Director, Research & Innovation

Multicultural Statement

At DePaul University, we are looking for candidates who want to join us in our mission to provide access to education for all. Successful candidates welcome ideas and perspectives from colleagues and students representing a wide variety of cultures, backgrounds, religious beliefs, and experiences. We seek collaborative, open-minded and hard working professionals to work in a real world urban learning environment. Are you exceptional, yet modest and open to challenges? We seek achievers and leaders that want to bring their passion and skills to our well-respected community of approachable colleagues. Build your career with us.    

General Summary

The Director of Research and Innovation Strategies as well as the Chief of Staff in the Office of Research Services will report to the Associate Provost for Research. The major responsibilities of the candidate are: 1) to assist in the development and revision of policies related to research and scholarship; 2) to manage internal grant program proposals; 3) to provide oversight for internally funded projects to ensure compliance with university regulations; 4) to encourage major inter-institutional and public-private partnerships; and 5) to collaborate with executive team members to determine and prioritize research and innovation strategies. This position will provide leadership and guide ORS to meet each of these responsibilities and to foster an environment conducive to research and other scholarly and creative activities. 

Responsibilities & Duties

• As the Director of Research and Innovation Strategies, the candidate will directly be responsible for the administration of internal grant proposals and awards, including the coordination of internal reviews, oversight of internal grant proposal submissions, monitoring of regulations and expenditures, and the assurance of compliance with university regulation/guidelines.

• The Director will represent the university in all aspects of award management for internal grants--providing university approval for major purchases, budget and scope changes, personnel actions, and Accounts Payable submissions to ensure compliance with university guidelines and policies, including the conflict of interest policy and the university’s Discovery and Copyright policy.

• The Director will coordinate with grant staff within the various colleges and schools and broker the involvement of other offices such as Restricted Accounting, Procurement and Payment, Risk Management, and Office of the General Counsel, as needed.

• The Director of Research and Innovation Strategies will develop and maintain a network of support for faculty who are managing internally sponsored projects at DePaul by cultivating an expert, service-oriented award management team within the Office of Research Services.

• In coordination with the ORS leadership team, the Director would be developing on-line resources and will be providing campus-wide informational sessions as well as individual consultation to faculty who are applying for internal grants and to PIs who are managing their first internal grants.

• The Director of Research and Innovation Strategies will respond to information requests involving grant awards and coordinate the preparation and submission of periodic reports (including the ORS annual reports) to upper management and other university offices, and will adopt a data-centered approach to evaluate, report, and track outcomes resulting from University internal grant programs and research and innovation initiatives.

• The Director will be a liaison to the Office of Communication and Marketing for promoting and advertising faculty research and creative activities.

• The Director of Research and Innovation Strategies will also serve as the Chief of Staff for ORS, the Chief of Staff will collaborate with executive team members to determine and prioritize research and innovation strategies.

• The Director will also determine key performance indicators and how to measure team performance.

• The Director will oversee the hiring and developing of the ORS staff, and will work with ORS staff members to determine the training and professional development needs on a wide range of business processes related to ORS.

• The Director will coordinate with the Information Systems (IS) team and oversee the deployment and management of digital data management systems for ORS.

• The Director will also monitor and coordinate with the other directors updates and revisions to the ORS website.

• The Director will be required to coordinate with various staff in ORS to create and manage custom forms with complex workflows to facilitate the collection, review, and approval of all ORS related business and data applications.

• The Director will work with the executive team (AP for Research, ORS Directors, and the Provost Office) and participate in the efforts of reaffirming DePaul’s commitment to excellence in its research and teaching missions.

• The Director will be tasked to investigate, negotiate, and provide support to new initiatives that bring together industry (e.g. data science, technology, and health), national laboratories, and the university community to encourage partnerships that leverages the intellectual assets of the university.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education & Experience

• Master's degree.

• At least ten years of experience.

Preferred Requirements

• The ideal candidate would have degrees in either business administration, finance, management, or a technical field such as Engineering, Computer Science, Data Science, Physics, or Math and/or experiences at the intersection between business, research administration/management, and a technical discipline.

• Part of their ten year experience being in an academic setting including research administration to best understand higher education culture and the role of the Office of Research Services. 

• Professional certifications in personnel management, operations management, and data science. 

Managerial Responsibilities

• Supervises the management of internal grant accounts totaling about $2.5 million annual budget. 

Financial Responsibilities

• Director is responsible for monitoring financial aspects of grant management including resolving allow-ability questions and budget modification.

Other Skills & Abilities Reqd

• Analytical skills and knowledge for evaluating information carefully and solving complex problems.

• Strong organizational and multitasking abilities.

• Skills in organization and planning to prioritize tasks, set meetings and diffuse work conflict.

• Detail-oriented for understanding complex systems and the ability to pay attention to details.

• Familiarity with grant accounting practices.

• Delegating tasks and monitoring daily operations.

• Critical thinking, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.

• Intellectual property expertise.

• Excellent leadership and organizational abilities.

• Proven knowledge of performance evaluation metrics in a business/academic setting.

• Organizational skills for keeping track of various budgets, employees and schedules simultaneously.

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with faculty of diverse disciplines, senior university staff, research administrators, and officials of funding agencies.

• Familiarity with institutional grants and with community service grants.

• Familiarity with federal research compliance issues, including, but not limited to, human subjects, animal care and welfare, scientific misconduct, conflict of interest, intellectual property and others.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work at a computer for long periods of time daily. 

Other Attachments

You may upload other attachments (Transcripts, Portfolios, Writing samples) in the “My Activities” tab of your profile.

Please include a writing sample such as a technical report or PowerPoint presentation on an initiative you led or policy you wrote.

Additional Information

For preferred consideration please submit a cover letter with your resume by October 31.

Salary & Benefits Package:
Please visit our website for more information. 

Required Background Check:
Employment at DePaul University is contingent on passing a background check. Only final candidates who are extended an offer of employment will undergo a background check.

Mandated Reporting of Child Abuse & Neglect:
Upon accepting an offer of employment with the university, you will also be required to sign an Acknowledgement of Mandated Reporter Status at the time of hire. A mandated reporter is required to make a report to the Illinois DCFS Hotline whenever there is reasonable cause to believe that a child known to them in their professional or official capacity may be abused or neglected. For more information, please visit the following pages:
Illinois Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS)
Illinois Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act

DePaul University is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, genetic information or any other legally protected status, in accordance with applicable federal, state and local EEO laws.