"Senior Associate Vice President for Research"

Senior Associate Vice President for Research
Oklahoma State University

Oklahoma State University invites nominations and applications for the position of Senior Associate Vice President for Research. This position reports to the Vice President for Research, Dr. Kenneth Sewell.

Established in 1890, Oklahoma State University (OSU) is a modern land-grant university, fostering student success through a blend of tradition and innovation. OSU's goal is to become the preeminent land-grant institution in the country through a bold university strategy. Classified as a Carnegie R1 (Very High Research Activity) university, its leaders are advancing the institution further by supporting excellence across the tripartite mission of student instruction, ground-breaking research, and extending the university's knowledge and expertise to the communities we serve. OSU has more than 35,000 students and employs more than 7,000 faculty and staff across its system, with students from all 50 states and more than 100 nations. In FY 2024, OSU was awarded 862 grants and research expenditures exceeded $250 million.

OSU has five campuses: Stillwater, which includes the College of Veterinary Medicine; OSU-Tulsa; OSU-Oklahoma City; OSU Institute of Technology in Okmulgee; and the OSU Center for Health Sciences in Tulsa, which includes the OSU Medical Center. OSU also boasts 16 agricultural experiment stations and 77 county extension offices across the state.

The Senior Associate Vice President for Research (SAVPR) at OSU functions as a "number two" to the Vice President for Research (VPR). As such, the SAVPR serves as the senior member of the VPR leadership team which is composed of two additional Associate Vice Presidents and three Assistant Vice Presidents.

The Senior Associate Vice President for Research must possess an earned doctoral degree, and have academic credentials and previous experience that merit a tenured appointment in an academic unit within the University. Other minimum qualifications include:

• professional and administrative experience in Research in a complex organizational environment;
• demonstrated record of administrative leadership, personnel management, effective communication, and informed decision-making;
• demonstrated record of inspiring and facilitating others to engage in a collaborative environment to innovate, create, and advance the research mission;
• demonstrated record of working effectively with faculty and administrators to create collegial relationships that promote research; and
• demonstrated ability to work cooperatively with people in a wide variety of interests and disciplines to foster high productivity in research, scholarly and creative activities

The successful candidate should be eligible to obtain and possess a Top Secret Security clearance, should have a full range of knowledge of functions within the Research Division, and preferably already at the rank of full professor at a research university.

Although applications and nominations will be accepted until a successful candidate has been appointed, interested parties are encouraged to submit their materials by December 14, 2025 to receive optimal consideration. Nominations and application materials, which should include a letter indicating the applicant's interest, experience and qualifications for the position, and curriculum vitae, must be submitted online at https://jobs.okstate.edu/jobs/senior-associate-vice-president-for-research-stillwater-oklahoma-united-states

For additional information, please contact our search consultants at Buffkin / Baker:

Mr. Martin M. Baker
Ms. Chelsie Whitelock
Buffkin/Baker
osusavpr@buffkinbaker.com