Position Summary
Reporting to the Vice President for Research & Innovation (VPRI), the AVPRO provides strategic oversight of the administrative and operational infrastructure that advances research, innovation, and high-impact institutional initiatives across the MAU. In this role, the AVPRO collaborates closely with a broad network of stakeholders including institute directors, college leadership, central administrative units, compliance offices, and research support teams to foster integrated, efficient, and service-oriented operations. Through this collaborative approach, the AVPRO helps create an environment that empowers faculty, staff, and students to pursue and achieve world-class research and innovation.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership, Internal Partnerships, and Operational Excellence
- Provide exceptional leadership for research operations, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and strategic goals.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and service delivery across the research enterprise.
- Build and sustain strong partnerships with internal stakeholders, including colleges, institutes, central HR, Finance, IT, Sponsored Programs, and other administrative units.
- Develop and implement operational strategies,policies, and best practices that support research growth and innovation.
- Lead cross-unit alignment efforts to ensure consistent processes, shared expectations, and integrated support structures across the research enterprise.
- Facilitate communication and collaboration among internal partners to enhance large-team efforts, support structures, and service delivery.
Organizational Oversight & Administrative Integration
- Oversee ORIs internal operations, including finance, facilities, IT, compliance, and administrative services.
- Ensure operational continuity across ORI units and internal partners, especially during leadership transitions, organizational changes, or major initiatives.
- Serve as a key liaison between the VPRI and internal stakeholders, ensuring clear communication and execution of priorities.
- Lead the development and implementation of standardized processes, operational frameworks, and service models that support research efficiency and compliance.
- Coordinate internal workflows and resource allocation to support emerging research priorities and institutional initiatives.
Internal Stakeholder Engagement & Institutional Alignment
- Serve as a key liaison between ORI and internal partners across the university, ensuring alignment of priorities, expectations, and operational practices.
- Represent ORI in institutional committees, planning groups, and cross-campus initiatives focused on research operations, compliance, and administrative excellence.
- Facilitate internal problem-solving, conflict resolution, and issue escalation to ensure timely and coordinated responses.
- Promote a culture of service excellence that supports the needs of faculty, staff, and students.
Research Administration
- Oversee administrative frameworks that ensure effective and compliant research operations.
- Partner with compliance and regulatory units across the campus to uphold integrity, accountability, and adherence to policies and regulations.
- Support the development of systems and processes that mitigate risk and enhance transparency.
Leadership & Team Development
- Lead, mentor, and develop high-performing administrative teams within research operations.
- Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, and continuous learning.
As an institution of higher learning, Michigan State University is committed to providing a safe environment for its students, faculty, and staff in support of its educational mission. With this commitment, the University conducts criminal background checks and professional misconduct reviews of all applicants for employment in faculty, academic staff, and executive management searches.
Professional Misconduct Review
A professional misconduct review is a prerequisite for a candidate to be selected for this position. Applicants will be asked to disclose whether they are subject to any pending investigation, findings or sanctions related to professional misconduct. Professional misconduct includes misconduct related to a person’s employment, including, but not limited to, theft, embezzlement, research integrity, discrimination, or harassment under civil rights laws and policies, including protected identity harassment, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct (sexual assault, sexual exploitation, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, etc.), and retaliation. All applicants will be asked to sign an authorization and release, which authorizes the University to contact the candidate’s current and former employers, for a period of 7 years prior to the date of application, related to any pending investigations, findings of responsibility and/or sanctions related to professional misconduct. Nothing will be sent to current or former employers unless the candidate reaches the semi-finalist stage.
The existence of professional misconduct history does not automatically exclude a candidate from employment. The University will assess the history, including any information provided by the candidate, in determining whether it is compatible with the position. The University may decline to hire a candidate based on the professional misconduct review. All records obtained from external employers will be kept in a secure location, separate from personnel files. If an applicant fails to sign the authorization and release, the application will be deemed incomplete and will be withdrawn.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.
Required Degree
Masters
Minimum Requirements
- Advanced degree (Masters or equivalent) in a relevant field (e.g., business administration, public administration, research administration, science/engineering discipline).
- Significant leadership experience in research administration, academic operations, or large-scale organizational management.
- Demonstrated success leading complex administrative systems and cross-functional teams.
- Strong understanding of research compliance, regulatory frameworks, and university governance.
- Proven ability to build and sustain internal partnerships and lead organizational change.
Desired Qualifications
- Experience in a large research university or comparable research-intensive environment.
- Familiarity with federal research funding agencies, grant administration, and research infrastructure planning.
- Experience overseeing shared research resources or major instrumentation programs.
- Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and workforce development.
