Senior AVP Research and Innovation

Texas Southern University; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Texas Southern University in Houston seeks a Senior Associate Vice President for Research and Innovation to lead the university's research strategy, strengthen sponsored programs, and expand external funding. The SAVP-R&I will oversee research development, compliance, and partnerships to elevate the university’s national standing and support innovation across departments.

The role requires guiding faculty, centers, and collaborations toward higher visibility and sustained R1-level activity, with

Qualifications

• Earned doctorate or terminal degree from an accredited institution in a relevant academic or professional discipline.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the university’s comprehensive research and innovation strategy.
• Provide executive leadership for strategic research initiatives and university-wide research programs.
• Identify opportunities to increase research expenditures, sponsored funding, and interdisciplinary collaborations.
• Promote institutional research capacity, compliance, and infrastructure to support high-impact scholarship.

Skills

Executive leadership

Strategic planning

Team leadership

Communication

Budget management

Change management

Research administration

Fundraising

Education

Doctorate or terminal degree

Job description

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

Communication Guidelines for Status Updates

To help our team work efficiently and provide timely service to everyone, we kindly ask that candidates refrain from calling the department for routine status updates regarding requests, applications, or ongoing matters.
Frequent status calls may delay response times by reducing the time available to complete pending work.

Our team processes inquiries, we do not hire for them. Only the hiring department hires and reviews candidates in the order they are received.
Frequent status calls may delay response times by reducing the time available to complete pending work.

If additional information or documentation is required, a member of the hiring team will contact you directly.
If you are chosen for the position, you will be notified through the appropriate communication channel.

We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we work to serve all employees fairly and efficiently.

Thank you for your understanding and support

Title Information

Security Sensitive Position?

Security Sensitive Position? Yes

Hours of Work

Hours of Work 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM M-F

Position Information

Posting Number

Posting Number TSU203794

Official TSU Title Senior AVP Research and Innovation

Grant Title n/a

Job Description Summary / TWC Summary

The Senior Associate Vice President for Research & Innovation ( SAVP -R&I) serves as a senior
member of the university’s research leadership team and provides strategic, operational, and
administrative leadership for the institution’s research and innovation enterprise. The position
supports the Vice President for Research & Innovation in developing and executing the
university’s research strategy, strengthening sponsored research activity, expanding external
funding, advancing interdisciplinary research, fostering innovation and 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, faculty research development, technology
and innovation initiatives, strategic partnerships, and institutional 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 of the university’s research
portfolio.
The incumbent will play a critical role in advancing institutional priorities associated with
achieving and sustaining Texas University Fund ( TUF ) eligibility and R1-level research activity and
competitiveness. The position will strengthen the University’s research infrastructure, expand
extramural funding opportunities, enhance institutional research capacity, and foster an
environment that promotes high-impact scholarship, innovation, and research excellence.

1. Research Strategy and Institutional Leadership

• Assist the Vice President for Research & Innovation in developing and implementing the university’s comprehensive research and innovation strategy.
• Translate institutional research priorities into measurable goals, initiatives, performance indicators, and implementation plans.
• Provide executive leadership for strategic research initiatives and university-wide research programs.
• Identify opportunities to increase the university’s research expenditures, sponsored funding, scholarly productivity, patents, commercialization, and research impact.
• Support institutional efforts to achieve and sustain Texas University Fund and R1-level research activity and national research competitiveness.
• Serve as a senior representative of the Division of Research & Innovation with internal
  and external stakeholders.

2. Sponsored Research and External Funding

• Provide strategic oversight and leadership for the development and expansion of the university’s externally sponsored research portfolio.
• 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, program project, training, infrastructure, and other complex proposals.
• Cultivate relationships with federal agencies, foundations, corporations, philanthropic organizations, and other funding partners.
• Monitor trends in federal and state research funding and identify emerging funding opportunities aligned with university priorities.
• Promote a coordinated and proactive approach to proposal development and research development.

