Join Our Journey

Cornell Research & Innovation creates an environment that unifies and advances Cornell’s scholarship, research, and discovery through state-of-the-art facilities, domain expertise, and partnership to enable innovation and impact. We leverage external funding and partnerships, enable interdisciplinary research, and ensure regulatory compliance. We collaborate to successfully translate and commercialize research through companies large and small, including startups launched by our entrepreneurial faculty, staff, and students. Our commitment to inclusive excellence makes this environment possible.

We are creating the future of research and innovation. If you are a proactive and strategic leader with enthusiasm for developing the people and operational structures necessary for that future, come join us in this transformative journey.

Why Choose Us

Rewarding Benefits: Competitive compensation, generous time-off, and comprehensive benefits – because we believe in taking care of our team. Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, sustainability, and diversity initiatives.

Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: https://hr.cornell.edu/benefits-pay.

Cornell’s impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program. Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: https://hr.cornell.edu/jobs/your-total-rewards.

A hybrid work arrangement is possible for this position; the hybrid schedule requires an on-campus presence 2-3 days per week during most weeks; a fully remote work schedule is not possible for this position. The university reserves the right to modify, suspend, revoke, or terminate the hybrid or remote work arrangement at any time.

Inclusive Culture: We are committed to creating a culture where every individual feels they belong, and we value psychological well-being, respect, and the contributions of all team members. Our leaders play a vital role in fostering the conditions where each person can thrive.

Your Mission

As the Chief Administrative Officer for the Office of the Vice President for Research & Innovation (OVPRI), you will provide strategic leadership for our research administration enterprise and our extraordinary people. Reporting to the Vice President for Research & Innovation, you will be responsible for a broad portfolio of business and administrative functions as well as research administration. Additionally, you will serve as a senior advisor to the Vice President on finance, business operations, and significant organizational change initiatives. This is a unique administrative leadership opportunity to help build research and translation capacity within Cornell that will benefit generations to come.

Your Portfolio
Strategic Planning and Resource Allocation – As a member of the division’s senior leadership team, provide advice and input on strategic planning and help set priorities. Collaborate with administrative department directors on effective operational structures and provide financial and staff projections. Represent OVPRI on all financial and administrative matters with university administrative offices and as a member of the Senior Finance Group. Partner in the administration of research funded through sponsored programs and other mechanisms, including compliance with all related policies, procedures, and sponsor requirements. Advocate for and support shared facilities and oversee the submission of the annual capital plan.

Work closely with senior leadership and directors of Research & Innovation’s administrative departments to integrate academic and resource planning to align resource deployment with OVPRI goals. The administrative departments within the leadership purview of the Chief Administrative Officer include:

• Budget and Finance – Fiscal operations and services of OVPRI, including administrative departments and key Cornell research centers and facilities.

• Human Resources – HR functions serving both academic and non-academic staff of OVPRI administrative departments and affiliated research centers and facilities.

• Research Integrity and Assurance – Development and delivery of research compliance programs ensuring the responsible conduct of research in research integrity, financial conflicts of interest in research, export and import controls, research with human subjects and with live vertebrate animals, and regulated biological materials.

• Animal Care and Education – Programs and resources that ensure the safe, humane, and judicious use of animals in teaching and research, for the benefit of human and animal health.

• Research Administration Information Services – Information technology support and systems that facilitate information sharing required of faculty-led research teams and research support staff roles, as well as institutional reporting of research and innovation data and outcomes.

• Facilities – Building management, renovation, and refurbishment projects for a subset of Ithaca campus-based buildings that house interdisciplinary research centers and facilities; new construction; and other major capital projects.

• Communications – Internal communication with the Cornell research community on opportunities and resources, and external communication that shares Cornell’s research and translation excellence and cultivates future opportunities for strategic engagement.

As Chief Administrative Officer, you also will work closely with the Office of Sponsored Programs and other teams within OVPRI that support the research program life cycle and interdisciplinary research centers and facilities on Cornell’s Ithaca campus, as well as the Innovation team that supports strategic engagements, technology transfer, and the startup ecosystem across Cornell’s campuses in Ithaca and New York City, NY at Cornell Tech and Weill Cornell Medicine.

What We Need
Send us a cover letter and resume outlining your interest in this position and explaining how your experience and qualifications match the position requirements.

When evaluating your candidacy, we will look for evidence of the following:

• Master’s degree and 7+ years of relevant experience at a senior level in administrative or management roles and substantial fiscal responsibility, preferably within a higher education environment; or an equivalent combination of education and experience in senior management positions.

• Organizational capacity-building – experience and ability to assess an organization and develop approaches for addressing challenges and implementing and maintaining operational effectiveness and efficiency.

• Tolerance for complexity and ambiguity – ability to thrive in complex environments and to be energized by solving large, multi-dimensional problems.

• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills, capacity to understand human as well as financial and bureaucratic dynamics, and proven ability to make progress in the absence of complete information.

• Intellectual leadership – ability to function in a relationship-driven culture where intellectual acuity is highly valued and to provide leadership by exhibiting a combination of insight, transparency, fairness, utility, and commitment to the institution.

• Experience developing organizational strategies to ensure staffing structure and levels align with organizational needs and motivating staff and managing all levels of performance.

• Supportive and accessible management style as well as the demonstrated ability to lead and motivate a diverse staff and to encourage growth and development in both people and programs.

• Demonstrated integrity, communication skills, diplomacy, collaboration, and sound judgment.

• A strong academic sensibility with a demonstrated skill in understanding cultural differences.

• Proven experience connecting diversity, inclusion, and wellbeing practices to business goals.

Additionally, we would like to see evidence of:

• Success with increasing responsibilities in a university setting, including academic research administration and grant oversight experience.
  

We will review applications as received. For full consideration, please apply by January 8, 2024. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Familiarize yourself with Cornell's COVID-19 workplace guidance as well as the university's COVID-19 services and information .

University Job Title:

Administrator VII - RES

Job Family:

Administration

Level:

I

Pay Rate Type:

Salary

Pay Range:

$195,750.00 - $239,250.00

Remote Option Availability:

Hybrid Remote

Company:

Endowed

Contact Name:

Kathy McKee

Job Titles and Pay Ranges:

Non-Union Positions

Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience

• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position

• Unique applicable skills

• Academic Discipline (faculty pay ranges reflects 9-month annual salary)

To learn more about Cornell’s non-union staff job titles and pay ranges, see Career Navigator.

Union Positions

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement. To learn more about Cornell’s union wages, see Union Pay Rates.

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EEO Statement:

Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, and we do not tolerate discrimination based on any protected characteristic, including race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex/gender, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.

Cornell University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff to all identities and backgrounds. We encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.

2023-12-04