Executive Director Research Administration-Office of Research Admin
University of Tennessee at Martin
Salary undisclosed
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Description
- Serves as the Authorized Organizational Representative and maintains the written delegation instrument governing submission and award acceptance authority.
- Establishes office priorities, service standards, and performance expectations across proposal review, agreements, research security, systems, and data.
- Owns the end-to-end service standards shared in partnership with Sponsored Award Financial Services, including proposal turnaround, agreement cycle time, award acceptance to setup, and closeout.
- Establishes and maintains the award abstract and handoff protocol to ensure consistent interpretation and communication of award terms.
- Maintains an organizational capacity model that aligns proposal and agreement volume, portfolio complexity, and staffing needs.
- Leads workforce development, including career ladders, position level determinations, professional development plans, and promotion recommendations.
- Resolves cross-office matters through established escalation and accountability processes.
- Develops, implements, and maintains institutional policies and procedures governing proposal submission, award acceptance, and agreement execution.
- Develops recruitment and retention strategies to attract and retain highly qualified research administration professionals.
- Recommends the addition of positions when a driver sustains above threshold, and consolidates portfolios and holds vacancies when a driver sustains below threshold, with notice to the Vice Chancellor
- Advises institutional leadership on regulatory changes and the administrative implications of research strategy.
- Maintains institutional currency on federal, state, sponsor, and accreditation requirements affecting extramural funding.
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
Qualifications
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
EDUCATION:
Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Research Administration Science, Health Administration, or a related field. (Master’s Degree preferred.) (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED)
EXPERIENCE:
Four (4) years of progressively responsible, sponsored research administration experience (previous job-related supervisory experience required); OR Master’s Degree and two (2) years of progressively responsible, sponsored research administration experience.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
- Knowledge of federal regulations governing extramural funding, including the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards and standard federal research terms and conditions.
- Expert knowledge of proposal submission, award acceptance, and research agreement practice at a research-intensive institution.
- Knowledge of research security, export control, and foreign influence requirements affecting federally funded research.
- Knowledge of electronic research administration systems and of the data required to manage a research portfolio.
- Skill in leading professional staff and in building capability across a decentralized campus community.
- Ability to exercise institutional authority under time pressure and to document the basis for institutional decisions.
- Ability to build and sustain a shared operating model with a peer office under a separate reporting line.
WORK SCHEDULE: This position may occasionally be required to work weekends and evenings.
Benefits
- professional development
About this role
The University of Tennessee at Martin's Office of Research Administration seeks an experienced research administration leader to serve as its Authorized Organizational Representative and executive director. You would own the full research administration operation—from proposal review and award acceptance through closeout—while establishing service standards, policies, and procedures that govern how the institution manages sponsored funding. This role requires deep knowledge of federal regulations, research security requirements, and the systems that track research portfolios, along with the ability to make binding institutional decisions about award terms and compliance matters.
Beyond day-to-day operations, you would lead a team through workforce development, career planning, and retention strategies while managing capacity planning tied to proposal volume and portfolio complexity. You'll also serve as the institutional advisor on regulatory changes and their implications for research strategy, and you'll coordinate closely with the Sponsored Award Financial Services office to maintain shared service standards. The position demands someone comfortable exercising authority under pressure, documenting decisions clearly, and building a cohesive operating model across a decentralized campus environment.
A bachelor's degree in business, public, or research administration (or related field) is required, with four years of progressively responsible research administration experience including supervisory duties—or a master's degree plus two years of equivalent experience. You'll need expert-level knowledge of federal funding regulations, proposal and award practices at research-intensive institutions, and research security and export control requirements. Occasional weekend and evening work may be required.
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