Research Compliance Officer – Partnerships, Office of Research and Innovation

Hiring Department: The Office of Research and Innovation at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

About the role

Reporting directly to the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation (VCRI), the Research Compliance Officer – Partnerships serves as the division’s dedicated compliance authority for external collaborations. This role bridges the gap between complex federal regulations and the speed required for modern innovation, functioning as the primary Point of Contact (POC) for hospital affiliates and industry sponsors. The Officer performs independent, substantive reviews of exempt and expedited protocols (IRB/IACUC), manages the lifecycle of reliance agreements, and drives operational efficiency. By working directly under the VCRI’s strategic guidance and in tandem with Compliance Managers, this role ensures that clinical trials and cooperative research projects are reviewed with rigor and launched with velocity, minimizing administrative burden while maintaining the highest standards of research integrity.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the dedicated Compliance POC and primary operational link between the Office of Research and Innovation and external partners (including hospital affiliates and corporate sponsors), managing the administrative workflow of IRB reliance agreements and cooperative research authorizations.
• Perform comprehensive, substantive reviews of research protocols (specifically Exempt and Expedited categories) to evaluate ethical design and regulatory adherence; independently issue determinations, request stipulations, and approve protocols in accordance with federal regulations (Common Rule, FDA) and UMKC policy.
• Expedite the compliance phase for industry-sponsored clinical trials by performing pre-reviews of "straightforward" (exempt and expedited) human subjects’ protocols, ensuring rapid turnaround times to meet sponsor deadlines.
• Coordinate the administrative intake and review process for both Human Subjects (IRB) and Animal Care (IACUC) protocols involving external collaborators, ensuring seamless alignment between UMKC policies and partner institution requirements.
• Independently manage a portfolio of low-risk, exempt, and expedited reviews, acting as a fast-track channel for non-committee approvals to keep partnership projects moving efficiently.
• Work in tandem with Compliance Managers to verify ancillary compliance requirements—such as Biosafety (IBC) and Conflict of Interest (COI)—ensuring that complex, multi-institutional projects meet all federal and university standards before launch.
• Maintain meticulous records of inter-institutional agreements (IIAs) and single IRB (sIRB) documentation, ensuring the university remains audit-ready for federal agencies (FDA, OHRP, OLAW) and industry sponsors.
• Proactively identify administrative bottlenecks and implement solutions to achieve maximum efficiency in the compliance pipeline, acting as a dedicated problem-solver to ensure a frictionless experience for clinical investigators and industry partners.
• Develop and deliver training orientation sessions to external teams and/or PIs, and create partner-specific guidance documents.

Requirements

• A Bachelor's degree and at least 5 years of experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired is necessary.
• Ability to perform independent, substantive reviews of exempt and expedited protocols (IRB/IACUC).
• A proactive mindset to identify administrative bottlenecks and implement solutions that ensure a frictionless experience for clinical investigators.
• Expertise to balance federal regulatory requirements with the strategic goals of the Division of Research and Innovation.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in a field related to research administration, compliance, or regulatory oversight is required. Appropriate areas of study may include, but are not limited to, public administration, health administration, public health, biomedical or life sciences, social or behavioral sciences, regulatory affairs, law, ethics, compliance, healthcare management, or a closely related field.
• 3–5 years of experience in research administration, compliance, Institutional Review Board and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee support, regulatory affairs, human subjects research (via Institutional Review Board), animal research compliance (via Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee), and/or research integrity, regulatory compliance, or audit functions is strongly preferred.
• Experience in academic medical centers, universities, government-funded research, or clinical research organizations is preferred.

This position may include travel.

Pay

The anticipated hiring range for this position is $69,097.60 to $80,000.00 annually. Salary is determined by a variety of factors, including but not limited to, the individual’s particular combination of education, skills, and experience, as well as organizational requirements.

Benefits

This position is eligible for University benefits. As part of your total compensation, the University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision plans, retirement, paid time off, short- and long-term disability, paid parental leave, paid caregiver leave, and educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses. For additional information on University benefits, please visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website.

Community Information

Kansas City offers the best of both worlds—a vibrant, urban community with Midwestern appeal. The city’s rich history and its modern-day, innovative thinking come together to create an eclectic group of neighborhoods that offer a little something for everyone. From thriving arts districts, an energetic downtown nightlife, casual to upscale shopping, and champion sports teams, you will have no problem making yourself at home. Of course, one of Kansas City’s biggest claims to fame is its food, especially its world-famous barbecue. Foodies will delight in the culinary scene found throughout the city. Ranging from award-winning chefs to cozy pizza joints, Kansas City definitely is not lacking any flavor.

UMKC’s campuses are conveniently nestled in the middle of all the action. Volker Campus is just minutes from the legendary Country Club Plaza, perfect for shopping or restaurants for lunch or after-work happy hours. Surrounded by hip neighborhoods and eateries, the Health Sciences Campus is located downtown near University Health Truman Medical Center and Children’s Mercy Hospital. UMKC is proud to be “Kansas City’s university,” and the campus and its people celebrate all the characteristics of the surrounding community. To learn more about life in Kansas City and find more resources, visit VisitKC.com.