Associate Director, Research Operations - Baltimore, United States - InsideHigherEd

Description

Johns Hopkins University (JHU) School of Medicine (SOM) seeks an Associate Director, Research Operations who will be responsible for providing comprehensive, strategic support for operations and the standardization and alignment of best practices; requiring a broad understanding of the variety of operations that are a part of the School of Medicine's portfolio such as research administration, finance, students, etc. Reports to the Executive Director of Research Finance.

This role requires strong leadership capabilities, including the ability to prioritize tasks effectively and foster collaboration among colleagues and stakeholders. The role requires exceptional judgment, tact, creativity, adaptability, and initiative. The Associate Director should be capable of producing top-tier work, demonstrating flexibility to adapt to changing priorities in alignment with organizational needs. A commitment to service, a positive outlook, and a high level of confidentiality are integral aspects of this position.

Specific responsibilities include assisting leadership in managing operational initiatives, identifying quality business improvement opportunities, conducting long-range planning, and coordinating approved solutions and projects. The position is expected to navigate complex challenges, ensuring efficient resource allocation while maintaining a focus on achieving operational and process optimization.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

Operations

• In collaboration with the Executive Director, identifies key issues requiring special knowledge and understanding of programs, initiatives, goals and objectives beyond day-to-day operational knowledge. Broad areas.
• Oversees organizational processes and operations to ensure productivity and efficiency while maintaining quality standards.
• Coordinates diverse teams to foster an exchange of ideas and provide cross-team opportunities.
• Assesses current processes, organizational charts, and policies both internal and external; working with work groups to develop recommended actions/enhancements. Ensures matters are developed, researched and evaluated thoroughly.
• Evaluates current best practices with a view to developing and implementing the most appropriate, using extensive interaction with departmental, school and institutional stakeholders as a means of determining new or improved processes.
• Conducts and/or research activities in support of planning and decision making such as benchmarking initiatives with peer institutions, including research of best practices.
• Develops standard operating procedures or guidance to implement any best practices developed during the process. Assures these policies are consistent with Institutional policies.
• Identifies, assesses, and mitigates risks and barriers associated with initiatives. Reports and escalates issues to leadership as needed.
• Exercises independent discretion and judgment and assumes full responsibilities for resolving issues and problems of material importance. Uses strong analytical skills to formulate information into well-organized recommendations and plans of action.
• In collaboration with the Executive Director, develops and supports a culture of continuous quality-improvement, shared efficiencies and professionalism. Performs continuous analyses and strategic consultation to identify areas for improvement.
• Establishes strong partnerships with leaders and key staff across departments and university entities.
• Works to ensure that activities remain compliant with internal and external policies.
• Develops reports and presentations; obtains additional information and/or recommends appropriate changes to facilitate future discussions.

Change Management

• Assesses readiness among stakeholders and identify potential barriers/risks.
• Prepares the organization/unit for change and assists with the implementation of change.
• Provides oversight of operational improvements impacting all sectors of the organization: administrative, clinical, research and teaching.
• Coordinates change management efforts to support high-level strategic initiatives.

Project Management

• Independently manages critical, timely and important short-term and long-term special projects. Collaborates as required with other team members, including writing reports, developing plans, defining and communicating alternatives and making recommendations regarding appropriate courses of action based on thorough understanding of desired outcomes, expectations and timelines.
• Assumes responsibility for keeping broad initiatives on-track and completed on a timely basis, tracking pertinent and oftentimes confidential information.
• Tracks and assesses progress toward goals/priorities and takes appropriate action to influence outcomes.

Represents SOM Research Finance

• Builds and stays in close working relationship and coordination with a wide range of offices and staff, internal or external to the University.
• Independently represents the Executive Director and the needs of the SOM Central Finance team at internal and external meetings as required.

Communications

• Works with autonomy and respects the importance of collaboration to build agreement across operations.
• Leverages outstanding writing skills to draft reports, presentations, and other written materials.
• Manages relationships with key stakeholders.
• Disseminates goals and plans through various means such as in-services, planning retreats, training, briefings, memos, etc.
• Maintains the highest levels of confidentiality.

Physical Requirements

• Sitting in a normal seated position for extended periods of time.
• Finger dexterity required to manipulate objects with fingers rather than with whole hand(s) or arm(s), for example, using a keyboard.
• Occasionally lifting, carrying objects weighing 10lbs. or less.
• Occasionally pushing and pulling objects weighing 30lbs. or less.

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Finance, Analytics, Research Administration or a related field.
  
• Minimum of eight years of progressively responsible experience in finance or relevant administrative roles in higher education, academic medicine or comparable environment.
  
• Proven track record of effective leadership and ability to navigate complex issues and drive strong performance results.
  
• Strong operations background.
  
• Proven communication, organizational, and analytic skills in a complex organization.
  
• Demonstrated ability to analyze data for budgeting, operations, and planning purposes.
  
• Additional education may substitute for required experience and additional related experience may substitute for required education, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

Special Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Self-starter as an independent thinker, self-governing to organize, complete and deliver projects and deliverables with little direction.
• Ability to prioritize work with flexibility to act and or change direction as needed while working on multiple tasks simultaneously with concurrent deadlines.
  
• Ability to efficiently manage multiple projects and deadlines, work across departments and functions, and translate strategies from plans to action.
  
• Understanding of and commitment to the mission of the organization.
  
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.

• Master's Degree, preferably in business or directly relevant field.
  
• Five to ten years related experience in a medical school or academic medical center.
• Experience with project planning methodologies, tools, and concepts, including MS Project, Asana, Smartsheet, etc.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.

Classified Title: Associate Director Finance
Job Posting Title (Working Title): Associate Director, Research Operations
Role/Level/Range: ATP/04/PG
Starting Salary Range: $98,800 - $173,300 Annually ($136,000 targeted; Commensurate with experience)
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: 37.50
Exempt Status: Exempt
Location: Hybrid/School of Medicine Campus
Department name: SOM Admin Finance Research Operations
Personnel area: School of Medicine