Associate Vice President for Research Administration

SRA International; Minneapolis, Northern (MN, KY); Hybrid; USD 285,000 - 325,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Minnesota in Minneapolis seeks a visionary leader to serve as Associate Vice President for Research Administration. This 12‑month, full‑time role oversees Sponsored Projects Administration, Cost Analysis, and Research Information Systems, aligning operations with Elevate Extraordinary 2030.

Reporting to the VP for Research and Innovation, the AVP will guide policy development, compliance activities, and institutional committees, with a track record of 10+ years in research

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years in progressive research administration leadership at a major research university or equivalent.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory, legal, and policy issues affecting sponsored research.
• Ability to manage a high‑intensity operation with 10,000+ proposals annually.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership across Sponsored Projects Administration, Cost Analysis, and Research Information Systems.
• Develop research administration policies and ensure compliance with regulations.
• Represent the University on committees and coordinate cross‑functional initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

Research administration

Policy knowledge

Strategic planning

Job description

Associate Vice President for Research Administration

Overview

Associate Vice President for Research Administration

The University of Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota

THE SEARCH

The University of Minnesota (“the University”)—a prestigious, comprehensive, public, land-grant research university—seeks a visionary, collaborative and dynamic leader to serve as the Associate Vice President for Research Administration. This is an exciting moment for the Associate Vice President to join with the arrival of the new Vice President for Research and Innovation, Dr. Cynthia Carnes. Under the leadership of the University’s president, Dr. Rebecca Cunningham, the University recently introduced Elevate Extraordinary 2030 , its strategic roadmap. Research and innovation are a vital component of the roadmap as the University deepens its commitment to research, scholarship, and creative activity and further expands its impact locally, nationally, and globally.

The University receives over $1.4 billion in research funding annually. The National Science Foundation ranks the University 12 th among U.S. public research universities, and US News and World Report ranks it 23 rd among Top Public Schools nationally. The Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ranking places the University fifth nationally and in the top 10 percent globally. The University of Minnesota ranked first among U.S. public universities in the inaugural Times Higher Education Interdisciplinary Science Ranking. The University serves the state of Minnesota in multiple areas: its five campuses enroll 68,000 undergraduate and graduate students; its more than 600,000 alumni (62 percent of whom live in Minnesota) contribute to the state’s economy; its healthcare enterprise serves over 1.3 million patients annually in hospitals and clinics across the state; and its extension programs provide solutions, practical education, and training for all Minnesotans. The University of Minnesota is home to 4,926 faculty and over 23,000 non‑academic staff. Among its faculty, the University currently boasts 26 Nobel Prize recipients, members of the National Academies, and recipients of prestigious awards such as Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellowships, among others.

Reporting directly to the Vice President for Research and Innovation, the Associate Vice President for Research Administration will provide leadership and coordination across Sponsored Projects Administration, the Office of Cost Analysis, and the Office of Research Information Systems to support an integrated approach to research administration in alignment with the strategic direction of the Research and Innovation Office. A visionary leader with a commitment to the mission of land grant universities, the AVP will lead university‑wide research administration, policy development, and compliance activities and provide research administration expertise to the University by serving on key institutional committees and working closely with members of the University community. The ideal candidate will have at least 10 years of progressive experience in research administration leadership roles within a major research university, federal government, or another entity engaged in sponsored research as well as a strong knowledge base of relevant regulatory, legal, and policy issues, and the ability to handle a high‑intensity research administration operation characterized by 10,000+ proposals and agreements annually.

The University of Minnesota has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist in this important search.

COMPENSATION AND LOCATION

The Associate Vice President for Research Administration is a 100‑percent‑time, 12‑month, professional and administrative (P&A) appointment based in Minneapolis. Salary is commensurate with education and experience, with an anticipated salary range of $285,000 - $325,000.

The University of Minnesota offers excellent benefits. Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

APPLICATIONS, INQUIRIES, AND NOMINATIONS

University of Minnesota Equal Opportunity Statement: The University of Minnesota shall provide equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, familial status, disability, public assistance status, membership or activity in a local commission created for the purpose of dealing with discrimination, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

This document has been prepared based on the information provided by the University of Minnesota. The material presented in this leadership profile should be relied on for informational purposes only. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, the original source documents and information provided byThe University of Minnesota would supersede any conflicting information in this document.