Your Responsibilities

The Grant Office is a central hub at ISTA, enabling our researchers to secure and manage competitive external funding from national and international sources. The unit plays a strategic role in ISTA’s mission to conduct world-class research. The Grant Office consists of two teams - Pre-Award (application preparation and submission) and Post-Award (contract negotiation and financial management) - led by experienced team leads. Working closely with research coordinators, a dedicated legal expert, and specialists in digitalization, the Head of the Grant Office provides vision, leadership, and strategic oversight to ensure ISTA researchers are supported at the highest level. Beyond its core function, the Grant Office is also a driver of innovation in science administration, shaping processes across the institute. Close collaboration with other central units, such as HR and Finance, is a key part of this role.

• Lead, inspire, and develop a strong and motivated team (currently ~20 members, including 2 team leads)
• Provide strategic direction for the Grant Office, ensuring alignment with ISTA’s growth and research strategy
• Ensure smooth operations across the full grant lifecycle, from proposal to project completion
• Drive process innovation and digitalization in collaboration with other administrative units
• Liaise with national and international external stakeholders including funding bodies, cooperation partners, and auditors
• Act as a trusted advisor to leadership, researchers, and administrative peers

Your Profile

• Academic degree and several years of experience in research administration, grant management, or comparable fields
• Proven leadership experience in an international environment; ability to lead through both direct and indirect reports
• Strong strategic mindset with a proactive, innovative approach to science administration
• Experience in process optimization and/or digital transformation of administrative workflows
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build trustful relationships across functions
• Fluency in English; good working knowledge of German