Sr. Research Administrator - Neal Cancer Center

At Houston Methodist, the Senior Research Administrator serves in the capacity commonly referred to at NCI-designated and NCI-aspiring cancer centers as the Associate Director for Administration (ADA). As a senior administrative leader of the Houston Methodist Neal Cancer Center (HMNCC) Executive Committee, the Sr. Research Administrator partners closely with the Cancer Center Director, Associate Directors, research and clinical leadership, and institutional leaders to translate the Cancer Center's strategic vision into coordinated operational execution. The role provides oversight of the administrative and operational functions supporting the Cancer Center's research, clinical investigation, education and training, and community outreach missions, ensuring alignment of infrastructure, resources, personnel, and processes across these areas. The Sr. Research Administrator is accountable for advancing strategic initiatives, monitoring performance against established goals and metrics, addressing operational barriers, and building the organizational infrastructure and administrative capacity necessary to support scientific growth, multidisciplinary collaboration, clinical research expansion, community impact, and progress toward National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation.

At Houston Methodist, the Sr Research Administrator position is responsible for serving as the administrative leader for the day-to-day operations of research conducted within the Department and is responsible for its strategic management and coordination and includes assisting the Department Chair with recruitment and management of faculty, research and administrative staff, as well as visitors. This position oversees both laboratory and clinical-based research and coordinates fiscal activities with an annual operating budget over $10 million, ensuring compliance with Houston Methodist policies. The Sr Research Administrator position is responsible for the financial management of internally and externally supported budgets. This position also performs administrative duties required for direct supervision of functional groups and administrative support staff and provides leadership and direction to Department managers and staff, as appropriate.

The Director position responsibilities include overseeing the activities of the department staff, ensuring quality, productivity, functional excellence and efficiency to accomplish strategic and operational objectives. In addition, this position is accountable for employee engagement, adequate staffing levels, budget development and compliance, staffing decisions such as hiring and terminating employment, coaching and counseling employees on work related performance, and developing and implementing policies and procedures to ensure a safe and effective work environment. This position also ensures training, monitoring and operations initiatives are implemented which secure compliance with ethical and legal business practices and accreditation/regulatory/government regulations.

FLSA STATUS

Exempt

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• Bachelor's degree
• Master's degree in Business Administration, Public Health or Health Administration preferred

EXPERIENCE

• Seven years' research administration and program management experience, preferably in a recognized university/research institute setting, with five years in a people management role - for internal candidates
• Ten years' research administration and program management experience, preferably in a recognized university/research institute setting, with seven years in a people management role - for external candidates

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations
• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially about activities impacting patient or employee safety or security
• Demonstrates the ability to interact with others in a way that gives them confidence in one's intentions and those of the organization
• Ability to use appropriate interpersonal styles and techniques to gain acceptance of ideas or plans; modifying one's own behavior to accommodate tasks, situations and individuals involved
• Demonstrates leadership qualities and critical thinking through self-direction initiative and effective interpersonal skills and oral/written communication skills
• Ability to identify and understand issues, problems and opportunities, comparing data from different sources to draw conclusions; using effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions; taking action that is consistent with available facts, constraints and probable consequences
• Extensive knowledge of regulatory and accreditation agency requirements that impact department; stays abreast of industry changes
• Demonstrates highly effective communication skills-strong written communications and platform presentation abilities
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment
• Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability in the workplace
• Capable of leading teams/facilitating groups, building consensus and garnering highest confidence in professionalism and work product by senior leadership
• Ability to work under pressure and balance many competing priorities; highly responsive and solution/action oriented
• Proficiency in spreadsheet, word processing, and presentation software
• Maintains a positive and supportive attitude and demeanor
• Professional handling of exposure to confidential/sensitive information
• Demonstrates ability to plan and develop processes for implementation of multi-center research projects
• Knowledge of federal funding regulations
• Highly proficient Microsoft Office skills including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, as well as some database experience

