Senior AVP Research and Innovation
Texas Southern University
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Job summary
Texas Southern University is seeking a Senior AVP Research and Innovation to provide strategic, operational, and administrative leadership for the institution’s research enterprise. The role partners with academic leaders to grow sponsored programs, expand external funding, and advance interdisciplinary research and innovation across the campus.
The SAVP-RI will guide research development, compliance, and infrastructure, collaborating with deans, centers, and external partners to boost national
Qualifications
- Earned doctorate or terminal degree from an accredited institution.
- Experience leading multidisciplinary research initiatives and teams.
- Strong ability to secure external research funding and manage programs.
Responsibilities
- Provide executive leadership for strategic research initiatives and programs.
- Advance sponsored projects, external funding, and inter-institutional collaborations.
- Strengthen research development, faculty support, and proposal development.
- Oversee research administration, compliance, and infrastructure planning.
- Lead budgeting, resource allocation, and strategic planning for research activities.
Skills
Education
Job description
Yes
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM M-F
TSU203794
Senior AVP Research and Innovation
n/a
The Senior Associate Vice President for Research & Innovation (SAVP -R&I) serves as a senior
member of the university’s research leadership team and providesstrategic, operational, and
administrative leadership for the institution’s research andinnovation enterprise. The position
supports the Vice President for Research & Innovation indeveloping and executing the
university’s research strategy, strengthening sponsored researchactivity, expanding external
funding, advancing interdisciplinary research, fostering innovationand entrepreneurship, and
enhancing the university’s national research profile.
The SAVP -R&I provides leadership across research development,sponsored programs, research
administration, compliance, research infrastructure, facultyresearch development, technology
and innovation initiatives, strategic partnerships, andinstitutional research priorities. The
position works closely with academic deans, department chairs,faculty, research center
directors, external partners, government agencies, foundations,corporations, and other
stakeholders to increase the scale, competitiveness, and impact ofthe university’s research
portfolio.
The incumbent will play a critical role in advancing institutionalpriorities associated with
achieving and sustaining Texas University Fund ( TUF ) eligibilityand R1-level research activity and
competitiveness. The position will strengthen the University’sresearch infrastructure, expand
extramural funding opportunities, enhance institutional researchcapacity, and foster an
environment that promotes high-impact scholarship, innovation, andresearch excellence.
- Research Strategy and Institutional Leadership
- Assist the Vice President for Research & Innovation indeveloping and implementing the university’s comprehensive researchand innovation strategy.
- Translate institutional research priorities into measurablegoals, initiatives, performance indicators, and implementationplans.
- Provide executive leadership for strategic research initiativesand university-wide research programs.
- Identify opportunities to increase the university’s researchexpenditures, sponsored funding, scholarly productivity, patents,commercialization, and research impact.
- Support institutional efforts to achieve and sustain TexasUniversity Fund and R1-level research activity and nationalresearch competitiveness.
- Serve as a senior representative of the Division of Research& Innovation with internal
and external stakeholders.
- Sponsored Research and External Funding
- Provide strategic oversight and leadership for the developmentand expansion of the university’s externally sponsored researchportfolio.
- Establish strategies to increase federal, state, foundation,corporate, and other external funding.
- Strengthen institutional capacity for large-scale,multidisciplinary, and multi-institutional proposals.
- Support the development of major centers, institutes, programproject, training, infrastructure, and other complexproposals.
- Cultivate relationships with federal agencies, foundations,corporations, philanthropic organizations, and other fundingpartners.
- Monitor trends in federal and state research funding andidentify emerging funding opportunities aligned with universitypriorities.
- Promote a coordinated and proactive approach to proposaldevelopment and research development.
- Research Development and Faculty Support
- Lead strategies to strengthen faculty competitiveness forexternal funding.
- Expand faculty research development programs, workshops,mentoring, limited-submission programs, and proposal supportservices.
- Develop mechanisms to identify promising investigators andprovide targeted support for their research trajectories.
- Promote interdisciplinary and collaborative research amongfaculty, departments, colleges, centers, and institutes.
- Support early-career, mid-career, and established investigatorsin developing sustainable research portfolios.
