Proposal Development Specialist I

Company: Sparks Group
Location: Silver Spring
Posted on: February 20, 2026

Job Description:

Job Description Job Description Job Summary/Company : Sparks Group, in partnership with a leading healthcare research organization, is seeking an entry-level Proposal Development Specialist to join the Sponsored Research team. In this role, you will help prepare sponsored research proposals, focusing on budget development, supporting documentation, and ensuring compliance with sponsor requirements and internal policies. You will also manage all sponsor requirements and requests leading up to the Notice of Award. If you're looking for an opportunity to excel in your career while working alongside a group of like-minded, highly intelligent, and hard-working professionals, apply now! Responsibilities : Sponsored Research Support: Initiate pre-application meetings with Principal Investigators (PIs) and act as a liaison between the Proposal Development team, Pre-Award team, and PIs to meet requirements and deadlines. Collaborate with team members to ensure consistent support for proposals. Proposal Development & Just-In-Time (JIT) Support: Assist investigators with questions about sponsors, funding opportunities, and the proposal process. Manage pre-award activities, ensuring compliance with grant management rules and regulations. Review and Coordination: Thoroughly review funding announcements and inform investigators of unique requirements. Coordinate and review proposal elements for consistency, accuracy, and completeness, including budget, formatting, and page limits. System Management & Approvals: Ensure proposals are accurately entered into the grants system and sponsor portals. Facilitate and monitor proposals through the internal routing and approval process, securing all necessary sign-offs. Qualifications/Background Profile : Bachelor’s degree highly preferred in Finance, Business Administration, Hospital Administration, Public Administration, or a related field; equivalent education, training, and experience will also be considered. Minimum of 1 year of experience in grants, contracts, finance, or budget-related roles within a healthcare, academic, research, or corporate environment. Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office tools (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams) and Adobe, along with internal research operation systems. Demonstrated critical thinking, problem-solving skills, strong attention to detail, and excellent organizational abilities. Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills This job is Hybrid Remote. Pay Range: Salary $72,000.00 to $77,000.00 We offer several comprehensive benefits package including health and life insurance, paid and unpaid time off, and retirement and savings plans to qualifying employees. Download the Sparks Group mobile app from Apple App Store or Google Play . Sparks Group is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, pregnancy, citizenship, family status, genetic information, disability, or protect veteran status.

Keywords: Sparks Group, Alexandria , Proposal Development Specialist I, Administration, Clerical , Silver Spring, Virginia