Senior Program Manager for Advanced Research and Leadership

University Of Michigan; Ann Arbor (MI); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work options

Job summary

University of Michigan seeks a Senior Academic Program Manager for UROP to lead advanced research, leadership, equity-centered scholarship, and graduate education preparation for undergraduates. The role anchors in UROP and collaborates with faculty, researchers, and campus partners to expand access to mentored research experiences.

The position oversees GEPP, Bowman-UROP Equity Fellows, and the Research for Impact program with Michigan Medicine, plus a teaching appointment in ALA 285 during

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required and relevant field experience.
• Experience developing, managing, or coordinating academic, research, student success, or cohort-based programs.
• Strong organizational, communication, and project management skills.
• Ability to collaborate with faculty, researchers, students, staff, academic departments, and campus partners.
• Experience supervising student staff, graduate students, peer mentors, or similar roles.

Responsibilities

• Lead GEPP design, coordination, implementation, and ongoing improvement.
• Teach ALA 285 in Winter term for GEPP students.
• Oversee Bowman-UROP Equity Fellows Program and student engagement.
• Design and manage the Research Student Success Workshop Series.
• Co-lead the Research for Impact Program with Michigan Medicine and supervise Peer Research Facilitators.
• Ensure program assessment, reporting, and continuous improvement.

Skills

Program management

Leadership

Stakeholder collaboration

Mentoring

Student-centered approach

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant field

Job description

Senior Program Manager for Advanced Research and Leadership

Mission Statement

The mission of the University of Michigan is to serve the people of Michigan and the world through preeminence in creating, communicating, preserving and applying knowledge, art, and academic values, and in developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future.

Job Summary

The Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program, or UROP, the flagship program of the Center for Research, Scholarship, and Creative Inquiry, seeks an experienced, student-centered professional to provide high-level leadership in the development, implementation, and assessment of advanced research, leadership, equity-centered scholarship, and graduate education preparation opportunities for University of Michigan undergraduate students.

This position is anchored in UROP and contributes to the broader mission of the Center for Research, Scholarship, and Creative Inquiry by supporting both UROP and non-UROP students engaged in research, scholarly work, and creative practice. UROP seeks a candidate who is energized by working in a student-centered, multidisciplinary, and collaborative environment. The successful candidate will value working with undergraduate students, faculty, researchers, graduate student mentors, academic departments, and campus partners; demonstrate a commitment to expanding access to mentored research experiences; and contribute to a collegial team environment focused on student success, research excellence, and inclusive scholarly development.

The Senior Academic Program Manager will oversee several student-centered programs. These include the Graduate Education Preparation Program, or GEPP; the Bowman-UROP Equity Fellows Program; the Research for Impact Program in partnership with Michigan Medicine; UROP's Student Success Workshop Series; and supervision of UROP Peer Research Facilitators. The position also includes an annual 11.1% Lecturer appointment to teach ALA 285 during the Winter term each year for GEPP students.

The teaching assignment is included within the total 100% appointment and is integrated into the position's broader focus on student success, research development, and graduate education preparation. Because the instructional effort is concentrated in the Winter term, the Director of Mentor Engagement will work with the successful candidate to plan seasonal responsibilities and make appropriate workload adjustments to support a balanced and sustainable role.

Reports to the Director of Mentor Engagement

Responsibilities*

I. Manage and Oversee the Graduate Education Preparation Program, GEPP - 20%

The Graduate Education Preparation Program, formerly known as Grad PREP, supports a small cohort of up to 20 U-M undergraduate students each year as they prepare for graduate study, advanced research, and competitive post-baccalaureate opportunities. GEPP supports students who demonstrate strong potential for graduate study and who would benefit from structured academic, professional, research, and mentoring support.