3. Research Development and Faculty Support

• Lead strategies to strengthen faculty competitiveness for external funding.
• Expand faculty research development programs, workshops, mentoring, limited-submission programs, and proposal support services.
• Develop mechanisms to identify promising investigators and provide targeted support for their research trajectories.
• Promote interdisciplinary and collaborative research among faculty, departments, colleges, centers, and institutes.
• Support early-career, mid-career, and established investigators in developing sustainable research portfolios.
• Promote national and international research collaborations and strategic research networks.

4. Research Administration and Infrastructure

• Collaborate with university leadership to strengthen research administration systems, policies, procedures, and infrastructure.
• Evaluate operational processes affecting proposal development, award management, purchasing, contracting, compliance, and closeout.
• Promote efficient, transparent, and service-oriented research administration.
• Identify opportunities for technology, automation, data systems, and process improvements that enhance research operations.
• Assist in developing long-term plans for research facilities, laboratories, equipment, shared instrumentation, and other research infrastructure.
• Support strategic allocation of institutional resources to maximize research productivity and return on investment.

5. Research Compliance and Integrity

• Provide leadership and oversight related to the university’s research compliance environment in collaboration with appropriate offices and committees.
• Support compliance with federal, state, sponsor, and university requirements governing sponsored research.
• Promote a culture of research integrity, ethical conduct, accountability, and responsible stewardship of sponsored funds.
• Collaborate with Institutional Review Boards, Institutional Animal 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 research risks.

6. Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Commercialization

• Develop and advance strategies that connect university research with innovation, entrepreneurship, technology development, and commercialization.
• Foster partnerships among faculty researchers, entrepreneurs, industry, investors, government agencies, and community organizations.
• Support intellectual property development, technology transfer, licensing, startup formation, and other pathways for translating research into societal and economic impact.
• Identify opportunities for innovation-focused grants, corporate partnerships, and entrepreneurial initiatives.
• Encourage a culture of innovation across the university.

7. Research Centers, Institutes, and Strategic Initiatives

• Provide strategic oversight and support for university research centers, institutes, laboratories, and interdisciplinary research initiatives.
• Establish performance expectations and assessment mechanisms for research centers and institutes.
• Support the creation and growth of high-impact interdisciplinary research programs.
• Evaluate research initiatives based on funding potential, scholarly impact, institutional priorities, and long-term sustainability.
• Assist with the development of strategic partnerships involving centers, institutes, and external organizations.

8. Partnerships and External Relations

• Develop and maintain relationships with federal agencies, state agencies, corporations, foundations, academic institutions, research organizations, and community partners.
• Represent the university at national and regional research conferences, professional organizations, funding agencies, and strategic meetings.
• Develop partnerships that increase research opportunities, workforce development, innovation, and economic impact.
• Strengthen relationships with peer research universities and institutions that can support collaborative research and capacity building.

9. Research Analytics and Performance Management

• Establish systems for tracking and evaluating institutional research 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 inform institutional decision-making.
• Use data and benchmarking to identify opportunities for growth and improvement.
• Provide regular updates to senior leadership regarding progress toward institutional research goals.

10. Budget and Resource Management

• Assist with the development and management of the Division of Research & Innovation’s operating and strategic budgets.
• Recommend resource allocations that support institutional research priorities.
• Monitor expenditures and ensure responsible stewardship of institutional and sponsored resources.
• Identify opportunities to leverage institutional investments with external funding.
• Support the development of sustainable funding models for research centers, institutes, infrastructure, and strategic initiatives.

11. Executive Leadership and Team Management

• Provide leadership, supervision, mentoring, and professional development for assigned staff.
• Establish organizational priorities, performance expectations, and accountability mechanisms.
• Promote a collaborative, customer-focused, and results-oriented culture within the Division of Research & Innovation.
• Participate in university-wide executive committees, task forces, and strategic planning activities.
• Serve as acting or interim leader for the Division of Research & Innovation when designated by the Vice President.

FTE

0.78

Hiring Range

Hiring Range Commensurate with experience.

Education

Required:

• Earned doctorate or terminal degree from an accredited institution in a relevant academic or professional discipline.