- Promote national and international research collaborations andstrategic research networks.
- Research Administration and Infrastructure
- Collaborate with university leadership to strengthen researchadministration systems, policies, procedures, andinfrastructure.
- Evaluate operational processes affecting proposal development,award management, purchasing, contracting, compliance, andcloseout.
- Promote efficient, transparent, and service-oriented researchadministration.
- Identify opportunities for technology, automation, datasystems, and process improvements that enhance researchoperations.
- Assist in developing long-term plans for research facilities,laboratories, equipment, shared instrumentation, and other researchinfrastructure.
- Support strategic allocation of institutional resources tomaximize research productivity and return on investment.
- Research Compliance and Integrity
- Provide leadership and oversight related to the university’sresearch compliance environment in collaboration with appropriateoffices and committees.
- Support compliance with federal, state, sponsor, and universityrequirements governing sponsored research.
- Promote a culture of research integrity, ethical conduct,accountability, and responsible stewardship of sponsoredfunds.
- Collaborate with Institutional Review Boards, InstitutionalAnimal Care and Use Committee, Institutional Biosafety Committee,conflict-of-interest programs, research security, export controls,and other compliance functions as appropriate.
- Assist in identifying and mitigating institutional researchrisks.
- Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Commercialization
- Develop and advance strategies that connect university researchwith innovation, entrepreneurship, technology development, andcommercialization.
- Foster partnerships among faculty researchers, entrepreneurs,industry, investors, government agencies, and communityorganizations.
- Support intellectual property development, technology transfer,licensing, startup formation, and other pathways for translatingresearch into societal and economic impact.
- Identify opportunities for innovation-focused grants, corporatepartnerships, and entrepreneurial initiatives.
- Encourage a culture of innovation across the university.
- Research Centers, Institutes, and Strategic Initiatives
- Provide strategic oversight and support for university researchcenters, institutes, laboratories, and interdisciplinary researchinitiatives.
- Establish performance expectations and assessment mechanismsfor research centers and institutes.
- Support the creation and growth of high-impactinterdisciplinary research programs.
- Evaluate research initiatives based on funding potential,scholarly impact, institutional priorities, and long-termsustainability.
- Assist with the development of strategic partnerships involvingcenters, institutes, and external organizations.
- Partnerships and External Relations
- Develop and maintain relationships with federal agencies, stateagencies, corporations, foundations, academic institutions,research organizations, and community partners.
- Represent the university at national and regional researchconferences, professional organizations, funding agencies, andstrategic meetings.
- Develop partnerships that increase research opportunities,workforce development, innovation, and economic impact.
- Strengthen relationships with peer research universities andinstitutions that can support collaborative research and capacitybuilding.
- Research Analytics and Performance Management
- Establish systems for tracking and evaluating institutionalresearch performance.
- Monitor key research metrics, including sponsored awards,proposal submissions, research expenditures, publications,citations, patents, licenses, doctoral production,interdisciplinary activity, and other relevant measures.
- Develop dashboards, reports, and executive briefings to informinstitutional decision-making.
- Use data and benchmarking to identify opportunities for growthand improvement.
- Provide regular updates to senior leadership regarding progresstoward institutional research goals.
- Budget and Resource Management
- Assist with the development and management of the Division ofResearch & Innovation’s operating and strategic budgets.
- Recommend resource allocations that support institutionalresearch priorities.
- Monitor expenditures and ensure responsible stewardship ofinstitutional and sponsored resources.
- Identify opportunities to leverage institutional investmentswith external funding.
- Support the development of sustainable funding models forresearch centers, institutes, infrastructure, and strategicinitiatives.
- Executive Leadership and Team Management
- Provide leadership, supervision, mentoring, and professionaldevelopment for assigned staff.
- Establish organizational priorities, performance expectations,and accountability mechanisms.
- Promote a collaborative, customer-focused, and results-orientedculture within the Division of Research & Innovation.
- Participate in university-wide executive committees, taskforces, and strategic planning activities.
- Serve as acting or interim leader for the Division of Research& Innovation when designated by the Vice President.
0.78
Commensurate with experience.
Required:
- Earned doctorate or terminal degree from an accreditedinstitution in a relevant academic or professional discipline.
