Associate Director, Operations

Job Summary

The Associate Director for Operations provides senior leadership and operational oversight for the Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) at the University of Utah. Reporting to the Executive Director of OSP, this position is responsible for coordinating and advancing core operational functions that support the University's research enterprise, including post-award administration, business operations, workflow management, compliance implementation, systems coordination, administrative infrastructure, and cross-unit operational alignment.

This role serves as a key operational leader within OSP and works closely with institutional partners across Research Management & Compliance, Grants and Contracts Accounting, Research Analytics & Data, ORIS, Financial Services, and academic units to support consistent, efficient, and compliant research administration processes. The Associate Director helps ensure operational stability, service quality, and organizational readiness in an increasingly complex and highly regulated research environment.

The position is responsible for managing operational staff and workflows, supporting implementation of institutional and sponsor requirements, improving coordination across operational teams, developing metrics and reporting frameworks, and driving continuous process improvement initiatives. This role also provides leadership in operational planning, systems governance, and service delivery to support the long-term scalability and effectiveness of the University's research administration infrastructure.

This is a hybrid work opportunity.

Responsibilities

This role provides senior leadership and comprehensive operational oversight across OSP including business operations, post-award processing and support, research administration systems governance, administrative infrastructure, and cross-unit collaboration. These functions support institutional compliance, operational efficiency, and the stability of the University's research enterprise.

• Strategic Leadership & Operational Oversight
• Team Management and Workforce Development (team of 5+)
• Post-Award Processing & Support for Faculty and Sponsors
• Research Administration systems governance
• Administrative Infrastructure
• Cross-unit Collaboration
• Operational Management & Workflow
• Staff Leadership & Development
• Metrics, Reporting & Continuous Improvement