Required Licensing/Certification

None Required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of:

• Relevant legal and regulatory requirements, including Federal, State, and Local laws.
• Federal auditing standards in general and particularly as they apply 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 research collaborations, and emerging federal research requirements.

Skilled in:

• 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 with colleagues across the University
• Managing staff and their performance.
• Training and development of early career academics, including PhD students.
• Strategic and operational management and planning as evidenced by demonstrated track record
• Financial planning and resource allocation,
• Leading and successfully initiating and implementing change.

Ability to:

• Ability to maintain the security or integrity of critical infrastructure, which may include communications systems, computer networks and systems, cybersecurity systems, electrical grid, hazardous waste treatment or water treatment system.

Core Competencies:

• Executive leadership and strategic vision
• Research development and sponsored programs
• Institutional transformation
• Strategic planning and implementation
• Research administration
• Research compliance and integrity
• Innovation and entrepreneurship
• Budget and resource management
• Change management
• Team leadership and talent development
• Communication and relationship management

Performance Expectations

Success in this position will be evaluated based on measurable progress in areas including:

• Growth in total sponsored research funding and research expenditures.
• Increased federal and foundation funding.
• Growth in competitive proposal submissions and awards.
• Increased faculty participation in sponsored research.
• Development of interdisciplinary and large-scale research initiatives.
• Growth and performance of research centers and institutes.
• Strengthening of research infrastructure and administrative systems.
• Increased research productivity and scholarly impact.
• Expansion of industry, government, foundation, and academic partnerships.
• Advancement toward institutional TUF and R1-level research goals.
• Improved efficiency, compliance, and customer service within the research enterprise.

Work Experience

Required:

• Minimum of 3-5 years of progressively responsible experience in research development, innovation, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience securing or supporting significant external research funding.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing institutional research strategies.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams, research centers, institutes, or complex research initiatives.
• Demonstrated knowledge of federal and non-federal sponsored research processes and regulations.
• Experience working with senior academic and administrative leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships with faculty, funding agencies, industry, foundations, government agencies, and external partners.
• Strong understanding of research compliance, research administration, and institutional research infrastructure.
• Excellent written, oral, interpersonal, analytical, and organizational skills.

Preferred:

• Experience serving in a senior research leadership position at a research university.
• Demonstrated experience contributing to institutional advancement toward R1, Texas University Fund or equivalent high-research-activity classification.
• Significant record of successful federal grant development or administration.
• Experience with large, complex, interdisciplinary, multi-investigator, or multi-institutional grants.
• Experience developing research centers, institutes, or university-wide research initiatives.
• Experience with technology commercialization, entrepreneurship, innovation, or industry partnerships.
• Experience at an institution undergoing significant research growth is desirable.

Working/Environmental Conditions

Routine office environment.
Sitting or standing in one location much of the time.
Some stooping, lifting or carrying objects lightweight may be required.
Use of video display terminal.

Position End Date (if temporary)

UA EEO Statement

It is the policy of Texas Southern University to provide a work environment that is free from discrimination for all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, individuals with disability, sexual orientation, or protected veteran status in its programs, activities, admissions or employment policies. This policy of equal opportunity is strictly observed in all University employment-related activities such as advertising, recruiting, interviewing, testing, employment training, compensation, promotion, termination, and employment benefits. This policy expressly prohibits harassment and discrimination in employment based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, genetic history, national origin, individuals with disability, age, citizenship status, or protected veteran status. This policy shall be adhered to in accordance with the provisions of all applicable federal, state and local laws, including, but not limited to, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

Manual of Administrative Policies and Procedures

Open Until Filled (overrides close field)

Open Until Filled (overrides close field) No

Special Instructions to Applicants

Special Instructions to Applicants Open to all applicants.

Posting Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• * Do you have a doctorate or terminal degree from an accredited institution in a relevant academic or professional discipline?
  • Yes
  • No
• * Do you have a minimum of 3-5 years of progressively responsible experience in research development, innovation, or a related field?
  • Yes
  • No
• * Do you have experience contributing to institutional advancement toward R1, Texas University Fund or equivalent high-research-activity classification?
  • Yes
  • No