Research Operations Director

University of Kentucky; Lexington (KY); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Kentucky is seeking a Research Operations Facilitator to join the College of Pharmacy. This role coordinates resources, workflows, budgets, partnerships, and research support services to advance the college's research mission.

Work closely with leadership, faculty, and administrators to strengthen research competitiveness, support faculty development, and drive growth and impact of the college’s research enterprise.

Qualifications

• Experience in strategic planning and resource coordination for research.
• Familiarity with sponsored research, grants, and compliance processes.
• Ability to analyze metrics and develop dashboards to inform planning.
• Strong financial management skills including budgeting and prioritization.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with detail-oriented work style.
• 6 years of related experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational coordination for the College of Pharmacy Office of Research Operations, including planning, project tracking, resource management, and implementation of research initiatives.
• Support development and execution of the college’s research strategic plan and help align budgets, workflows, policies, and partnerships with research priorities.
• Coordinate proposal development activities, peer review processes, grantsmanship support, faculty mentoring programs, and research training opportunities.
• Serve as a liaison with institutional research administration, compliance, and regulatory offices to facilitate approvals, sponsor compliance, and efficient research operations.
• Develop and manage reporting systems, dashboards, assessments, and analyses that inform research planning, resource allocation, and decision-making.
• Track research productivity, awards, proposals, scholarly output, patents, and other key metrics to support leadership reporting and strategic planning.
• Coordinate collaborative and multi-institutional research activities and support faculty engagement with internal and external research and entrepreneurship partners.
• Manage office budgets, monitor center budgets, and support fiscal planning activities.
• Organize and support major research programs, symposiums, seminars, and related events, including logistics, communications, documentation, and follow-up.
• Partner with marketing and communications teams to promote research achievements, maintain research-related content, and enhance visibility of faculty expertise and research impact.

Skills

Strategic planning

Resource planning

Project management

Operational coordination

Data analysis

Dashboards

Communication

Stakeholder management

Research administration

Budget monitoring

Job description

Click here for more information about equivalencies:

Required License/Registration/Certification

None

Physical Requirements

Sitting for long periods of time; extensive computer use; lifting/carrying/pushing/pulling up to 15lbs on occasion

Shift

Monday – Friday; occasional evening/weekend based on deadlines.

Job Summary

The University of Kentucky is seeking a Research Operations Facilitator to join the College of Pharmacy.

This position plays a central role in advancing the College of Pharmacy’s research mission by aligning resources, workflows, budgets, partnerships, and research support services with strategic priorities. Working closely with college leadership, faculty, research administrators, and institutional partners, the successful candidate will strengthen research competitiveness, support faculty development, enhance research operations, and help drive the continued growth and impact of the college’s research enterprise.

What You’ll Do

• Provide strategic and operational coordination for the College of Pharmacy Office of Research Operations, including planning, project tracking, resource management, and implementation of research initiatives.
• Support development and execution of the college’s research strategic plan and help align budgets, workflows, policies, and partnerships with research priorities.
• Coordinate proposal development activities, peer review processes, grantsmanship support, faculty mentoring programs, and research training opportunities.
• Serve as a liaison with institutional research administration, compliance, and regulatory offices to facilitate approvals, sponsor compliance, and efficient research operations.
• Develop and manage reporting systems, dashboards, assessments, and analyses that inform research planning, resource allocation, and decision-making.
• Track research productivity, awards, proposals, scholarly output, patents, and other key metrics to support leadership reporting and strategic planning.
• Coordinate collaborative and multi-institutional research activities and support faculty engagement with internal and external research and entrepreneurship partners.
• Manage office budgets, monitor center budgets, and support fiscal planning activities.
• Organize and support major research programs, symposiums, seminars, and related events, including logistics, communications, documentation, and follow-up.
• Partner with marketing and communications teams to promote research achievements, maintain research-related content, and enhance visibility of faculty expertise and research impact.

What You’ll Bring

• Strong experience with strategic planning, resource planning, project management, and operational coordination.
• Knowledge of research administration, sponsored research, proposal development, and sponsor compliance processes.
• Experience analyzing research metrics, developing dashboards and reports, and using data to support decision-making.
• Financial management skills, including budget development, monitoring, and resource prioritization.
• Ability to build productive relationships with faculty, research administrators, institutional partners, and external stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with strong attention to detail and organizational abilities.
• Experience developing streamlined processes, automated workflows, and operational improvements.
• Critical thinking, problem-solving, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a collaborative environment.
• Familiarity with research commercialization, intellectual property development, and entrepreneurship support activities.
• 6 years of related experience

What’s In It for You

• Opportunity to play a key role in supporting and expanding a nationally recognized research enterprise within the College of Pharmacy.
• Collaborative work environment with engagement across faculty, research leaders, university partners, and external organizations.
• Ability to contribute directly to faculty success, research growth, innovation, and institutional impact.

Why Now?

The College of Pharmacy continues to grow its research portfolio, collaborative partnerships, and institutional impact. This position provides critical coordination, planning, and operational support needed to help researchers compete successfully for funding, maintain compliance, and advance high-impact research initiatives. As research activities expand across faculty, centers, and external partnerships, the Research Operations Facilitator will help strengthen infrastructure, improve processes, enhance reporting capabilities, and support strategic priorities that advance the college’s research mission.

Skills / Knowledge / Abilities

Does this position have supervisory responsibilities?

Does this position have supervisory responsibilities? No

Preferred Education/Experience

Deadline to Apply

Deadline to Apply 10/11/2026

Our University Community We value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors, the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus. The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status. Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.