Director, Strategic Research Initiatives

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Job Summary The job manages multiple related teams of managers and professional staff responsible for the administration of academic, research, clinical or administrative programs of the University.

The director leads teams supporting strategic initiatives and manages program operations including planning, scheduling, evaluation, policy implementation, personnel administration, budgeting, marketing, fundraising, and proposal development.

Responsibilities • Utilize critical thinking and knowledge of the research and healthcare landscape to continuously innovate and keep UChicago Medicine at the forefront of research. • Serve as the day‑to‑day leader for major strategic projects and initiatives with notable complexity and cross‑functional scope. • Structure ambiguous strategic questions across a broad range of topics into clear hypotheses and workplans, identifying the critical analyses required to inform executive decision‑making. • Lead the solution development for highly complex, unique problems that have a broad impact on the business, including strategic thinking and structured problem solving in collaboration with system executives. • Build credibility with senior executives and clinical leaders, facilitating discussions that advance alignment and move complex decisions forward. • Serve as a recognized expert / thought leader within the company on strategy, particularly as it relates to current and past projects in clinical research. • Responsible for enabling artificial intelligence (AI) and data science techniques to develop creative and practical solutions for critical challenges. • Develop infrastructure recommendations and processes for the implementation and expansion of network research. • Seek new external research partnerships to advance the clinical research network strategy. • Measure and report KPIs and lead continuous improvement. • Lead a team of individuals tasked with support of strategic initiatives through direct reports or indirectly through project leadership. • Manage program operations and administrative functions which may include planning and scheduling, program evaluation, policy implementation, personnel administration, budget, marketing, fundraising and proposal development. • Contribute to the design of program content, policies, and Office of Clinical Research business processes. • Develop the dissemination, interpretation and application of program policies and recommends or makes exceptions. • Recommend program content, policies and strategic planning efforts. • Perform other related work as needed.

Benefits Eligibility Yes. The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off.

Department BSD OCR - Office of Clinical Research About the Department The Office of Clinical Research (OCR) is the nucleus of the clinical research enterprise, providing services, training, tools and compliance oversight to support the conduct of clinical research across the entire Biological Sciences Division and University of Chicago Medicine human subject research portfolio.

The mission of the Office of Clinical Research is to catalyze clinical research by providing expertise, resources, infrastructure, and systems that facilitate clinical research operations and enable collaboration across the enterprise while promoting compliance and human subject protection on behalf of our diverse community of patients and volunteers.

The Director, Strategic Research Initiatives serves as a key leader in advancing the innovation and impact of clinical research at UChicago Medicine. This position utilizes critical thinking and deep knowledge of the research and healthcare landscape to ensure the institution remains at the forefront of clinical research.

Acting as the day‑to‑day lead for major, cross‑functional strategic projects, the director structures complex and ambiguous questions into clear hypotheses and actionable workplans for executive decision‑making.

This role partners closely with senior executives and clinical leaders, facilitating alignment and progressing solutions to highly complex problems with broad business impact.

The director enables technology and data‑driven solutions for critical challenges, develops infrastructure recommendations, and implements processes to enhance research operations and expand the research network.

The position actively seeks external partnerships to advance research network strategy and continuously measures and reports KPIs to drive ongoing improvement.

Additionally, this role contributes to the design of program content, business processes, and policies for the Office of Clinical Research, supporting the institution’s commitment to innovation, collaboration, and operational excellence within clinical research.

Minimum Qualifications Education: Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field. Work Experience: Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Preferred Qualifications • Education: Bachelor’s degree. • Experience leading complex, multi‑functional programs and projects within an academic research organization. • Experience leading through influence. • Experience with Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS) and other enterprise solutions for research administration. • Ability to create and track key performance indicators. • Strong communication skills including the development of project charters, project plans, and executive presentation materials. • Experience working with clinical operations in a healthcare setting.

Preferred Competencies • Project management. • Excellent communication skills. • Diplomacy and collaboration. • High attention to detail. • Proactive problem solving. Working Conditions Remote office environment. Salary and Compensation Pay Range: $140,000.00 – $180,000.00.

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Other Information Pay Rate Type: Salary FLSA Status: Exempt Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40 Drug Test Required: No Health Screen Required: No Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required: No Role Impact: People Manager Job Family: Administration & Management Equal Opportunity and Legal Statements The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law.

For additional information please see the University’s Notice of Nondiscrimination. Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form. All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.

A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case‑by‑case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.