Associate Vice President-Exec Mgt

Michigan State University; East Lansing (MI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational institution in East Lansing is looking for an Associate Vice President for Health Sciences. This role involves connecting various academic units and external partners to enhance health research strategy. Responsibilities include aligning health sciences research initiatives, engaging with federal agencies, and fostering collaborations to elevate the institution’s research reputation. The ideal candidate must hold a terminal degree and have a proven record in research funding and administration.

Qualifications

• Tenured full professor or equivalent senior academic standing.
• Sustained record of NIH or equivalent federal research funding.
• Prior service in central research administration.
• Experience in complex academic environments.

Responsibilities

• Align university-wide strategy for Health Sciences research.
• Collaborate to address cross-unit research challenges.
• Serve as a connector across academic units.
• Lead research networks integrating multiple health aspects.

Skills

Exceptional relationship-development skills

Ability to lead through influence

Cross-institutional collaboration

Education

Ph.D., M.D., D.O., D.V.M., or equivalent terminal degree

Job description

Working/Functional Title: Associate Vice President for Health Sciences

Position Summary: Operating through influence, facilitation, and consensus-driven leadership, the AVPRI connects colleges, centers, institutes, core facilities, and external partners – including Henry Ford Health and Corewell Health – to ensure MSU’s health research strategy is coherent, executable, and nationally competitive. Along with these partners, the AVPRI will drive the design, development, and execution of large team funding opportunities in health from both federal and non-federal funding sources. The AVPRI will promote cross-unit collaborations, implement institutional research decisions, and represent MSU externally to elevate the reputation and stature of the university. MSU’s health sciences research enterprise operates through a networked partnership-based model that emphasizes shared governance, collaboration, and integration across academic units and external partners. The AVPRI role is designed to lead within this environment through facilitation, alignment, and strategic influence. The AVP for Health Sciences will work in close partnership with Henry Ford Health and Corewell Health as part of the One Health team and will report to the Vice President for the Office of Research and Innovation.

Key Responsibilities

• Institutional Research Strategy & Integration: Align university-wide strategy for Health Sciences research, translational science, and interdisciplinary initiatives. Develop a partnership-focused strategic plan that supports the researcher’s interests and long-term vision.
• Collaborate with deans, chairs, and center directors to address cross-unit research challenges and implement institution-wide health initiatives, ensuring effective coordination and progress across the university’s research enterprise.
• Translate institutional research priorities into actionable, fundable portfolios that increase national competitiveness and reduce risk.
• Serve as a connector and facilitator across academic units to ensure research strategy is coherent, aligned, and executable within MSU’s shared governance environment.
• One Team, One Health Research Network Leadership: Provide executive research partnership-oriented leadership for MSU’s Health Sciences and the One Team, One Health Research Network, integrating human health, animal health, and environmental health across MSU colleges.
• Translate the One Team, One Health vision into operational research programs, shared infrastructure priorities, and large-scale funding strategies.
• Ensure the network functions as a cohesive research platform, aligned with MSU’s research priorities.
• External Health Partnerships & Research Alliances: Support and coordinate MSU’s research with health systems, federal agencies (NIH, ARPA-H, DoD), foundations, and industry partners.
• Facilitate research integration associated with major health‑system alliances, including Corewell Health by aligning investigators, infrastructure, and funding strategies.
• Represent MSU in national forums related to specific research areas of interest to the partnership translational science, research infrastructure, and health sciences in general.
• Enable connections across partnerships to maximize synergies with MSU’s One Team, One Health research platform.
• Henry Ford Health + MSU Partnership: Serve as MSU’s executive research partner for the Henry Ford Health + MSU partnership, ensuring alignment of strategy, research priorities, and operational execution.
• Facilitate and sustain integrated research programs based upon available technical strengths, translational science, clinical research, and population health.
• Engage with agencies such as ARPA-H, NIH, DoD and various federally funded centers and institutes to co-create programs that align with the assets available within the partnership. Demonstrate success through creation of funded activities.
• Partner with HFH+MSU and HFH on leading the development and execution of joint research strategy, planning, implementation and performance, including coordination of leadership teams, faculty engagement, and joint investment strategies.
• Drive collaborative problem‑solving and change management to identify and remove cross‑institutional barriers related to research operations, appointments, onboarding, space, compliance, and sponsored programs, working through existing leadership structures rather than direct authority.
• Represent MSU research interests in high-level partnership forums with Henry Ford Health, federal agencies, foundations, and other strategic collaborators.
• Facilitate collaborations and synergistic intersections between Henry Ford Health and the One Team One Health Network.
• Advocate for HFH+MSU and HFH with MSU leadership, deans, and faculty, as needed, to advance the mission, goals, and culture of the partnership.

Minimum Requirements

• Ph.D., M.D., D.O., D.V.M., or equivalent terminal degree.
• Tenured full professor or equivalent senior academic standing.
• Sustained record of NIH or equivalent federal research funding.
• Prior service in central research administration (e.g., ORI leadership, Assistant/Associate Dean, center/institute leadership, or health sciences leadership).
• Experience working across colleges, centers, and external partners in complex academic environments.
• Exceptional relationship-development skills to build trust, lead through influence in a consensus-driven partnership, and align diverse stakeholders across MSU, Henry Ford Health, and One Health networks to deliver shared research strategy and outcomes.

Desired Qualifications

• Direct experience with institute/center development, NCI programs, or center-scale grants.
• Extensive experience with NIH peer review, including service on standing study sections and programmatic review panels.
• Demonstrated leadership of shared research infrastructure projects or core facilities.
• Track record of advancing translational research and external partnerships.
• Experience bridging academic research with health-system and industry partners.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Doctorate