Executive Director, Research Development and Support

The Executive Director of Research Development and Support (RDS) within the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation (OVPRI) at Vanderbilt University is a key leader responsible for shaping and executing a bold, institution-wide strategy for research development that powers discovery across the University’s colleges, schools, and divisions, and networked campuses. Reporting directly to the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation (VP-RI), the Executive Director of RDS proactively partners with Vanderbilt leadership and faculty to identify strategic research priorities and facilitate research program development to enhance extramural support from federal and state agencies, industry, foundations, and other private funders.

The Executive Director catalyzes growth in Vanderbilt’s federal, state, industry, and foundation sponsored research portfolio; plans and implements funding strategies; and identifies and cultivates relationships with strategic partners to advance Vanderbilt University’s funding priorities and initiatives. In coordination with Development and Alumni Relations (DAR) and Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization (CTTC), the Executive Director develops and manages relationships for a broad portfolio of foundation and industry prospects, respectively, driving strategy and maximizing opportunities with these institutional funders. The Executive Director strategically engages representatives of federal and state sponsors, foundation and other private funders, in active partnership with Vanderbilt leadership, faculty, and relevant administrative colleagues across campus. The Executive Director leads and directs proposal development services and oversees the management of limited submission opportunities and internal awards programs for the University.

Note that this position will only have responsibilities related to foundations that solicit proposals via a Request for Proposal (RFP) process; other foundations, including family foundations, will remain under the purview of DAR.

About the Work Unit:

The Research Development and Support team within the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation provides development and support services to VU leadership, faculty, and program staff throughout VU’s colleges and schools. The RDS team strives to match the interests and priorities of federal, state, industry, and private foundation sponsors with Vanderbilt’s research and programmatic strengths, as well as to advance the University’s academic, research, and institutional goals through lasting partnerships with sponsors.

The goal of the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation is to promote Vanderbilt’s distinctive research culture, which aspires to improve the human condition through path-breaking discovery and innovation. In addition to overseeing the university’s research portfolio on all sites, the VP-RI also oversees the implementation of the university’s new future vision and trans-institutional strategies and works closely with the Provost, academic Deans, Vice Provosts, and faculty at large to advance the quality of research and scholarship university-wide. The Office develops strategies and provides services to enhance extramural support for research from all sources including corporate, foundation, federal, and philanthropic; advance a cohesive and vibrant trans-institutional research agenda; and build strategic partnerships around shared priorities in research. The VP-RI works with a broad range of University stakeholders, including faculty and others, in advocating for the research and scholarship missions of all disciplines at Vanderbilt.

Key Functions and Expected Performance:

• Lead and execute the University-wide strategic vision for research development services. Proactively research, identify, and cultivate external funding opportunities and relationships that align with core VU strengths with an eye towards developing long-term relationships with key funders to engage and support VU’s programs and priorities.
• Develop and continuously evolve strategic plans for seeking federal, state, foundation, and other private funding for grand challenges and other interdisciplinary projects that impact and embody VU initiatives.
• Provide strategic leadership and implement best practices to achieve the vision and goals of the RDS team. Lead and support the RDS team in coordinating, implementing, and enhancing sponsor relations activities, including outreach, proposal development, and donor visits.
• Develop extensive knowledge of Vanderbilt’s mission, programs, activities, resources, faculty, and research. Establish and maintain strong and effective relationships with leadership and faculty in the VU colleges and schools and other internal constituencies to develop a strategy based on a mapping of institutional strengths to external sponsor priorities along major cross-disciplinary areas.
• Proactively collaborate with Vanderbilt colleagues across campus to ensure external funders (federal, state, industry, foundation, and other private funders) have a strong working knowledge of VU’s strengths and areas of expertise. Collaborate with DAR to ensure a synergized effort around engaging with foundations.
• Develop a program for sponsor leadership visits to the main campus and network sites, as well as visits by VU leadership and faculty with sponsors’ leaders, and program staff, around areas of strategic strengths and sponsor priorities.
• Lead and direct proposal development and limited submission opportunities (LSO) activities and oversee internal awards programs.
• Collaborate with faculty to identify strategic research opportunities, facilitate research program development, and coordinate faculty teams as they develop university-wide, multi-institution, interdisciplinary research proposals. Develop proposal support mechanisms for industry sponsored projects and outreach to less utilized federal funding instruments. Provide guidance and resources to leadership and faculty in support of the pursuit of external funding opportunities by individual researchers.
• Lead, supervise, develop, and retain a high-performing professional staff by fostering a collaborative, innovative, and growth-oriented work environment that promotes accountability, efficiency, teamwork, and excellence in service.
• Develop and maintain extensive knowledge of Vanderbilt’s research mission, institutional policies, financial and administrative procedures, and broader academic culture to ensure effective execution of responsibilities.
• Develop sponsor relationships and support faculty in diversification of their funding, including hosting visits from program officers, coordinating visits by VU teams to sponsors, network campus events, and providing proposal development workshops for faculty.
• Demonstrate effective change leadership across a complex academic landscape by navigating stakeholder relationships with sound judgment, strategic influence, and diplomacy.
• Perform additional duties and responsibilities as assigned in support of Vanderbilt’s research mission.

Supervisory Relationships:

This position has direct supervisory responsibility over the entire Research Development and Support team. This position reports administratively and functionally to the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation.

Education and Certifications:

• A Master’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education is required.

• A Ph.D. from an accredited institution of higher education is preferred.

Experience and Skills:

• Fifteen years of relevant experience at a top research university, a foundation, or a comparably complex organization, with a proven record of success.
• Demonstrated managerial and leadership talent, with a proven ability to lead and motivate others and earn the respect of associates at all levels. Strong organizational and people management skills and the ability to establish training and development goals and objectives through directing and developing staff members.
• Ability to function effectively in a complex organizational environment demanding high energy, discretion, patience, enthusiasm, and good humor.
• Demonstrated success in building meaningful and long-term relationships with federal and corporate sponsors, donors, and strategic partners.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills to develop and maintain professional relationships with campus leadership, department chairs, college/school deans, and faculty at all ranks, as well as other Vanderbilt colleagues across campus. Demonstrated ability to communicate with, understand the needs of, and build trust with faculty across all research disciplines.
• Knowledge of government, foundation, and industry-sponsored research and development programs.
• Demonstrated experience, sensitivity, and diplomacy in foundation-related research development.
• A deep understanding of the academic culture of a research-intensive university and the relationship between central services and research services within colleges and schools.
• Influences conversations and standards of best practice through involvement in professional organizations, as demonstrated by publications, presentations, or related work.
• Strong analytical skills to evaluate opportunities, develop effective plans and strategies, assess feasibility, and evaluate results.
• Demonstrated success in taking initiative, meeting deadlines, adapting to changing priorities, and managing multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative partnerships to improve, enhance, or launch new services and support across a research-intensive institution.
• Excellent judgment, interpersonal, and communication skills to articulate a compelling case for major external sponsor support of programs, present institutional objectives persuasively, and translate complex concepts into compelling proposals.