Head of Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity

Commonwealth of VA Careers; Harrisonburg (VA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA seeks a Director of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity. The role leads university-wide programs expanding student participation in undergraduate research and oversees initiatives from FYRE to travel awards, reporting, and communications.

The Director will build a phased implementation plan, gather metrics, coordinate annual data, and promote undergraduate research visibility internally and externally.

Qualifications

• Master's degree required
• Experience managing academic research, experiential learning, scholarship, fellowship, or student success programs
• Experience with program assessment, evaluation, or data-informed decision-making
• Experience managing budgets and projects
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across organizational units
• Experience establishing or significantly expanding a program, office, center, or cross-unit initiative
• Experience leading strategic planning or organizational implementation
• Experience facilitating shared governance or advisory structures
• Demonstrated understanding of faculty-mentored research or creative inquiry across multiple disciplines
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated success in funding research with or research experiences for undergraduate students

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for centrally coordinated university-wide undergraduate research programs and services
• Coordinate centrally administered programs that connect faculty mentors and student researchers, including FYRE, travel awards, summer research opportunities, and related initiatives
• Collaborate with academic units while preserving faculty and departmental responsibility for individual and programmatic research experiences
• Coordinate program assessment and continuous improvement
• Develop new strategies to expand undergraduate participation
• Ensure access to undergraduate research opportunities
• Serve as a primary point of contact regarding undergraduate research opportunities
• Provide consultation to faculty, staff, and students
• Coordinate mentor development opportunities
• Support creation of accessible pathways into undergraduate research participation
• Lead development of institutional undergraduate research metrics
• Coordinate annual data collection efforts across divisions, colleges and units
• Supervise production of annual university-wide undergraduate research reports
• Work closely with PAIR, CARS, and other institutional partners
• Develop data definitions, reporting expectations, and validation processes in consultation with academic units and institutional partners
• Supervise graduate and undergraduate student employees supporting assessment activities
• Lead implementation of university-wide undergraduate research program communications and storytelling strategies
• Coordinate annual reports, student research showcases, and visibility campaigns
• Collaborate with University Communications, Admissions, and Advancement
• Oversee student storytellers and communications interns
• Develop relationships with campus and external partners
• Explore philanthropic and corporate support opportunities
• Assist with grant development and partnership cultivation
• Coordinate efforts supporting sustainable funding models for undergraduate research
• Supervise graduate and undergraduate student employees
• Manage operating budgets and program expenditures
• Coordinate advisory board activities
• Maintain policies, procedures, and operational systems

Skills

Strategic planning

Stakeholder engagement

Data analysis

Communication

Project management

Education

Master's degree

Job description

James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA seeks a Director of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity. The role leads university-wide programs expanding student participation in undergraduate research and oversees initiatives from FYRE to travel awards, reporting, and communications.

The Director will build a phased implementation plan, gather metrics, coordinate annual data, and promote undergraduate research visibility internally and externally.