Assistant Vice President for Research and Sponsored Programs. Leadership Profile

Transcription

1 Assistant Vice President for Research and Sponsored Programs Leadership Profile May 2015

2 Ohio University, a major U.S. public research institution, seeks an accomplished leader for the position of the Assistant Vice President for Research and Sponsored Programs (AVPR). The AVPR reports directly to the Vice President for Research and Creative Activity (VPR), and they work closely to provide leadership and strategic direction to advance the research mission of the University through expert knowledge on federal regulatory and compliance requirements; effective development and implementation of institutional policies; and efficient delivery of services and programs that positively impact sponsored programs across the University. The AVPR works in strong collaboration with OHIO deans, department chairs, and faculty to support advances in research; represents the institution to external agencies, professional and peer organizations, and other external stakeholders; and manages a staff of up to ten professionals. External funding for sponsored activity at Ohio University is approximately $54 million annually. Major sources include the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Transportation, Education, Energy, and Defense; the National Science Foundation; the U.S. Department of State; NASA; the Ohio Development Services Agency and the Ohio Board of Regents. Ohio University Founded in 1804 as the first university in the Northwest Territory, Ohio University is a public institution with a proud tradition of academic and research excellence. OHIO s campus of 1,850 acres in Athens, Ohio, has a long history of fostering diversity and inclusion in a beautiful Appalachian setting. Its reach extends around the world, through long-standing international partnerships and a global education agenda. Ohio University is organized as a main campus in Athens with 13 academic units, and seven regional and extension campuses in other parts of the state. The university has a Carnegie classification of Research University (high research activity). OHIO is fully accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and a broad spectrum of professional accrediting associations. With more than 1100 faculty and 38,000 students, the university offers more than 260 undergraduate programs as well as 112 masters and 31 doctoral programs. The student to faculty FTE ratio at Ohio University is 20:1. The Athens campus offers students a residential learning experience in one of the nation s most picturesque academic settings. Ohio University has been cited for outstanding academic quality and value by Fortune, U.S. News and World Report, BusinessWeek, Forbes, America's 100 Best College Buys, Princeton Review's Best Colleges, and Peterson's Guide to Competitive Colleges. The John Templeton Foundation has also recognized Ohio University as one of the top character-building institutions in the country. The Chronicle of Higher Education has recognized the university as one of the

3 top producers of U.S. Fulbright scholars; the total number of Fulbright winners currently ranks the university first in the state for the fourth straight year and nationally places the university in the company of Boston College, Princeton, and UCLA. Athens Campus Academic Units College of Arts and Sciences College of Business College of Fine Arts College of Health Sciences and Professions Center for International Studies Graduate College Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine Honors Tutorial College Gladys W. and David H. Patton College of Education Fritz J. and Dolores H. Russ College of Engineering and Technology Scripps College of Communication University College Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs Ohio University faculty, students, and staff are engaged in a broad range of research, scholarship, and creative activities in areas such as energy and the environment, health and wellness, communication, and arts and humanities. While retaining a strong foundation in the liberal arts and sciences, the university has a strong commitment and record of moving discovery research to the marketplace for the benefit of society. OHIO hosts one of the earliest universitybased business incubators, the Innovation Center, with a focus on launching technology startup companies. The Innovation Center, along with the Technology Transfer Office, the Voinovich School, and the Center for Entrepreneurship, provide a rich ecosystem for realizing the full benefits of sponsored research. As a result, OHIO now has a national profile for technology commercialization, with a ranking among the top tier of universities nationwide for research return on investment. Research efforts at OHIO draw on substantial dedicated infrastructure, including major centers devoted to pipeline performance and electrochemical engineering created as NSF-supported Industry University Cooperative Research Centers; the university airport equipped with world-class technology for avionics research; the Edwards Accelerator Laboratory for low-energy experimental nuclear physics research; and the Edison Biotechnology Institute linking discovery research with commercialization outcomes. The university also hosts a growing suite of Core facilities for shared user access to major equipment and support personnel. The Ohio University Libraries are a member of the Association for Research Libraries,

4 and the institution has substantial infrastructure to support scholarship and creative activity in the arts and humanities. In the past decade the Heritage, Patton, Russ, and Scripps colleges have received naming gifts that are now being used for major investments in infrastructure and personnel. Notably, the bequest from the Fritz and Dolores Russ estate represented the largest gift in history to a public engineering college. A gift of similar scale from the Osteopathic Heritage Foundations is being used to create two new extension campuses in central Ohio, in partnership with OhioHealth, and in Cleveland, in partnership with the Cleveland Clinic. As a result of these transformative gifts, the university is now in a formative stage for expansion of its research and scholarly profile. Leadership at Ohio University Dr. Roderick J. McDavis, President President Roderick J. McDavis is the 20th President of Ohio University and has held this position since Dr. McDavis has more than 35 years of service in higher education, including roles as both a professor and an administrator. He is the first African-American and only the second alumnus to lead the institution. Roderick McDavis began his academic career as an undergraduate at Ohio University, where he earned a B.A. He participated on the men s varsity track team. He went on to earn his master s degree in student personnel administration from the University of Dayton and his doctorate in counselor education and higher education administration from the University of Toledo. President McDavis was previously the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University. Dr. Joseph Shields, Vice President for Research and Creative Activity and Dean of the Graduate College Joe Shields is a native of Kansas, and completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Kansas and PhD at the University of California at Berkeley. Shields was a postdoctoral scientist at Ohio State University and a NASA Hubble Fellow at the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory before joining the faculty at Ohio University in In his research Shields studies the influence of supermassive black holes in the centers of galaxies on their surroundings, using major telescopes on the ground and in space. For six years, he served as chair of the Physics and Astronomy Department, one of the university s most active research departments that also houses one of the institution s largest doctoral programs. Shields has served on an interim and subsequently permanent basis as Vice President and Dean since Learn more about Research at Ohio University at About the Athens Campus and the Athens Community