Responsibilities include:

• Lead the design, coordination, implementation, and ongoing improvement of GEPP.
• Develop and maintain a structured one- to two-year graduate education preparation experience within the Center.
• Provide comprehensive academic, professional, and developmental support to students preparing for graduate education and advanced research opportunities.
• Support students across disciplines, with particular attention to students who may face barriers to accessing graduate education pathways, including students in STEM and other research-intensive fields.
• Collaborate with UROP leadership, Rackham Graduate School, academic departments, faculty, researchers, and campus partners to strengthen research opportunities, graduate school preparation, faculty mentorship, and professional development.
• Develop programming that supports graduate school exploration, application preparation, research identity development, academic planning, professional communication, and post-baccalaureate pathway preparation.
• Integrate inclusion and student-centered approaches into GEPP programming, mentoring, and student support.
• Supervise two graduate student mentors assigned to support GEPP students.
• Coordinate graduate student mentor responsibilities, training, student engagement, and evaluation.
• Monitor student progress, maintain program records, and provide individualized support to promote students' academic, research, scholarly, and professional success.
• Conduct program evaluation and assessment, including tracking student outcomes and preparing reports as needed.
• Serve as a liaison to graduate programs, faculty, campus units, and other partners involved in graduate education preparation.

II. Teach ALA 285 for GEPP Students - 11%

This position includes an annual 11% Lecturer appointmen to teach ALA 285 during the Winter term each year for students in the Graduate Education Preparation Program. Although the instructional appointment is annualized as part of the total 100% effort, the teaching duties are concentrated in the Winter term.

Responsibilities include:

• Teach ALA 285 in alignment with GEPP goals and the Center's Student Success Model.
• Develop, refine, and maintain course materials that support graduate education preparation, research development, academic planning, and professional growth.
• Provide instruction, feedback, and mentoring to GEPP students enrolled in the course.
• Coordinate course content with GEPP programming, graduate student mentor support, and related student development activities.
• Assess student learning and maintain instructional records in accordance with university policies.
• Collaborate with the Center and UROP leadership to ensure the course supports students' broader preparation for graduate education, advanced research, and post-baccalaureate pathways.

III. Oversee the Bowman-UROP Equity Fellows Program - 14%

The Bowman-UROP Equity Fellows Program prepares undergraduate students to become equity-minded researchers, scholars, and creative practitioners. Grounded in the Bowman Center's scholarly framework and the Center/UROP's mission to expand access to mentored research, the program supports students in producing rigorous, socially responsive scholarship that advances knowledge, strengthens communities, and contributes to institutional transformation.

The program supports up to 10 student fellows annually working across up to eight Bowman-affiliated research projects. For the inaugural year, the program will be organized around the broad theme of Communities in Action, which will also inform Bowman Center programming throughout the academic year.

Responsibilities include:

• Oversee the implementation, coordination, and ongoing administration of the Bowman-UROP Equity Fellows Program.
• Support recruitment, selection, onboarding, and ongoing engagement of up to 10 undergraduate Equity Fellows per year.
• Coordinate with Bowman Center leadership, UROP leadership, faculty, researchers, and project mentors to ensure high-quality student research placements.
• Support students participating in the program for academic credit or work-study funding.
• Collaborate with the Bowman Center Director and UROP research staff on monthly seminar meetings for Equity Fellows.
• Help develop and coordinate seminar topics related to PhD pathways, equity-centered research practices, socially responsive scholarship, the annual program theme, and student interests.
• Support students in understanding and applying equity-minded research practices within their research, scholarship, or creative activities.
• Maintain communication with research mentors and assist in resolving student or placement-related concerns.
• Track student participation, progress, and outcomes.
• Contribute to program assessment, reporting, and continuous improvement.
• Help cultivate a cohort experience that supports students' research identities, sense of belonging, and development as equity-minded scholars, researchers, and creative practitioners.

IV. Design and Manage the Academic and Professional Development Student Success Workshop Series - 25%

The Senior Academic Program Manager will lead the design and implementation of the Center's Research Student Success Workshop Series, which provides centralized academic and professional development support to undergraduate students engaged in research, scholarly work, and creative inquiry.

Responsibilities include:

• Design, coordinate, and deliver workshops related to entering undergraduate research, applying to research opportunities, developing research skills, and becoming an independent researcher.
• Develop programming for students across a range of experience levels, from novice researchers to advanced undergraduate researchers.
• Create workshops that support students' academic, professional, and research development, including topics such as research communication, mentor relationships, research ethics, graduate school exploration, conference preparation, and post-baccalaureate pathways.
• Collaborate with campus partners to strengthen support for undergraduate students seeking post-baccalaureate research opportunities.
• Assess workshop participation, learning outcomes, and student needs to inform future programming.

