review of technical & financial proposals and work on their approvals from senior management. Align work packages with the budget and overall project scope. Ensure adherence to LUMS Policies & donor guidelines.
• Suggest improvements in proposals, considering specific requirements for each donor. The activity may include preparing a budget for the applicants on a case-to-case basis.
• Coordinate with other departments and arrange all organization-related supporting documentation required for proposal submission.
• Maintain internal database of all funding opportunities & proposal submissions.
• Account management for all national and international donors. Ensure to submit applications timely on the online portals, where applicable.
• Conduct due diligence for the organization. The incumbent will prepare and collect all documentation and coordinate with internal/external departments.
• Assist in getting ethics approval for the research studies.
• Review LUMS research policies on a time-to-time basis and devise new policies, if required.
• Contribute to the preparation of annual assessment reports for the department.
• Follow up with donors and faculty members to track the application status and keep the internal record updated.
• Assist in conducting training sessions related to proposal preparation
• Extracting data and compiling research-related information in MS Excel for the consumption of stakeholders.
• Preparation of PowerPoint presentations and reports at regular intervals.

Knowledge and Skills

• Knowledge of Project Management practices
• Some understanding and appreciation of research practices in the humanities and social sciences
• Effective interpersonal communication skills
• Presentation skills
• Excellent analytical abilities and grip on MS Excel
• Ability to work under strict deadlines and manage multiple assignments concurrently 
• Budgeting experience would be preferred

Behaviors

• Integrity
• Accountable
• Committed
• Team player