Job Description

What We Are Looking For

Baylor University is seeking a Director of Research Administration Systems. The Director of Research Administration Systems serves as the primary functional resource for research administration systems supporting the Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR), including the Huron Research Suite (CARA), Huron Employee Compensation Compliance (ECC), and Oracle Project Portfolio Management Cloud (PPM) and Labor Distribution systems. This position analyzes business processes, gathers and documents requirements, and supports system operations and improvements while serving as the liaison between Research Administration, Information Technology Services (ITS), Oracle Cloud ERP support teams, and third-party vendors - translating business needs into functional and technical requirements, evaluating system impacts, and coordinating testing activities. As the primary functional support resource for research administration users, the Director troubleshoots issues, recommends process improvements, and determines when technical resources are required for resolution. This role also contributes to the operational effectiveness of the research enterprise by supporting divisional operations, developing procedures to ensure regulatory compliance, coordinating training, and providing analytical and reporting support for academic and research initiatives.

A bachelor's degree and five years of relevant work experience are required. A master's degree and eight years of relevant work experience are preferred. Additional education or experience will be considered in lieu of one another.

All applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

What You Will Do

• Serve as the primary functional analyst and support resource for research administration business processes and systems, including the Huron Research Suite (HRS) - Grants, Agreements, Conflict of Interest (COI), and Employee Compensation Compliance (ECC) modules
• Analyze and document current and future-state business processes related to proposal development, award management, effort certification, compliance, grants management, and sponsored research administration
• Investigate and resolve functional issues reported by research administrators, principal investigators, departmental users, and central offices; determine root causes and differentiate between business, data, configuration, and technical issues
• Escalate technical issues to appropriate Ignite Support Personnel, Oracle, or vendor support resources and monitor resolution through completion
• Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, data quality, and user experience; evaluate impacts of policy, process, and system changes across research administration functions
• Gather, document, and validate business requirements for system enhancements, integrations, reports, and process improvements
• Translate business requirements into functional specifications and technical requirements
• Collaborate with technical analysts, vendors, and stakeholders to design solutions that meet business objectives
• Review proposed system changes and assess impacts to research administration processes and data
• Assist with prioritization and planning of system enhancements and projects
• Support Oracle Project Portfolio Management (PPM) processes related to sponsored projects and research administration, including project setup, award administration, grants management, budget management, and project costing
• Serve as a functional resource for Oracle Cloud Labor Distribution processes impacting sponsored projects, partnering with the Labor Distribution Accounting team on labor costing, effort reporting, payroll allocations, and sponsored project charging
• Assist in identifying root causes of labor distribution discrepancies and coordinate resolution with Labor Distribution Accounting, Human Resources, ITS, and other stakeholders
• Evaluate the impact of labor distribution and quarterly Oracle updates on research administration processes, Oracle PPM, Huron ECC, and related systems
• Gather requirements for labor distribution enhancements and coordinate research administration participation in related projects and initiatives
• Develop and maintain test plans, test scripts, and business scenarios for research administration systems
• Coordinate and execute functional, integration, regression, and user acceptance testing; validate system functionality following upgrades, patches, environment refreshes, and configuration changes
• Document testing results, coordinate issue remediation with technical resources, and support release readiness and production deployment activities
• Develop and coordinate training programs, user documentation, and procedures for departmental staff and research system users
• Partner with Ignite change management to support user adoption of system and process improvements
• Serve as the primary liaison between OVPR business stakeholders and technology support teams, facilitating meetings, workshops, and requirements-gathering sessions
• Communicate project status, risks, issues, and recommendations to stakeholders
• Analyze research administration data to support operational decision-making and assist with data validation across Huron, Oracle, and related systems
• Prepare reports, dashboards, and analytical summaries for leadership and stakeholders; identify trends, recurring issues, and improvement opportunities
• Perform all other duties as assigned to support Baylor's mission
• Ability to comply with university policies
• Maintain regular and punctual attendance

What You Can Expect

As part of the Baylor family, eligible employees receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, generous time off, tuition remission, and outstanding automatic retirement contributions. Baylor has a comprehensive benefits plan that supports you and your family's wellbeing and allows you to be a part of the life of a vibrant and active college campus. To learn more, go to Baylor Benefits & Advantages.

The budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $100,000. The full salary range for this position classification is $74,260.16-122,529.27.

This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certification, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs.

Explore & Engage

Learn more about Baylor and our strategic vision, Baylor in Deeds. Also, explore our great hometown of Waco and the many opportunities to engage locally. If you are new to Central Texas, This is Waco!