(Remote) Assistant Director of Research Applications - Information Technology Services

About the Opportunity

Reporting to the Director of Research Applications, the Assistant Director of Research Applications provides leadership, strategic direction, and oversight of daily operational tasks for the Research Applications team. The Assistant Director is responsible for appropriately allocating resources; partnering with leadership to prioritize work to align with strategic objectives; and establishing policies, procedures, and standards for supported services. This role requires a deep understanding of business processes and applications that support research administration and compliance, as well as strong leadership and communication skills. This position will collaborate extensively with various stakeholders to maintain exceptional service levels, security, and customer satisfaction.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year (employee leave)
• 18 sick days per year (for when you're ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family's, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ's.
• Wellness programs

What You'll Do

• Lead, manage, and mentor Research Applications employees to ensure the effective design, implementation, and maintenance of research administration and compliance solutions. This includes task management, recruitment, performance evaluation, training, and staff development.
• Oversee the development and implementation of research IT projects, including system enhancements, integrations, and upgrades. Ensure staff is properly engaging with and meeting the expectations of project teams.
• Work closely with stakeholders across WVU to identify business requirements, evaluate capabilities, and implement solutions that empower our business partners to scale at speed and deliver services to the University efficiently.
• Ensure adherence to established standardized approaches for application development, including the best practices for requirements gathering, coding, documentation, and change management.
• Provide guidance and support to Research Applications staff in troubleshooting complex issues and optimizing system performance.
• Stay current with R1 institution best practices, industry trends, and emerging technologies to drive continuous improvement.
• Develop and maintain documentation, training materials, and standard operating procedures related to research administration and compliance.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and excellence within the team and across the Information Services department
• Promote the use of ITS programs, policies, and best practices to ensure efficient and secure delivery of IT services.
• Gather, review and evaluate work requests from WVU enterprise clients regarding requirements, determine appropriate resources and approach, and provide support within the responsibilities and mission of the unit.
• In conjunction with the Director, collaborate to develop and execute short- and long-term organizational objectives, policies, financial strategies, and operational procedures. Evaluate program effectiveness, monitor progress, and implement necessary changes to enhance performance and achieve improvement goals.
• Assist the Director in establishing, maintaining, and executing on a strategic roadmap for assigned products.

Qualifications :

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent combination of training, education, and experience in a relevant field.
• A combined experience of six (6) years in the following:
  • Practical, on-the-job experience in technology solution management. This experience should also include communicating technical information to a non-technical audience. Strong preference for individuals with experience in a higher education setting supporting faculty, staff, and students.
  • Experience in project management, organizational, and leadership skills which may be acquired through practical experience, though not necessarily gained in the information technology field.
  • Leadership experience of technical staff.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Knowledge and experience with applications and tools that support research administration and compliance.
• Understanding of key concepts including SDLC, DevOps, and agile development methodologies.
• Professional experience in business analysis and/or operational standards.
• Experience with implementation including analysis, design, code development, testing, deployment, and support of critical software systems.
• Strong leadership and administrative skills. Demonstrated ability to effectively guide, lead, and develop technical employees.
• Proven record to build new teams, mentor and develop staff, and create a culture of collaboration, accountability, and inclusivity.
• Understanding of administrative business processes (HR, Finance, Benefits, etc.).
• Demonstrated excellence in written and verbal communication, collaboration, and team building skills. Professional level writing, editing, and oral communication skills are required, including the ability to present technical materials to a large, non-technical audience.
• Ability to work unsupervised, prioritize tasks logically, and coordinate with colleagues effectively to meet deadlines. Strong project management and organization skills, ability to work under pressure, and capability to coordinate concurrent projects.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, including a positive attitude, customer service orientation, adeptness in handling difficult situations, and effective communication across diverse professional levels, cultures, and backgrounds.
• Ability to lead in a crisis, including broad knowledge and understanding of crisis management, and the ability to gather information, make decisions, and communicate with incomplete information.
• Demonstrated commitment to outstanding customer service.

West Virginia University is a place of purpose and community. We take pride in our profound impact on the state of West Virginia and are committed to the personal and professional growth of our employees.

From the groundbreaking R1 research at our flagship campus in Morgantown to the career-oriented programs at WVU Potomac State in Keyser, and the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in Beckley, the contributions of WVU employees resonate across the state, touching lives and shaping futures.

At WVU, you will discover a supportive community that champions work-life balance and fosters a collaborative atmosphere. Our core values - service, curiosity, respect, accountability and appreciation - unite us as Mountaineers.

Join us at West Virginia University, where your work will make a lasting impact. To learn more about WVU, visit wvu.edu.

West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We invite all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or Veteran status.