Qualifications
Responsibilities
Benefits
Job Description
The Research Administration Collaborative (RAC) in the Office of Research has an outstanding opportunity for an Assistant Director to join their team.
About this OpportunityReporting to the Executive Director, Assistant Director is responsible for providing operational leadership for centralized award setup and modification services within the Research Administration Collaborative (RAC). The position is responsible for establishing, managing, evaluating, and continuously improving a shared-service capability designed to provide accurate, timely, consistent, and accountable research administration services on behalf of participating University units.
Key Responsibilities
35%: Centralized Award Setup and Modification Service Leadership
Responsible for the overall operation and performance of centralized award setup and modification services.
- Direct day-to-day service operations, including workload management, prioritization, resource allocation, and service delivery.
- Establish and maintain operating procedures, service standards, quality controls, and escalation practices.
- Monitor service performance and address operational issues, risks, bottlenecks, and emerging priorities.
- Ensure services are delivered in accordance with University requirements, institutional controls, and established operating practices.
- Foster a culture of accountability, responsiveness, accuracy, transparency, and customer service.
20%: Staff Leadership and Workforce Development
Responsible for building and leading a high-performing operational service team.
- Recruit, supervise, coach, and develop staff responsible for award setup and modification services.
- Establish performance expectations and provide ongoing feedback, evaluation, and performance management.
- Develop workforce capabilities through onboarding, training, cross-training, and professional development.
- Assess staffing needs and allocate resources to meet service demands and evolving operational requirements.
- Promote a collaborative, inclusive, and continuous-improvement-oriented team culture.
20%: Process Improvement and Operational Implementation
Responsible for implementation and continuous improvement of award setup and modification services.
- Lead implementation of redesigned workflows, procedures, controls, and operating standards.
- Partner with RAC colleagues and stakeholders to reduce administrative burden, streamline processes, and improve service outcomes.
- Develop and maintain operational documentation, decision frameworks, and quality-assurance practices.
- Identify recurring process issues and implement corrective actions to improve efficiency, quality, and consistency.
- Support evaluation and adoption of technology, automation, and decision-support solutions.
15%: Performance Management and Stakeholder Coordination
Responsible for monitoring service effectiveness and coordinating delivery across organizational boundaries.
- Establish and monitor key performance indicators, service levels, productivity measures, and quality metrics.
- Use operational data to identify trends, risks, capacity needs, and improvement opportunities.
- Provide leadership with regular assessments of service performance, operational risks, and improvement priorities.
- Partner with OSP, GCA, academic units, and other stakeholders to resolve cross-functional issues and improve service delivery.
- Communicate operational expectations, process changes, and performance outcomes to stakeholders.
10%: Service Scaling and Strategic Program Development
Responsible for supporting long-term growth and sustainability of RAC services.
- Evaluate service effectiveness, capacity, scalability, and operational readiness.
- Develop operational plans supporting expansion of centralized services to additional units and service areas.
- Support onboarding and transition activities for participating units.
- Recommend staffing, workflow, process, and technology investments needed to support future growth.
- Contribute to RAC planning, pilot evaluation, governance activities, and broader operational excellence initiatives.
Required Qualifications
To be considered for this opportunity your application must demonstrate you meet both the minimum qualifications and additional qualifications listed below. Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration.
Minimum QualificationsApplicants who do not meet these qualifications WILL NOT be forwarded to the Hiring Department.
Preferred Qualifications
Five years of progressively responsible experience in research administration, sponsored programs administration, program operations, or a related administrative field.
Demonstrated experience supervising staff and managing operational workflows, workload priorities, and service delivery.
Demonstrated ability to interpret complex policies, exercise independent judgment, solve operational problems, and implement effective business processes.
Strong analytical, communication, relationship-management, and performance-management skills, including the ability to use operational data and metrics to support decision-making.
Advanced degree and/or professional certification relevant to research administration, program management, organizational leadership, or business operations (e.g., CRA, MBA, MPA).
Significant experience with sponsored research administration, particularly post-award administration, award setup, award modifications, or sponsored-project financial management.
Experience leading shared-services, centralized-service, service-center, or other high-volume operational environments.
Experience leading process improvement, organizational change, service redesign, workflow optimization, or implementation of new operating models.
Experience using operational performance measures, workflow technologies, automation, case-management systems, or AI-enabled tools to improve service delivery.
About the TeamThe Office of Research is led by the Vice Provost for Research and oversees three administrative units: Human Subjects Division (HSD), Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), and Office of Research Information Services (ORIS).
https://research.washington.edu/research/or/
Compensation, Benefits and Position Details
Pay Range Minimum:
$126,000.00 annualPay Range Maximum:
$150,000.00 annualOther Compensation:
-Benefits:
For information about benefits for this position, visit https://www.washington.edu/jobs/benefits-for-uw-staff/Shift:
First Shift (United States of America)Temporary or Regular?
This is a regular positionFTE (Full-Time Equivalent):
100.00%Union/Bargaining Unit:
Not Applicable
Our team will look into this right away.