V. Co-Lead the Research for Impact Program with Michigan Medicine - 15%

The Research for Impact Program is a medical and research mentorship program developed in partnership with Michigan Medicine. Through this program, former UROP, health science students work with a physician, a clinical researcher, and a medical student and are supported in developing sustained, self-directed learning in an area of interest.

Responsibilities include:

• Co-lead the Research for Impact Program in collaboration with University of Michigan Medical School faculty, clinical researchers, and medical students.
• Coordinate recruitment, selection, onboarding, and ongoing support for student participants.
• Collaborate with Michigan Medicine partners on educational programming, professional development, and training.
• Support a student cohort of approximately 10 students per year, with a total two-year cohort size of approximately 20 students.
• Monitor student progress and provide individualized support as needed.
• Maintain regular communication with Michigan Medicine partners, mentors, and student participants.
• Track program participation, outcomes, and student development.
• Contribute to program evaluation, reporting, and continuous improvement.

VI. Supervise UROP Peer Research Facilitators - 15%

The Senior Academic Program Manager will supervise up to nine UROP Peer Research Facilitators, who support undergraduate researchers through peer mentoring, workshop facilitation, student engagement, and research-readiness programming.

Responsibilities include:

• Recruit, train, supervise, and evaluate up to nine UROP Peer Research Facilitators.
• Provide regular guidance, coaching, and feedback to Peer Research Facilitators.
• Coordinate Peer Research Facilitator assignments in support of UROP workshops, student success initiatives, research preparation programming, and related student engagement activities.
• Ensure Peer Research Facilitators are prepared to support students across varying levels of research experience.
• Facilitate regular team meetings and reflective learning opportunities for Peer Research Facilitators.
• Monitor Peer Research Facilitator performance and provide ongoing professional development.

Required Qualifications*

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field.
• Experience developing, managing, or coordinating academic, research, student success, or cohort-based programs.
• Demonstrated commitment to supporting undergraduate student development, access to research, and inclusive excellence.
• Experience working with students from diverse backgrounds and at varying stages of academic and professional development.
• Strong organizational, communication, and project management skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with faculty, researchers, students, staff, academic departments, and campus partners.
• Demonstrated ability to design and deliver workshops, trainings, seminars, or academic support programming.
• Experience supervising student staff, graduate students, peer mentors, or similar roles.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a dynamic, evolving environment.

Desired Qualifications*

• Master's degree or doctoral degree in a relevant field.
• Experience with undergraduate research programs, graduate education preparation, or post-baccalaureate pathways.
• Experience teaching or supporting credit-bearing courses.
• Familiarity with equity-centered, community-engaged, or socially responsive research practices.
• Experience with program assessment, data tracking, reporting, and continuous improvement.
• Knowledge of U-M academic units, research infrastructure, and student support services.

Why Work at Michigan?

In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, the University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family and plan for a secure future. Benefits include:

• Generous time off, including vacation time, sick time, holiday and season days
• A retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions with immediate vesting
• Many choices for comprehensive health insurance
• Life insurance
• Long-term disability coverage
• Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses

In addition, the college of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) offers:

• Enhanced tuition support programs for LSA courses
• Strong commitment to work/life balance
• Flexible work arrangements with respect to campus stakeholder needs

Being part of something greater, of serving a larger mission of discovery and care - that's the heart of what drives people to work at Michigan. In some way, great or small, every person here helps to advance this world-class institution. It's adding a purpose to your profession. Work at Michigan and become a victor for the greater good.

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes .

Additional Information

As one of the world’s great liberal arts colleges, LSA pushes the boundaries of what is understood about the human experience and the natural world, and we foster the next generation of rigorous and empathetic thinkers, creators, and contributors to the state of Michigan, the nation, and the world.
To learn more about LSA’s Mission, Vision and Values, please visit https://lsa.umich.edu/lsa/about/vision-mission-values.html .

This position is included in the bargaining unit represented by the University Staff United (USU), which represents bargaining unit members in all matters with respect to wages, benefits, hours and other terms and conditions of employment.

The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checksare performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days.The review and selection process maybegin as early as the eighth day after posting.Thisopening may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.