Senior Associate Vice President for Research Administration
San Antonio, Texas
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Executive Summary
UTSA has evolved significantly as a discovery enterprise in recent years, with total research expenditures growing from $68 million in 2018 to $146 million in 2023. The university is situated in an extraordinarily collaborative research ecosystem in San Antonio, with public and private strategic partners including UT Health San Antonio, Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed), the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), Joint Base San Antonio, and Port San Antonio. This ecosystem has enabled the creation of several critical initiatives, including the San Antonio Partnership for Precision Therapeutics (SAPPT), the South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, and the Cybersecurity Manufacturing Innovation Center (CyManII), among many others. UTSA has played a leading role both in the region and nationally—particularly on areas related to cybersecurity and biomedical and health sciences—and it is well positioned to further influence regional, national, and global conversations as these areas grow increasingly important on the world stage.
The Senior Associate Vice President for Research Administration will provide leadership for the Office for Research operations and business-related functions including finance, budget, personnel, research services, facilities planning, grant administration, and research policy development, interpretation, and dissemination.
History of UTSA
Founded in 1969, UTSA is a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and Carnegie R1 research university situated in a global city that has been at the crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries. UTSA is the largest university in the San Antonio metropolitan region and the third largest of the nine academic universities and six health institutions in the UT System. The university was founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, and it remains committed to that mission today.
The Opportunity
The Senior Associate Vice President for Research Administration (SAVPRA) reports to the Vice President for Research and serves as the chief financial and administrative officer for the Office of Research operations and business-related functions including finance, budget, personnel, research services, facilities planning, grant administration, and research policy development, interpretation, and
dissemination. The SAVPRA also oversees certain research administration units and promotes research growth through the execution of effective, efficient, and service-oriented research administration operations and support across the institution. The SAVPRA advises senior leaders and partners with faculty and staff to design, refine, and implement services, programs, and policies to further UTSA's position as a leader in world-class research. The role requires a broad view of research that demonstrates an understanding of the many forms and environments in which it is conducted and the different means necessary to provide appropriate support. A commitment to engendering trust, promoting diversity, creating a culture of integrity and ethics, and ensuring compliance with institutional, state, and federal regulatory requirements is essential to advance UTSA's research mission.
The ideal candidate for the position should possess either a Master’s degree in business or a related field with at least 8 years of experience in leading and managing research operations, or a Bachelor’s degree in the same fields with a minimum of 10 years of similar experience, specifically within a large and complex academic institution. The position is based at the UTSA Main campus and demands a candidate with comprehensive management knowledge and exceptional organizational skills. Key qualifications include analytical prowess in managing data and reporting on research operations, fluency in research regulations and compliance, expertise in financial oversight for research activities, and outstanding leadership abilities in supervising staff, fostering collaborative relationships, and driving organizational change. Additionally, the role requires a proven ability to work effectively across all organizational levels, demonstrating a capacity to inspire confidence and effectively implement major initiatives within a challenging academic and research environment.
Application Instructions
UTSA has partnered with Higher Talent to assist in this recruitment. Please contact President, Mindy Cohen to share your
resume and cover letter via email at ms@highertalentinc.com.