Vice President for Research and Sponsored Programs

Position Summary

Central Michigan University (CMU) is classified as a Carnegie Research 2 (R2): High Research Spending and Doctorate Production institution, with high research activity and doctoral education. The Vice President for Research and Sponsored Programs (VPRSP) reports to the Provost/Executive Vice President and provides senior leadership across the university to develop and implement a clear vision for advancing and strengthening CMU’s research enterprise. As a senior member of the university’s leadership team, the VPRSP advises institutional leadership on research strategy, policy, investment, and risk, and represents CMU internally and externally on matters related to research, scholarship, creative work, and innovation.

The VPRSP cultivates a strong culture of scholarship, creative work, research, development, and innovation; advances institutionally aligned, interdisciplinary, and community-engaged research initiatives; expands strategic research initiatives and partnerships; and further develops the university’s infrastructure and administrative support for research and compliance in ways that enable institutional growth.

The VPRSP provides leadership for the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, which includes Research Compliance, Laboratory and Field Safety, and Animal Facilities (vivaria), and encompasses functions pertaining to sponsored programs, partnerships, intellectual property and technology transfer, human subjects research, biosafety, and export control. The VPRSP ensures these functions operate in a coordinated and efficient manner that supports responsible growth in research activity.

Required Qualifications

• Doctorate or equivalent combined with an academic record sufficient to be granted advanced rank and tenure in one of the university’s academic departments.
• Five years of successful leadership experience in research administration within a large, complex organization, preferably in a public research university setting.
• Demonstrated record of significant scholarship, research, or creative activity, including success in securing external funding.
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate and attract support for research, scholarship, and creative works—from the public and private sectors— consistent with the expectations of a university fully engaged in both graduate and undergraduate education.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise and support the growth of a professional staff.
• Demonstrated commitment to ensuring that all members of the university community can thrive.
• Experience developing and supporting innovation through intellectual property, tech transfer, commercialization, and related activities.
• Commitment to research and creative activities as a core component of the academic enterprise and the ability to engage the entire institution around research, creative activities, and innovation to advance the university’s mission.
• Experience in overseeing compliance programs including, but not limited to, human subject research, animal research, biosafety, and export controls.
• Experience in building collaborations with public and private sector organizations, higher education systems, and leaders and organizations in the community, region, and state.
• Understanding the needs of faculty from early career to senior level and to effectively support their research, creative activities, and innovation goals and objectives.
• Demonstrated ability to build positive, respectful relationships and communicate effectively—both verbally and in writing—with people from a wide range of backgrounds, identities, and perspectives.
• Demonstrated experience in the procurement and management of sponsored research programs.
• Demonstrated understanding of federal, state and regional funding agencies and mechanisms.
• Experience in research policy development and implementation.
• Proven ability to foster collaboration and bring together investigators across disciplines to develop large-scale research initiatives that foster a clear and compelling funding opportunity.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret and implement effective budgeting and fiscal management.
• Demonstrated experience working with senior-level leaders to advance institutional research and strategic initiatives.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading complex academic or industry organizations as a vice president, dean, or comparable senior leader.
• Training or certification in grants management, research administration,and other relevant specialties.
• Experience supporting proposals in medical research and clinical trials.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain research productivity under fluctuating budgets and funding levels.
• Demonstrate success in supporting and leading institution-wide, multidisciplinary research initiatives that align with strategic priorities.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Supports the Leadership Standards of CMU and fosters a culture that inspires excellence.
• Provides strategic leadership to advance, expand, and elevate CMU’s research, scholarly, creative, and innovate enterprise to align with strategic priorities.
• Facilitates and supports research, scholarship, and creative works consistent with the expectations of a Carnegie Research 2 (R2) institution engaged in significant graduate and undergraduate education.
• Leads efforts to engage on and off-campus communities to promote research and creative opportunities for faculty and students.
• Serves as the Research Integrity Officer (RIO) for CMU, responsible for the coordination and implementation of the university’s Research Integrity and Misconduct Policy, compliance with federal and state research-misconduct regulations, and ensures that all allegations of research misconduct are promptly and fairly assessed and investigated in accordance with federal standards.
• Assists in the development and distribution of training on research ethics and integrity and regulatory requirements and serves as a liaison to external funding agencies and oversight bodies.
• Provides leadership and oversight to the Offices of Research Compliance and Laboratory and Field Safety and ensures university compliance with all federal and state guidelines and regulations related to research.
• Enhances and strengthens the infrastructure and organizational support required to enable increased research and creative endeavor activity, external funding, and technology transfer at CMU, enabling it to be capable of handling significant fluctuations in research activity and funding.
• Engages government agencies, foundations, and other public and private partners to proactively identify and promote public and private research funding opportunities.
• Collaborates with the CMU Research Corporation in creating a hub for innovation to enable and support entrepreneurial activity based on CMU intellectual property and expertise, including the tech transfer process.
• Advances innovation and translational activity through effective support for intellectual property creation, technology transfer, commercialization and related activities as well as experience in securing and managing sponsored research programs.
• Acts as an advocate by cultivating a research ecosystem that reduces barriers to participation and success, supports investigators across disciplines and career stages, and enhances access to resources, guidance, and opportunities that advance scholarly, creative, and sponsored research.
• Collaborates with and brings investigators together to conceptualize and develop large-scale, multidisciplinary research initiatives and translates them into compelling funding requests.

Supervision Exercised

Supervisors are expected to support the Leadership Standards of Central Michigan University and foster a culture that inspires excellence. The Leadership Standards define how we lead and treat others on our team. As leaders, it is our responsibility to seek input from our teams to continuously improve our leadership abilities and our demonstration of the standards. Additionally, it is our responsibility to encourage and support the growth and development of those whom we lead. At CMU, we encourage employees to grow both personally and professionally, and thus advance CMU’s culture of excellence.

Position Number: S-3861

Employee Group: Senior Officer

Division: Academic Affairs

Department: RESEARCH & SPONSORED PROGRAMS

Position Status: Regular

Employment Status: Full-Time

FTE: 1.0

Position Type: 12 month

Weekly Work Schedule: Typically Mon-Fri 8-5; evenings and weekends as needed

Location: Mount Pleasant, MI

Open Until Filled: Yes

Message to Applicants:

Central Michigan University is dedicated to fostering an environment that is reflective of the communities we serve. We are especially interested in highly qualified candidates who will advance and promote CMU’s mission, vision, and leadership standards.

Greenwood Asher & Associates is assisting Central Michigan University in this search. Applications and nominations are now being accepted. Please submit resume and cover letter to one of the e-mails listed below:

Jim Johnsen, Ed.D., Vice President of Executive Search jimjohnsen@greenwoodsearch.com
Ann Bailey, Ph.D. Senior Executive Search Consultant annbailey@greenwoodsearch.com

Submission of resume and cover letter as PDF attachments is strongly encouraged. The search will be conducted with a commitment to confidentiality for candidates until finalists are selected.

Initial screening of applications will begin immediately and will continue until an appointment is made. Nominations and inquiries should be directed to: