Senior Director for Research, Medical School Office of Research

Overview

Responsibilities

Reporting directly to the Executive Vice Dean for Research/Chief Scientific Officer (CSO), the Senior Director for Research will serve as the chief administrator and business manager of the Medical School Office of Research. This individual will be a key member of the Office of Research leadership team and advisor to the Executive Vice Dean for Research/CSO and will have additional accountability to the Executive Director of Administration and Chief Operating Officer for the Medical School.

The Senior Director is responsible for the operational and fiscal management of the Medical School Office of Research, strategic programs, and reporting units, with a cumulative operation totaling nearly $90M and greater than 600 FTEs. The Senior Director oversees the fiscal, personnel, operational, and administrative activities of the Office of Research and its units. Examples of responsibilities include, but are not limited to, sound financial management (budget preparation and management); human resource management of managers and staff (including hiring, terminating, professional development, and conflict resolution); operational and administrative management; and designing business plans to cost-effectively sustain the infrastructure and offerings of the Office of Research. The selected candidate will be responsible for strategic planning, development, implementation, and assessment of short- and long-range objectives. They will also provide direct supervision, mentorship, and professional development for research directors.

The Senior Director will develop and implement:

• Research services and infrastructure to enable leading-edge research.
• Models of research productivity and impact using traditional and non-traditional measures to aid in the identification of research strengths and opportunities.
• Initiatives and service offerings, including review and evaluation of outcomes.
• Administrative and research policies, procedures, and operational issues for the research enterprise.
• Innovative strategies to support faculty, streamline research processes, and reduce administrative burden.
• Key performance indicators.

They will oversee micro and macro assessments of the economic drivers that impact the research enterprise to inform strategic and tactical planning and lead change to facilitate adoption of new initiatives, policies, and practices.

The Senior Director is expected to manage complex situations and multiple responsibilities simultaneously, mixing longer-term projects with the urgency of immediate demands. They must exercise discretion and demonstrate the ability to respect highly confidential information and act as a liaison between the Executive Vice Dean for Research/CSO and other internal and external constituencies.

The selected candidate will possess the skills to collaborate with and achieve actionable results through others, demonstrate the ability to build strong sustainable relationships, and exhibit the capability to interact with colleagues at all levels of the institution.

The Senior Director represents the Office of Research on institutional working groups and committees to advance the mission of the Medical School and university. Additionally, they will work closely with the Administrative Senior Directors of the Medical School as part of the Senior Administrative Staff team, on institution wide initiatives and deliverables. They are expected to be a strong, effective communicator with the ability to distill complex information into actionable steps, including the ability to collect and analyze data, interpret results, and prepare subsequent communications to inform Medical School leadership.

As a member of a greater team, the selected candidate will be called upon to perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications*

• A bachelor's degree, or equivalent combination of education and experience, with practical work experience in the biomedical sciences and deep knowledge of a large research enterprise such as at an academic health center or equivalent.
• A minimum of five years of senior management experience with proven business acumen, preferably in a biomedical research or health care-related setting.
• Demonstrated experience with responsibility and accountability for the daily operations of many units, including priority setting and financial and human resources management.
• Successful experience leading and managing a complex team of multiple professionals, including hiring, setting direction and expectations, coaching and developing, assessing, and providing formal and informal performance feedback.
• Demonstrated leadership and change management skills needed to successfully develop new initiatives, change culture, and foster strong partnerships and collaborations across all levels of the university.
• Ability to build strong interpersonal relationships and trust with all constituents.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.
• Competency in organizational navigation and ability to deal effectively and persuasively with individuals of varying levels of institutional authority.
• Ability to use astute judgment, think strategically, analyze logically, and cogently present summaries and recommendations.
• Demonstrated poise, tact, diplomacy, and unquestionable integrity.

Desired Qualifications*

• Substantial familiarity with university standard practices and guidelines.
• Experience within an academic medical center, research institution, or healthcare related setting.
• Creates value for a diverse community by fostering a climate of service excellence.
• Leads in the alignment of Michigan Medicine culture by being organizationally astute and leveraging processes and relationships to succeed. 
• Fosters and supports diverse teams and provides a work climate that is inclusive and elicits a high level of team engagement.