5 Nestled along the Hocking River in the beautiful Appalachian region in the foothills of southeastern Ohio, Athens is a traditional historic college town. With its red brick Georgian architecture and system of greens, the Athens campus is acknowledged to be one of the most attractive in the nation. The residential nature of the campus and its landscape engender the feeling of a small college and contribute to a strong sense of community, which is a hallmark of OU s institutional culture. Ohio University is the largest employer in Athens County. With a population of more than 24,000, the town of Athens is known as a progressive community that values sustainability and supports local businesses and agriculture. The shops, restaurants, and music scene in Athens reflect the dynamic student culture, the significant international population, and the enduring traditions of Appalachia. The year-round Athens Farmers Market, which features dozens of regional and organic vendors, is one of the most popular local institutions. The surrounding area which includes a national forest, several state parks, and forest areas attracts outdoor adventure enthusiasts interested in kayaking, hiking, cycling, mountain biking, bird watching, and hunting. Athens has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Art Communities in America. Major art and art education venues include Ohio University s Memorial Auditorium, Stuart s Opera House, The Dairy Barn Arts Center, ARTS/West, and the Kennedy Museum. The varied history of the region remains evident in its landscape, from Adena burial mounds, the remnants of the Hocking Canal, and the Wayne National Forest, to the Ridges (a historic state mental hospital and its extensive grounds, now owned by the university), which played an important role in the local community from More information on Athens and its surrounding area can be found at The Opportunity The AVPR is responsible for providing leadership and broad oversight of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs; s/he fosters a collaborative and service-oriented approach with deans, department chairs, faculty, administrators, and other professionals in support of the research and creative activity mission of the University. The AVPR works closely with the VPR and other Research Division directors to initiate and facilitate delivery of services and programs that promote growth and positively impact sponsored programs across the University while upholding institutional principles, practices, and policies to meet internal and external regulations. The AVPR has a deep understanding of both research and business, as related to research, and actively represents the institution to external agencies, professional and peer organizations, and other external stakeholders.

6 The Assistant Vice President for Research and Sponsored Programs will: Serve as the designated institutional official for the VPR to approve proposals submitted, and legally bind the institution in agreement/awards accepted by Ohio University. The AVPR maintains the institutional registration in a large number of external electronic systems that allow proposals to be submitted and awards administered with external agencies; Manage the Office of Research & Sponsored Programs (ORSP) staff of up to ten professionals, who hold responsibility for Grants and Contracts Management, LEO Systems Development and Administration, and Records Management; Administer Ohio University s electronic research administration system (LEO). LEO is a custom-built electronic grants management system developed at Ohio University over the past 12 years. The system has grown over time to add functionality and supports major activities related to sponsored activity and research compliance. The LEO system is integrated with other Ohio University enterprise systems such as Oracle HR and Finance systems, as well as the university s electronic identity management system. An internal Ohio University survey of major administrative software systems in 2011 ranked LEO in top place in terms of user satisfaction; Provide expertise in Federal, State, and University regulations to ensure that the institution maintains full and complete compliance; Represent Ohio University, the Division of Research, and the VPR on various internal and external committees and external agencies where projects or policies being discussed and decisions are being made that will have implications on research or research administration at Ohio University; Complete University, State, and Federal reports that will help determine ranking or eligibility for future funding. Qualifications The new Assistant Vice President for Research and Sponsored Programs will have the following experiences, capabilities, and attributes: Extensive experience and technical knowledge of grants, contracts, and research administration in a large and complex higher education institution; Strong experience in industry contract negotiations; Solid understanding of electronic research administration systems; A broad background including research sponsored by government agencies as well as private for-profit and not-for-profit organizations; In-depth knowledge of federal and other sponsor regulations governing grants and contract administration and general knowledge of laws,

7 regulations, and policies relating to the protection of human participants, animal welfare, intellectual property, and cost-accounting standards; At least five years of demonstrated leadership and success in developing, mentoring, and managing staff; Strong team-building skills and the ability to work well with a wide variety of individuals, including faculty, administrators, and other professionals; Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to successfully navigate difficult situations with both internal and external constituencies; Proven history of financial management skills and the ability to create and manage departmental budgets; Well developed creative, innovative, strategic, and visionary qualities; High ethical standards and unquestioned integrity Excellent analytical, organizational, and interpersonal communication skills; Skilled ability to communicate both orally and in writing and in delivery of formal presentations; Bachelor s degree required, Master s degree preferred. Please send applications and nominations to the Brill Neumann team working on the search: Beth Schaefer, Mo Lashendock, and Amy Sugin Brill Neumann Associates, Boston MA Review of applications will continue until the position is filled Ohio University is committed to creating a respectful and inclusive educational and workplace environment. Ohio University is an equal access/equal opportunity and affirmative action employer with a strong commitment to building and maintaining a diverse workforce. Women, persons of color, persons with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. All external candidates for employment will be subject to pre-employment background screening for this position. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of the background check.