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Job Category:
Limited
Employment Type:
Regular
Job Profile:
Administrative Director (Inst)
Job Summary:
The Director of the Research Development Office (RDO) reports to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Capacity Building (AVC–RCB). The Director leads a team of Research Development professionals to craft and implement a targeted implementation plan for addressing large federal agency funding mechanisms, and topical growth strategies aimed at growing and diversifying UW–Madison's federally funded research portfolio. The Director draws on UW–Madison’s partnership with Lewis-Burke to inform campus strategy with federal landscape insights, helping ensure that research development work aligns with national funding trends and agency priorities.
The Director oversees the development and implementation of programming within the Research Development team's assigned portfolios and drives networking, outreach, and sponsor relationship management activities. Working closely with the AVC–RCB and Research Development team, the Director strengthens and standardizes best practices and tools for effective support of large-scale, complex proposal development, supports UW–Madison-wide awareness and capacity-building programming and continues ongoing professional development for team members. The Director works with the AVC–RCB to guide development of UW–Madison-level, cross-cutting strategic initiatives based on research data, UW–Madison infrastructure, competitive analysis, and University priorities and has primary responsibility for implementing these initiatives across portfolio areas. The Director regularly interacts with and may advise college and center-level research leadership, representing the team on behalf of the AVC–RCB, and providing proposal development support for select, large-scale projects, based on available team capacity. The Director identifies opportunities for growth and development within the team and broader division and participates in discussions to inform overall University strategic research vision. The Director leads recruiting and onboarding of new staff and manages all performance management activities for the team, including corrective action and employee labor relations issues, in partnership with the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research - Human Resources (OVCR-HR).
Key Job Responsibilities:
- Directs, implements, and monitors strategic planning initiatives to ensure appropriate use of financial, administrative, and staffing resources
- Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
- Recommends, reviews, and directs personnel resource allocation to ensure appropriate utilization of resources
- Serves as liaison to internal and external stakeholder groups providing organizational information and representing the interests of the institution
- Develops and audits administrative operating reports, budgets, policies, and procedures to comply with regulations, institution policies, and business objectives
Division:
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research
Compensation:
Starting salary will be based on experience and qualifications. Well-qualified applicants can anticipate earning between $125,000 - $170,000, with final salary based on experience and qualifications.
This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off, competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund. Please review the summary of benefits for more information.
Required Qualifications:
10 years of relevant work experience.
Experience working on research strategy and proposal development with a range of federal research sponsor agencies and programs.
Demonstrated experience working with multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and/or convergence science teams on large-scale, national leadership level proposals.
Preferred Qualifications:
15 or more years of relevant work experience, including a minimum of 5 years of supervisory experience with evidence of progressive responsibility, and a minimum of 5 years of experience working in a university research setting or in a position that required significant interaction with university researchers.
Familiarity with federal research data including NSF HERD Survey.
Knowledge of health, defense and/or space-related federal research environment.
Education:
Advanced degree required.
How to Apply:
To begin the application process, click the "Apply" button.
Please submit a curriculum vitae (CV) and a letter of interest. In your letter of interest, detail your experience:
Working in a role focused research strategy and proposal development with a range of federal research sponsor agencies and programs.
Working with multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and/or convergence science teams on large-scale, national leadership level proposals.
The deadline for assuring full consideration is May 18, 2026; however, the position will remain open and applications may be considered until the position is filled.
The search committee will review all application materials after the posted deadline. We will notify selected applicants to participate further in the selection process directly. References will be requested of final candidates. All applicants will be notified after the search is complete and a candidate has been selected.
Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.
Contact Information:
Julia Rielly, julia.rielly@wisc.edu, 608-261-1172
Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.
Institutional Statement on Diversity:
Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.
To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.
Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.
The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).
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