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May 22, 2015

Dear Colleague:

The Policy Office, within the Division of Institution and Award Support (DIAS) in the Office of Budget, Finance & Award Management (BFA) at the National Science Foundation (NSF) announces an opportunity for an individual with demonstrated experience in grant administration and management to assist the Policy Office in development and implementation of policies and procedures for the Foundation’s assistance programs.

Formal consideration of applications will begin on July 13, 2015 and will continue until a selection is made.

This position is a temporary appointment under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) for one year, with a possibility of renewal for a second year. The appointee will need to relocate to the Washington D.C. Metro area for the term of the appointment. The position will be filled at the equivalent of a GS-13 Federal Government employee salary (range of $90,823 to $118,069).

Under the IPA provisions, the appointee remains on the payroll of his/her home institution and the home institution will continue to administer pay and benefits. The National Science Foundation (NSF) will reimburse the home institution for NSF’s negotiated share of the cost of the assignment. Individuals eligible for an IPA assignment include employees of State and local government agencies, institutions of higher education, Indian tribal governments, federally funded research and development centers and qualified nonprofit organizations.

The appointee will assist with the full range of activities in the Policy Office including an emphasis on pilot activities aimed at reducing administrative burden for faculty, administrators and NSF staff. The Policy Office is also responsible for:

• Providing guidance on policies and procedures related to NSF's electronic proposal and award systems;
• Reviewing and approving all NSF proposal-generating documents;
• Coordination of outreach programs for external stakeholders and NSF staff;
• Coordination for the release of timely and relevant information regarding NSF policies and procedures that cover proposal preparation, merit review, and award management.

The incumbent will work closely with BFA staff, NSF Program Officers, the Office of the General Counsel and other NSF staff. Specific duties will include:

• Development of training materials aimed at improving communication of NSF policies and procedures;
• Responding to questions posed by researchers, Sponsored Projects Office (SPO) administrators, and NSF staff; and
• Assisting with efforts related to enhancement of the Foundation's electronic systems including proposal submission modernization and automated compliance checking.

Additional special projects may include:

• Serving on and providing input to intramural and interagency working groups addressing important topics in the field of grants management. In addition to providing analytical support to various working groups, the incumbent would develop briefing materials for the National Science Board, senior management and NSF staff.

Applicants should possess in-depth knowledge of pre- and post-award policies and regulations at the federal level. They should have five or more years of experience in a position with responsibility for grants management and administration. Additionally, applicants should possess excellent oral and written communication skills.

Applications will be accepted from US Citizens. Recent changes in Federal Appropriations Law require Non-Citizens to meet certain eligibility criteria to be considered. Therefore, Non-Citizens must certify eligibility by signing and attaching this Citizenship Affidavit to their application Non-citizens who do not provide the affidavit at the time of application will be considered for IPA only. We also ask that you complete and submit the Applicant Survey Form. This will help NSF to ensure that our recruiting efforts are attracting a diverse candidate pool; it will be used for statistical purposes only.

Applicants should e-mail a letter of interest, a resume or curriculum vitae, and a brief (no more than 3 pages) writing sample to ipa_policy@nsf.gov no later than close of business, July 10, 2015. Examples of appropriate writing samples include, but are not limited to, articles published in grants management journals or professional newsletters, analyses of current issues affecting the research community or excerpts of organizational policies the incumbent has personally written, such as guidance to staff or standard operating procedures.

The desired starting date for the position is negotiable, although it is expected that the IPA would begin the appointment in late Fall, 2015. We look forward to receiving and reviewing applications for this exciting and mutually beneficial employment opportunity in the BFA/DIAS Policy Office.

NSF IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER COMMITTED TO EMPLOYING
A HIGHLY QUALIFIED STAFF THAT REFLECTS THE DIVERSITY OF OUR NATION.