Manager Research Center

Brown University Health employees are expected to successfully role model the organization’s values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence, as these values guide our everyday actions with patients, customers and one another. In addition, all employees are expected to demonstrate the Core Success Factors: Instill Trust and Value Differences, Patient and Community Focus, and Collaborate. Leaders will also demonstrate Ensure Accountability, Build Effective Teams, Drive Vision and Purpose, and Optimize Work Processes to help achieve strategic goals.

About the role

Under the supervision of the Director of Research, the Research Center Manager provides administrative leadership and operational oversight for the Center. This position has direct responsibility for day-to-day management of all administrative and operational functional areas, working closely with the Center Director to strategically identify and implement future functions and initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Direct the day-to-day administrative operations of the Center (~50 employees including staff, faculty, and trainees).
• Develop, maintain, and ensure compliance with the Center’s policies and procedures.
• Ensure that Center and lab operations comply with hospital policies, regulations, procedures, and objectives.
• Coordinate the assignment of space (e.g., office, laboratory, meeting, and storage space) and serve as a liaison to other departments who make requests to use Center space.
• Directly supervise, guide, mentor, and train the administrative team.
• Explore and propose new Center-wide staffing and responsibility structures to enhance efficiency and employee growth.
• Ensure efficient, high-quality, service-oriented grant submission processes.
• Serve as primary point of contact for Center staff for research and hospital-wide needs.
• Act as the Center’s primary liaison to departments hospital-wide, including Marketing and Communications, Research Administration, Property Management, Payroll, Human Resources, Infection Control, Environmental Safety, Volunteer Services, Employee Health, and Support Services.
• Represent the Center as directed and delegated by the Center Director.
• Serve as the Center’s primary liaison to the Department of Human Resources (HR) and point person for personnel and other HR-related matters.
• Manage the Center employee and faculty recruitment process.
• Manage faculty, employee, student, and volunteer on-boarding.
• Oversee the annual performance evaluation process for all Center staff.
• Identify and coordinate professional development and training opportunities for Center staff.
• Advance employee engagement through the coordination of Center-wide meetings, events, and recognition activities.
• Oversee all internal and external communications for the Center.
• Develop new ways to communicate about people, operations, and Center-wide initiatives.
• Prepare, distribute, and present internal Center-wide communications and announcements related to the Center and/or hospital operations.
• Guide the development and direction of the external Center communication strategy, plans, and programs to increase visibility and support Center growth.
• Serve as the first line of approval for all internal and external communications to ensure all messaging aligns with the Center communications strategy.
• Plan, develop, and organize all public and private materials related to the Center, including website(s), social media, newsletters, information sheets, executive summaries, and reports.
• Liaise with Marketing and Communications, Development, and other internal and external stakeholders regarding communications.
• Oversee, develop, and implement novel operating procedures to promote an efficient work environment to maximize the Center’s research impact.
• Lead, facilitate, and support the redesign and improvement of existing operational processes critical to the Center’s operational success.
• Develop and oversee the utilization of Standard Operating Procedures for all Center-specific administrative and operations activities.
• Develop/enhance systems and metrics for tracking, monitoring, and reporting on Center activities and accomplishments.
• Ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion are woven into all Center operations.
• Act as an internal consultant for Center faculty by assisting in the development of processes and tools that result in measurable operational and financial improvements.
• Serve as a resource, guide, and mentor for Center Project Directors on implementing best practices for research project operations and administration.
• Develop and oversee administrative infrastructure for large program grants (e.g., COBRE).
• Refine and oversee Standard Operating Procedures for all Center-specific training activities, including T32 fellowship grants and plans for early career faculty.
• Oversee and continually refine training and mentorship programs within the Center.
• Research trends and best practices in mentoring and advising, and work closely with the Center Director to establish and implement effective programs.
• Assure mentorship programs are running efficiently and serving the needs of trainees and early career faculty.
• Ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion are woven into all mentorship activities.
• Develop tools for tracking and measuring impact.
• Oversee monitoring of Center fiscal activities.
• Work with the Center Director and Research Finance Manager to optimize pre- and post-award (grants) financial management.
• Streamline Center and grant financial management through the development and implementation of new information management systems and processes.
• Oversee the purchasing and maintenance of Center equipment (e.g., freezers) and the purchasing of supplies to support the research mission and organizational efficiency.
• Oversee Center employee reimbursements, check requests, and invoices.
• In collaboration with the Center Director, develop and maintain the Center’s strategic plan.
• Lead the process for implementation of the Center’s strategic plan to achieve both near and long-term growth and impact goals.
• Develop and implement organizational, operational, and financial tactics necessary for successful execution.
• Liaise with internal and external senior-level executives at hospitals, institutions, and community organizations to identify opportunities for collaboration and engagement.
• Ensure continued alignment of the Center strategic plan with research and clinical priorities at the department and organizational levels.
• Lead all aspects of the Center grant submission process.
• Conduct comprehensive evaluation of the grant submission process to identify ways to improve efficiency, compliance, and quality.
• Introduce and implement new administrative processes, templates, and monitoring systems to enhance productivity.
• Establish a grant submission training program for Center faculty and staff to increase Center capacity and competency in all non-scientific elements of grant submissions.
• Recommend and negotiate changes to appropriate applications with principal investigators or department administration and/or involved individuals at other institutions without compromising the institution, department, or investigators.
• Review and approve project applications considering project budget, application instructions, sponsor rules, unique requirements, and provisions for recovery of indirect costs.
• Verify all necessary approvals, including regulatory committees, to ensure guidelines are met.
• Ensure completed applications are forwarded for approval prior to submission to the Office of Research Administration.
• Assist the Director in developing faculty-related policies including transition from fellowship to faculty status, criteria for bridge-funding, etc.
• Hold signatory capabilities on behalf of the Director for grants, SOPs, IT, IRB, faculty purchasing, etc.
• Contribute to or independently conduct intermediate-level cleaning and statistical analyses (using Stata or a similar statistical package) of data from Research Center projects, and help interpret these data analyses including providing policy recommendations.
• Meet (both independently and with the Center Director) with Brown- and non-Brown-affiliated investigators to advise on the design of economic evaluations implemented alongside experimental and quasi-experimental research studies, including developing cost data collection protocols and analysis plans.
• Conduct analyses following best practices to enable replication of findings (e.g., creating well-annotated code, making code open access).
• Serve as first- or co-author on peer-reviewed publications, and disseminate findings in a timely manner via publication as well as oral and poster presentations.
• Perform other duties, special projects, and reports as assigned by the Director.

Requirements

• Master’s degree or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years of directly related experience working in grant-funded research, with Center-level leadership including administrative, financial, supervisory, and business management experience.
• Advanced knowledge of financial and business management as it relates to research.
• Ability to quickly learn and adapt to changing needs of the Center.
• Ability to act as an agent who drives change.
• Fluency using and understanding data to inform decision making.
• Ability to promote a culturally and ethnically diverse environment.
• Intermediate computer skills including proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and comfort with databases.
• Ability to multi-task while maintaining attention to detail.
• Outstanding problem-solving, planning, and management skills with experience in organizing systems and people.
• Strong interpersonal and leadership skills, including verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work with a variety of people and organizations in a collegial way.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

• Able to function in an office and virtual environment.
• Requires walking, navigation of stairs, and standing intermittently throughout the day.
• Sufficient visual acuity and manual dexterity to use computers and other common equipment.

Supervisory Responsibility

• Directly supervise 2-5 members of the administrative team.
• Indirectly oversee the activities of ~50 employees including staff, faculty, and trainees.

Pay

$86,382.40 - $142,542.40

Schedule

• Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
• Daily hours: 8 hours