None Required.
- Relevant legal and regulatory requirements, including Federal,State, and Local laws.
- Federal auditing standards in general and particularly as theyapply to colleges and universities with federal funds.
- Knowledge of research policies, procedures, and practices.
- Knowledge of conflict of interest and ethics requirements,including federal research requirements.
- Other job-related software and systems.
- Knowledge of research security, international researchcollaborations, and emerging federal research requirements.
- Both verbal and written communication.
- Securing high levels of research grants and awards
- Academic leadership and team building
- Sustaining high performing and effective teams that engage withcolleagues across the University
- Managing staff and their performance.
- Training and development of early career academics, includingPhD students.
- Strategic and operational management and planning as evidencedby demonstrated track record
- Financial planning and resource allocation,
- Leading and successfully initiating and implementingchange.
- Ability to maintain the security or integrity of criticalinfrastructure, which may include communications systems, computernetworks and systems, cybersecurity systems, electrical grid,hazardous waste treatment or water treatment system.
- Executive leadership and strategic vision
- Research development and sponsored programs
- Institutional transformation
- Strategic planning and implementation
- External funding development
- Faculty research development
- Research administration
- Research compliance and integrity
- Innovation and entrepreneurship
- Partnership development
- Budget and resource management
- Data-informed decision-making
- Change management
- Team leadership and talent development
- Communication and relationship management
- Growth in total sponsored research funding and researchexpenditures.
- Increased federal and foundation funding.
- Growth in competitive proposal submissions and awards.
- Increased faculty participation in sponsored research.
- Development of interdisciplinary and large-scale researchinitiatives.
- Growth and performance of research centers and institutes.
- Strengthening of research infrastructure and administrativesystems.
- Increased research productivity and scholarly impact.Expansion of industry, government, foundation, and academicpartnerships.
- Advancement toward institutional TUF and R1-level researchgoals.
- Improved efficiency, compliance, and customer service withinthe research enterprise.
- Minimum of 3-5 years of progressively responsible experience inresearch development, innovation, or a related field.
- Demonstrated experience securing or supporting significantexternal research funding.
- Demonstrated experience developing and implementinginstitutional research strategies.
- Experience leading multidisciplinary teams, research centers,institutes, or complex research initiatives.
- Demonstrated knowledge of federal and non-federal sponsoredresearch processes and regulations.
- Experience working with senior academic and administrativeleadership.
- Demonstrated ability to build relationships with faculty,funding agencies, industry, foundations, government agencies, andexternal partners.
- Strong understanding of research compliance, researchadministration, and institutional research infrastructure.
- Excellent written, oral, interpersonal, analytical, andorganizational skills.
- Experience serving in a senior research leadership position ata research university.
- Demonstrated experience contributing to institutionaladvancement toward R1, Texas University Fund or equivalenthigh-research-activity classification.
- Significant record of successful federal grant development oradministration.
- Experience with large, complex, interdisciplinary,multi-investigator, or multi-institutional grants.
- Experience developing research centers, institutes, oruniversity-wide research initiatives.
- Experience with technology commercialization, entrepreneurship,innovation, or industry partnerships.
- Experience at an institution undergoing significant researchgrowth is desirable.
Routine office environment.
Sitting or standing in one location much of the time.
Some stooping, lifting or carrying objects lightweight may berequired.
Use of video display terminal.
It is the policy of Texas Southern University to provide a workenvironment that is free from discrimination for all personsregardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin,individuals with disability, sexual orientation, or protectedveteran status in its programs, activities, admissions oremployment policies. This policy of equal opportunity is strictlyobserved in all University employment-related activities such asadvertising, recruiting, interviewing, testing, employmenttraining, compensation, promotion, termination, and employmentbenefits. This policy expressly prohibits harassment anddiscrimination in employment based on race, color, religion,gender, gender identity, genetic history, national origin,individuals with disability, age, citizenship status, or protectedveteran status. This policy shall be adhered to in accordance withthe provisions of all applicable federal, state and local laws,including, but not limited to, Title VII of the Civil RightsAct.
Manual of Administrative Policies and Procedures
09/29/2026
No
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