University Overview The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023. Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play. The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more. Posted Job Title Associate Director, Research Operations Job Profile Title Associate Director E, Research, Administration Job Description Summary The Penn Center for Cancer Care Innovation (PC3I) is seeking an Associate Director of Research Operations to oversee research initiatives executed across the University of Pennsylvania Health System. Founded at the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania, PC3I is embedded at the nexus of research and practice. Our mission is to create, test, and scale solutions to improve how we care for patients with cancer. We bring together diverse experts to improve health outcomes, increase healthcare efficiency, reduce cost growth, and apply the latest science to make cancer care better for our patients, providers, community, and partners. The Associate Director of Research Operations contributes to the strategic development of PC3I’s portfolio by planning and implementing research projects to develop, test, and scale new solutions to improve cancer care. This role oversees a portfolio of complex projects and is accountable for both long-term management and day-to-day oversight. Working collaboratively with PC3I faculty/Principal Investigators, internal leadership, and external stakeholders, this role spearheads proposal efforts (writing, reviewing, creating budgets) and manages post-award projects from a variety of sources, including from the federal government, private foundations, clinical partners, and others. Separate from individual project responsibilities, the Associate Director of Research Operations will directly oversee multiple staff working on research projects, helping to advance high-quality team science principles. In addition, this individual provides important subject matter expertise to the PC3I community regarding research projects, proposal writing, best practices, etc. Job Description Job Responsibilities RESEARCH PROJECT MANAGEMENT: Oversee a portfolio of complex projects and/or proposal work. Convene project-specific interdisciplinary, cross-functional teams to support development and execution. Provide oversight and guidance to team members, who may be internal to the Center or from other departments within Penn. Develop relationships with key stakeholders, including clinicians, administrators, health system leaders, and researchers. Proactively engage with them to anticipate and mitigate risks. Provide oversight as well as day-to-day project management and coordination across project team members and stakeholders, including meeting facilitation. Manage and ensure appropriate project documentation, including project plans, budgets, protocols, risk management, workflows, standard operating procedures, and IRB and other regulatory documents needed to initiate and guide implementation. Ensure compliance with sponsor, university, school and IRB policies. In close coordination with key stakeholders, draft and oversee related budgets. Monitor project progress and provide regular status updates to key stakeholders and leaders. To the greatest extent feasible, ensure project is implemented per plan, on time, and within budget. Operationalize and oversee the data collection, archival and reporting of clinical trials metrics. Establish data collection methodologies, data validation, and the implementation of reporting technologies. Oversee internal audits to ensure adherence to quality standards, operational best practices, and to identify potential risks. Disseminate project findings and share lessons learned. As appropriate, draft content and/or lead writing for publication in peer-reviewed journals and other outlets. STAFF MANAGEMENT: Directly manage staff members, both inside and outside of project-specific teams. Recruit, hire, onboard, and supervise 1-5 staff members, to include clinical research coordinators and other staff. Establish and support professional growth opportunities, help staff grow professionally in their desired path, and become effective in their roles. SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE: For the PC3I staff team and larger PC3I community, serve as a subject matter expert on key issues related to PC3I’s work, including project management, research projects, team science, innovation, etc. Continually develop and refine best practices, methods, techniques, and operational standards related to PC3I’s work, leveraging collective PC3I team experiences and project-specific learnings as well as individual expertise. Identify opportunities for team professional development and make recommendations and proposals to the Director of Operations. Develop and maintain collaborative partnerships outside of project-specific work. Serve as a liaison between PC3I and the Penn community for key partners. Collaborate with PC3I leadership on strategy development for all operational activities and ensures that appropriate strategies are aligned with institutional objectives. Develop best practices, methods, techniques, and operational standards for clinical research and team science across the enterprise. Qualifications Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, and 7 to 10 years of experience or Masters of Science, Masters of Arts, and 5 to 7 or equivalent combination of education and experience is required. This position is contingent upon grant funding. Job Location - City, State Philadelphia, Pennsylvania This is a hybrid position. Current expectations are for 2-3 days onsite. Please include a cover letter as part of your application. Department / School Perelman School of Medicine Pay Range $74,476.00 - $106,434.00 Annual Rate Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, as well as internal and market factors and grade profile. Affirmative Action Statement Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class. Special Requirements Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job. University Benefits Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars. Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions. Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard. Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be. Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting. Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance. Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally. University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free. Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks. Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures. Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements. Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household. To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay The University of Pennsylvania's special character is reflected in the diversity of the Penn community. We seek talented faculty and staff who will constitute a vibrant community that draws on the strength that comes with a substantive institutional commitment to diversity along dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, veteran status, interests, perspectives, and socioeconomic status. Grounded in equal opportunity, nondiscrimination, and affirmative action, Penn's robust commitment to diversity is fundamental to the University's mission of advancing knowledge, educating leaders for all sectors of society, and public service. The University of Pennsylvania prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.