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Directs, develops and implements strategic and operational/high level projects and processes either through independent/highly autonomous work or through the facilitation of work teams to enable the effective and efficient completion of objectives.
• Oversees management of and ensures development for staff to meet overall objectives in terms of quality, service and cost effectiveness. Provides timely guidance and feedback to help others strengthen specific knowledge/skill areas needed to accomplish a task or solve a problem. Directs management responsibilities of selection, scheduling, supervision, retention, and evaluation of employees.
• Meets or exceeds threshold goal for department turnover and/or system metrics on employee engagement indicators.
• Provides leadership and communication to maintain a competent and engaged employee group by conducting regular department meetings to review policies and procedures and operational matters, rounding on all employees, completing performance appraisals, conducting new hire feedback sessions, coaching/corrective counseling, and providing recognition/commendations to achieve desired outcomes.
• Identifies opportunities and takes action to build strategic relationships between one's area and other areas, teams, departments, and units to achieve business goals. Drives the promotion of teamwork within and between departments; participates and/or leads and facilitates department process improvements as needed.
• Provides consultation, liaison, and administrative coordination between investigators and sponsoring organizations, and/or regulating bodies.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Oversees department operations, designated projects, schedules and activities as needed to ensure that goals or objectives are accomplished within the prescribed time frame. Sets priorities and functional standards, giving direction to staff as necessary to ensure the best possible delivery of service and high customer/patient satisfaction.
• Drives department service standards and activities to impact department and/or system score for patient/customer-based satisfaction, through role modeling and fostering accountability. Serves and actively participates on various entity committees as a voice for the department.
• Provides reports to Houston Methodist Academic Institute (HMAI) leadership regarding the status of research projects. Provides input to functional groups regarding resource needs for potential and newly awarded clinical research projects.
• Supports business development efforts by serving as the primary point of contact, maintaining and responding to inquiries regarding operational activities. Provides input to functional groups regarding resource needs for potential and newly awarded clinical research projects.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Ensures a safe and effective working environment; monitors and/or revises the department safety plan and/or any specific accreditation/regulatory required safety guidelines. Responsible for staff maintenance of credentials and competencies, per accrediting/ licensing agency and/or department guidelines as applicable.
• Employs a proactive approach in the optimization of safe outcomes and information systems by monitoring and improving the department workflow and enhancing operations, using peer-to-peer accountability and identifying solutions via collaboration. Implements process improvements utilizing tools such as lean principles. Role models situational awareness, using teachable moments to improve safety.
• Responsible for employee compliance to policies and procedures and performs associated actions upon non-compliance (i.e., licensure/certification compliance, focal point review requirements, disaster plan, in-services, influenza immunization, wage and hour, standard hours, timely termination submission, timely timecard approval, etc.).
• Adheres to federal and other grant funding policies, including grant management. Ensures that all activities are carried out in accordance with established research protocols, and with acceptable clinical procedures and safety standards.
• Monitors progress and performance of all projects to include quality of services, timelines of deliverables, compliance with regulatory requirements, and adherence to financial targets. Coordinates regular research meetings to communicate departmental and organizational activities, goals, and policies. Identifies operational obstacles across all projects based on input from investigators, research team members, and sponsors; communicates patterns and trends to HMAI leadership as appropriate.
• Reviews information from audit reports and post-project debriefing sessions to identify opportunities to improve conduct of clinical research. Collaborates with HMAI leadership to resolve clinical research compliance issues. Ensures appropriate structure and procedures, including implementation of corrective and/or preventive actions following internal and/or external audits and/or inspections. Participates in and supports efforts to develop and implement process/system improvements.
• Establishes accurate and consistent productivity expectations and revises as needed. Makes recommendations regarding staffing requirements to meet departmental needs and achieve maximum productivity.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Develops and manages department operational and capital budgets, approvals, and ongoing maintenance of the department(s), ensuring operation in a cost-effective manner. Proactively identifies and plans for capital needs related to current equipment and future department projects. Ensures staffing plans and schedules meet department needs that reflect understanding of the importance of cost-effectiveness.
• Creates department strategies to achieve financial target and staffing needs, through optimizing productivity, supply/resource efficiency, minimizing incidental overtime and overtime percentage, and other areas according to department specifications.
• Completes planning budgetary forecasts for clinical research revenue and expenses on an annual basis. Establishes procedures for financial control and reporting. Facilitates efforts to implement appropriate interventions.
• Monitors expenditure of funds relative to budgetary targets for all trials on an ongoing basis. Ensures that variances are identified and communicated to appropriate personnel in a timely manner.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Identifies and implements innovative solutions for practice or workflow changes to improve department, entity or system operations by leading unit projects and/or other department/ system-directed activities. Proactively leads task forces and committees. May represent HM at assigned community or professional organization meetings.
• Drives change initiatives, maintaining effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work responsibilities or environment; adjusts effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements or cultures. Partners effectively with stakeholders as appropriate.
• Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates My Development plan on an on-going basis. Conducts conversations with staff on their development.
• Establishes and implements short- and long-range organizational goals, objectives, policies, and operating procedures; monitors and evaluates operational effectiveness; effects changes required for improvement.

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform: No
• Scrubs: No
• Business professional: Yes
• Other (department approved): No

ON-CALLNote that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. Disaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* No

TRAVELTravel specifications may vary by department

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area Yes

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• Bachelor's degree
• Master's degree in Business Administration, Public Health or Health Administration preferred

EXPERIENCE

• Seven years' research administration and program management experience, preferably in a recognized university/research institute setting, with five years in a people management role - for internal candidates
• Ten years' research administration and program management experience, preferably in a recognized university/research institute setting, with seven years in a people management role - for external candidates

Company Profile:

Houston Methodist Academic Institute oversees the Education Institute and Research Institute. The Academic Institute aligns our research and education initiatives in service to the clinical mission, providing solutions that answer the call for new technologies and skills our clinicians need for patient care. Houston Methodist Education Institute coordinates our primary academic affiliation with Weill Cornell Medicine and other joint programs, including the Engineering Medicine Program at Texas A&M University Intercollegiate School of Engineering Medicine. The Education Institute also oversees continuing medical education and graduate medical education, and supports trainees in residence for medical, nursing, allied health and research education programs. Houston Methodist Research Institute supports research programs and infrastructure that enable faculty across the system to bring new scientific discoveries to patients as rapidly as possible through the full cycle of a cure from conceptual bench research, to prototyping and development, to clinical trials and FDA approval. The Research Institute supports clinical research protocols and extramurally funded translational research programs.

Houston Methodist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.